No 2520, Sunday, 08 Feb 09

Have always been intimidated by the Sunday Crossword. Made good headway today but not sufficient to crack it completely. Did'nt like the clue for 12A
ACROSS
1 - Knock it back and fall - TOPPLE

4 - Told stories, on the way back, about volunteers, soldiers given a special task - DETAIL

8 - Fool, one gatecrashing party wearing it – IDIOT

9 - Has rector involved a group of musicians? - ORCHESTRA

11 - Irishman returned book purchased by post – MAIL ORDER

12 - Relative has contaminated article taken away - UNCLE

13 - Appropriate classes in game - (Addendum - HAPPY FAMILIES)

17 - If the correct keys are pressed, one may get some notes out of this – CASH DISPENSER

19 - Free, the BBC? Not originally - UNTIE

21 - One may be in the high street selling sheets - (Addendum - NEWS AGENT)

23 - How Ms Blaise may have introduced herself, showing indecorum – IMMODESTY

24 - Tree with less on top and lacking breadth - (Addendum - CEDAR)

25 - Cheap whisky about and foremost of drinks, see – RED EYE

26 - Deceive the Parisian, a lecturer - LEAD ON

DOWN
1 - Trump his assorted achievements – TRIUMPH

2 - Verbal attack making boy snap - (Addendum - PHILLIPPIC)

3 - Game, extremely tight once opener's dismissed - LOTTO

5 - Senior manager put a plan into effect around four - EXECUTIVE

6 - Frolic with worker in charge - ANTIC

7 - Rolling drunk - LOADED

9 - Miscellaneous pieces from unusual beach crossing point – ODDS AND ENDS

10 - Transports from terribly raw icy areas – CARRIES AWAY

14 - A standard only a short time ago - YESTERDAY

15 - Stayed in South America over round Paraguay's capital - (Addendum - SUSPENDED)

16 - Brothers, British, joining RN, there, at sea ... - BRETHREN

18 - . . . Jack, in our resort, is younger - JUNIOR

20 - Lacking courage in obscure Italian uprising – TIMID

22 - Wonder about painter turning up well - (Addendum - AWARE)