No 2704, Sunday 16 Sep 12

ACROSS
1   - Caught parrot fish in New England resort area (4,3)  - CAPE COD {C}{APE}{COD}
5   - Transmitter in vessel (7)  - CARRIER [DD]
9   - Duck taken from Grasmere cooked around noon (9)  - MERGANSER {MERGA{N}SER*}

10 - Loose-limbed, Italian ambassador after end of drill (5)  - LITHE {L}{IT}{HE}
11 - Intense anger about new stove (5)  - RANGE {RA{N}GE}
12 - Typically, a Girl Guide's first to wear one (2,7)  - ON AVERAGE {ON{A}{VERA}{G}E}
13 - Here members salute (7,4)  - PRESENT ARMS {PRESENT} {ARMS}

15 - American soldier freed at once, remarkably (11)  - CONFEDERATE*
19 - Starting to trap male bears in rural areas (3,6)  - THE STICKS {T}{HE} {STICKS}
21 - Company backed aggressive dog to take place (5)  - OCCUR {OC<-}{CUR}
22 - Clean frock (5)  - DRESS [DD]
23 - Murder in the Spanish Main - it upset pirate, ultimately (9)  - ELIMINATE {EL}{MAIN+IT*}{E}
24 - Where one may see an athlete making progress as expected (2,5)  - ON TRACK [DD]
25 - Encourage leading boffin (7)  - EGGHEAD {EGG}{HEAD}
DOWN
1   - Arrived with artist and picture producer (6)  - CAMERA {CAME}{RA}
2   - Briefly peel and cut a vegetable (7)  - PARSNIP {PARe}{SNIP}

3   - Reptile blended on each elm (9)  - CHAMELEON*

4   - Found vet a threat on board (10,5)  - DISCOVERED CHECK {DISCOVERED} {CHECK}
5   - County Meath carrier NHS treated (15)  - CARMARTHENSHIRE*
6   - Poet's anger about ending in limerick (5)  - RILKE {RIL{K}E}
7   - Crying at home over split with son (2,5)  - IN TEARS {IN} {TEAR}{S}
8   - Mention about note in jacket (6)  - REEFER {RE{E}FER}
14 - Logic suggests a nose ring is silly (9)  - REASONING*
15 - Kind, the French soldiers in court (7)  - CLEMENT {C{LE}{MEN}T}
16 - Enclosed area, extremely cool in eastern part of church (7)  - ENCLAVE {E}{N{CooL}AVE}
17 - Film production company boss, one getting Oscar (6)  - STUDIO {STUD}{I}{O}
18 - Father on island with close companion (6)  - FRIEND {FR}{I}{END}
20 - Opera cast nervous about opening in Otello (5) - TOSCA {T{O}SCA*}