No 2694, Sunday 08 Jul 12

ACROSS
1   - Dubious sort with alcoholic drink on platform (7)  - ROSTRUM {SORT*}{RUM}
5   - Let off surplus dynamite, initially (6)  - SPARED {SPARE}{D}
9   - Splendour of Greek article under bust (8)  - GRANDEUR {GR}{A}{UNDER*}
10 - Joined one editor (6)  - UNITED {UNIT}{ED}
12 - Head leaving specimen, more than enough (5)  - AMPLE sAMPLE
13 - Around five, alkie and a TT uncommonly chatty (9)  - TALKATIVE {TALKATI{V}E*}
14 - New French calendar? (13)  - REVOLUTIONARY [DD]
16 - Soon converted a lone militant (2,2,4,2,3)  - IN NO TIME AT ALL*
20 - Getting bitter with money for bread (9)  - SOURDOUGH {SOUR}{DOUGH}

21 - Fish steak prepared (5)  - SKATE*
22 - Doctor returning to northern college (6)  - GIRTON {GIR<-}{TO}{N}
23 - Decidedly fashionable black suit (2,6)  - IN SPADES {IN} {SPADES}
24 - Attractive young girls with special ability (6)  - TALENT [DD]

25 - Bird in box by bank (7)  - SPARROW {SPAR}{ROW}

DOWN
1   - Newspaper left on top of an overcoat (6)  - RAGLAN {RAG}{L}{AN}

2   - Holiday-maker holding up small scuttle (7)  - SCAMPER {S}{CAMPER}
3   - Dickens character, impolite penning note (5)  - RUDGE {RUD{G}E}
4   - Rise to heaven, the home of the greater gods (5,7)  - MOUNT OLYMPUS {MOUNT} {OLYMPUS}
6   - Writers having a drink in a US city (9)  - PENSACOLA {PENS}{A}{COLA}
7   - Tins are wrong for a wine (7)  - RETSINA*
8   - Daughter, having drunk rye after rum, becomes unsteady (7)  - DODDERY {D}{ODD}{RYE*}
11 - One-armed bandits - lost cash in 'em, stupidly (4,8)  - SLOT MACHINES*

15 - After surprising veto duke's dejected, defeated in the House (5,4)  - VOTED DOWN {VETO*}{D} {DOWN}
16 - Awareness, in a sense (7)  - INSIGHT {IN}{SIGHT}
17 - Grey gear? (7)  - NEUTRAL [DD]
18 - Depend on the German rowing club (7)  - LEANDER {LEAN}{DER}
19 - Watch cutter pitch (6)  - SEESAW {SEE}{SAW}
21 - Wild ape is a brownish colour (5) - SEPIA*