No 2588, Sunday 06 Jun 10

An excellent crossword with some lovely clues, got only a couple in the first pass but later they started tumbling in
ACROSS
1 - God of love after a ballot (6) – {A}{POLL}{O}
4 - Ethnic, first in box in court case (6) – {TRI{B}AL}
8 - Some tinsel, at Christmas, in bar (5) – LATCH [T]
9 - Divert sports team approaching course (9) – {SIDE}{TRACK}
11 - Suitable, "Feelings", a pop single (4,10) – {GOOD} {VIBRATIONS}

13 - Intensely serious, boy describing adult (7) – {E{A}RNEST}
15 - Fancy goods originally imported by one US state (7) – {I}{MA{G}INE}
16 - Remarkably smooth northern newspaper proprietor (7) – {THOMSO*}{N}
18 - Understands article in rag's racy (7) – {GA{THE}RS*}
20 - Both row rowboat unsuitably loaded (5,1,3,2,3) – WORTH A BOB OR TWO*
23 - Mater's rewritten: Mother, with a capital (9) – {AMSTER*}{DAM}
24 - Confine one male brought in drunk (5) – {L{I}{M}IT}
25 - Make a journey with French composer after end of concert (6) – {T}{RAVEL}
26 - Here's the spinner - there'll be flipping ducks again! (6) – SPIDER <-
DOWN
1 - Piece of music composed to greet all (10) – ALLEGRETTO*
2 - Defeat old-fashioned party (5) – {OUT}{DO}
3 - Composer shown round very European port (2,5) – {LE HA{V}R}{E}
5 - Note girl drinking drop of sparkling wine (7) – {RE}{T{S}INA}
6 - Beans are, I suspect, served up in a sauce (9) – BEARNAISE* never heard of this sauce before
7 - Enjoy the same thing (4) – LIKE [DD]
9 - Second-rate vessel in need of flag (11) – {SUB}{STANDARD}
10 - Sketch popular stable lad in reception area (7,4) – {DRAW}{IN}{G ROOM}
12 - Nobleman holding a dart and a toy weapon (10) – {PE{A}{SHOOT}ER}

14 - Ashore, son plays in a North Wales resort (4-2-3) – RHOS ON SEA*
17 - Defiant remark made by chronic drunkard in this place (2,5) – {SO} {T HERE}
19 - Tart, upper part containing bread (7) – {T{ROLL}OP}
21 - Faint-hearted gloomy Italian turned up (5) – {TI}{MID} <-
22 - Record throw (4) – CAST [DD] ?

GRID