No 12103, Monday 04 Sep 2017, Neyartha

HAPPY ONAM

ACROSS
1   Frigate error at sea in a compartment kept cool artificially (12) REFRIGERATOR*
8   No to molten chocolate in a snail-shaped tube (7) COCHLEA CHOCoLAtE*

9   Hard for Charlie to cut back on seafood (6) SHRIMP S(-c+h)HRIMP

11 Unfolding clash in retreat about a pit behind the marked spot (9) EXPANSION {X}{PAN} in {NOISE<=} Pan/Pit? See comments
12 Mollusc shell in device used for flow control (5) VALVE [DD]
14 Sweet prepared in bitter surroundings for a waterproof hat (9) SOUWESTER {SOU{SWEET*}R}

16 React to sad news in the letters from the Zimbabwe epicureans (4) WEEP [T]
18 Hauling carriage in the fenced-in area has been sent back (4) DRAY <=
19 Fuss by a couple of bridge players on the run with a criminal (9) RACKETEER {RACKET}{EE}{R}
21 Forces oddly acting to get an ozone-damaging gas (5) FREON {FoRcEs}{ON}
22 Most arrogant tot's noise is problematic (9) SNOOTIEST*
23 A birthday gift? (6) TALENT [C&DD]
25 Fish eggs sent back after entry of the queen with a revolutionary Greek character at the dividing line (7) EQUATOR {Q}{TAU<=} in {ROE<=}
26 Plantain-okra hybrid from a government-protected area (8,4) NATIONAL PARK*

DOWN
2   Take in and clean up seat somehow (11) ENCAPSULATE*
3   Gave way to the climbing animal embracing a period of fasting (8) RELENTED {RE{LENT}ED<=}
4   Footwear with multiple straps for a professional boxer (9) GLADIATOR [DD]

5   Rising Somali leader stops for an incense ingredient (5) RESIN {RE{So...i}IN} Not sure if anno is correct
6   Profit again and again after Victor gets rid of the conservative (6) THRIVE THRI(-c+v)VE
7   Curve on a spherical surface reportedly leads to hard liquor (3) RUM (~rhumb)

8   Cook taking in letter with poem about a female becomes annoyed (7,3) CHEESED OFF {CHE{E}{SED O<=}F}{F}
10 Oriental enters airports under construction with the right gas mask (10) RESPIRATOR {R{E}SPIRATO*}{R}
13 Tests inadmissible in some courts? (3,8) LIE DETECTOR [GK]
15 Rap cook composed about the queen for some music albums (4,5) ROCK OPERA {ER} in {RAP+COOK}*
17 Start off with a grain (fat left out) to make a device for warming up (4,4) HEAT PUMP {wHEAT} {PlUMP}
20 Remove some characters from Mithun's eatery (6) UNSEAT [T]
22 Caught a cobblestone with an auditor's number in the fracas (3-2) SET-TO (~ sett){SET}-{TO}(~ two)
24 Stiff bristle found in a field of mowed grass needs no introduction (3) AWN lAWN

GRID