No 2718, Sunday 23 Dec 12

ACROSS
1   - Traitor shot by CO, a leader of troops (8) - TURNCOAT {TURN}{CO}{A}{T}
5   - Team audibly expressed relief (4) - SIDE (~sighed)
7   - Finding Italian composer inside ceremonial court (6,7) - FORMAL VERDICT {FORMAL} {VERDI}{CT}
10 - Following behind leader in rally (5) - LATER {LATE}{R}
11 - Generally free (2,5) - AT LARGE [DD]
12 - Sailor man, bruiser at sea (10) - SUBMARINER*
14 - Fine Greek character making cheese there (4) - FETA {F}{ETA}

16 - Adult feeding toddler perfectly (2,1,1) - TO A T {TO {A} T}
17 - Young landlord brought round second bulletin (10) - NEWSLETTER {NEW}{S}{LETTER}
19 - Struggle to survive in desert heat (3,4) - RAT RACE {RAT} {RACE}
20 - United aware of final in Rome (2,3) - IN ONE {IN ON}{romE}
23 - How Monopoly starts, as it always has (4,3,4,2) - FROM THE WORD GO [DD]

24 - Additional matter involving learner driver (4) - PLUS {P{L}US}
25 - Kirk series open about closure of kirk? (4,4) - STAR TREK {STAR T}{RE}{K} My all time favourite series

DOWN
1   - One seeking damages losing simple argument (4) - TIFF plainTIFF
2   - Rustic artist interrupting canon, endlessly (5) - RURAL {RU{RA}Le}
3   - About to drink gin or cobblers (8) - CLAPTRAP {C}{LAP}{TRAP}
4   - Guys during a test drive damaged trailer (13) - ADVERTISEMENT {ADVERTISE{MEN}T*}
5   - Screen cast, about 50 (6) - SHIELD {SHIE{L}D}
6   - Cleaner put off by toff (9) - DETERGENT {DETER}{GENT}
8   - Degrade sister, unwisely, in family magazine (7,6) - READER'S DIGEST*
9   - Put right about couple (6) - REPAIR {RE}{PAIR}
12 - Planet could show a change of direction behind sun (6) - SATURN {S}{A}{TURN}
13 - Attractive blue Fiat crashed outside university (9) - BEAUTIFUL {BEA{U}TIFUL*}
15 - A critical time for one to leave alluring woman with nothing on (4,4) - ZERO HOUR {ZERO} {HOURi}
18 - Eminent female, a mostly shy person (6) - FAMOUS {F}{A}{MOUSe}
21 - The Spanish embarrassed over senior church member (5) - ELDER {EL}{DER<=}
22 - Show yellow card to reserve (4) - BOOK [DD]

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