The Sunday Crossword, Sunday 31 Jul 2016

ACROSS
1   Mad dogs in rather hard bargaining (5-7) HORSE-TRADING* Done extremely well by our ...!!!
9   Accommodated increase (3,2) PUT UP [DD]
10 Porcelain's single feature covered by book article (4,5) BONE CHINA {B}{ONE} {CHIN}{A}
11 Sorry about piece inhibiting endless fun (10) REMORSEFUL {RE}{MORSE{FUn}L}
12 Source in good health (4) WELL [DD]
14 Stupid, miles behind inspector (3) DIM {DI}{M}
15 Not on, cruelly dismissing verse in bossy style (11) OFFICIOUSLY {OFF}{vICIOUSLY}
17 Bottle with nothing inside irritated northern film star (6,5) SOPHIA LOREN {SO{PHIAL}{O} RE}{N}

19 Right account about estate? (3) CAR {CA}{R} <=
20 Spoils sound of stringed instrument (4) LOOT (~lute)
21 Card from old English poet filled with love (10) PASTEBOARD {PAST}{E}{B{O}ARD}
24 Guess clue wrongly in rush (9) SPECULATE {SP{CLUE*}ATE}
25 Time occupied by leading pair in return match (5) AGREE {AG{REturn}E}
26 The art involved in cookery is awesome (12) BREATHTAKING {THE+ART}* in {BAKING}

DOWN
2   Choose mother to protect one? That's best (7) OPTIMUM {OPT}{1}{MUM}
3   Individual in charge following us up very fast (10) SUPERSONIC {SU<=}{PERSON}{IC}
4   Story about British chart (5) TABLE {TA{B}LE}
5   Presenter can run one ragged (9) ANNOUNCER*
6   Desire degree? No pressure (4) ITCH pITCH
7   Top tips for explorer in good small aircraft (7) GLIDERS {G}{LID}{Ex...eR}{S}
8   Big early bid, working with energy, to make military crossing (6,6) BAILEY BRIDGE {BIG+EARLY+BIRD}*{E} Oh boy! how we used to struggle manually lugging parts of this bridge around while building them during our training in 77!

9   Broadcast serial, top sad epic (8,4) PARADISE LOST*
13 Spot empty space at close range (5-5) POINT-BLANK {POINT}-{BLANK}
16 Guy with role became unable to cope (4,5) FELL APART {FELL A}{PART}
18 Saw traveller in lead (7) PROVERB {ROVER} in {PB}
19 Facial expression after tea showing dissatisfaction (7) CHAGRIN {CHA}{GRIN}
22 Handle danger, disposing of hydrogen (5) TREAT ThREAT
23 Pretty odd members of club, then? (4) CUTE {ClUb+ThEn}

GRID