No 2669, Sunday 15 Jan 12

ACROSS
1   - Criminal raced across a shopping precinct (6) - ARCADE {ARC{A}DE*}
4   - Diplomatic in court in case of potential fault (7) - TACTFUL {TA{CT}FUL*}
9   - In favour of appointment, in theory (11) - PROPOSITION {PRO}{POSITION}
10 - What could be held by mourner? (3) - URN [T&lit]
11 - Take flight from secluded place (7) - RETREAT [DD]
12 - Daughter led astray by former airline? Nonsense (7) - TWADDLE {TWA}{D}{DLE*}
13 - Fluid we rub on baby in Bedfordshire mansion (6,5) - WOBURN ABBEY*
15 - For example, George Peppard's lead heading Tarantino's cast (6,5) - PATRON SAINT {P}{ATRON SAINT*}
19 - English deserter, through drink, makes a mistake (7) - ERRATUM {E}{R{RAT}UM}
21 - Mean to declare silver at the end of cruise (7) - AVERAGE {AVER}{AG}{E}
22 - Sounds like bent grass (3) - RYE (~wry)
23 - Row after promise made to include league's leader in baseball championship (5,6) - WORLD SERIES {WOR{L}D} {SERIES}
24 - County containing power plant (7) - SPURREY {S{P}URREY}

25 - Small son, delicate (6) - SLIGHT {S}{LIGHT}
DOWN
1   - A steeple to rise to a great height (6) - ASPIRE {A}{SPIRE}
2   - Native American's dog torn apart by wild cat (7) - CHOCTAW {CHO{CTA*}W}
3   - Various nobodies needing time to make a useful contribution (2,4,3) - DO ONE'S BIT {DO ONES BI*}{T}
4   - Drayman's T-shirt, shockingly novel (8,6) - TRISTRAM SHANDY*
5   - Dance in study with Georgia (5) - CONGA {CON}{GA}
6   - Factory set up by railway (7) - FOUNDRY {FOUND}{RY}
7   - Bird left in snare (6) - LINNET {L}{IN}{NET}

8   - Waving my cross - it's free from religious order (7,2,5) - SISTERS OF MERCY*
14 - Groom's partner, quite possibly in prison (9) - BRIDEWELL {BRIDE}{WELL}
15 - Social climber's rave-up disbanded around noon (7) - PARVENU {PARVE{N}U*}
16 - Doing business with a duke in Hertfordshire town (7) - TRADING {TR{A}{D}ING}
17 - Remains in Chermside, Brisbane (6) - DEBRIS [T]
18 - Bidet's cracked in flat (6) - BEDSIT*
20 - Rear of tractor, perhaps (5) - TOWER [CD]