The Sunday Crossword No 2978, Sunday 14 Jan 2018

3709
ACROSS
1   Strong resistance with nothing broken (6) ROBUST {R}{O}{BUST}
4   Inspector's crony securing very large sale (8) DISPOSAL {DIS}{P{OS}AL}
9   Controlling worries, going back into loose scrum (9) MASTERFUL {FRETS<=} in {MAUL}
11 Love nearly new dress (5) ADORN {ADORe}{N}
12 Fashion outlet, bit lame? You're not wrong (4,2,5,2) TELL ME ABOUT IT*
14 Modify early theory at regular intervals (5) ALTER {eArLy+ThEoRy}
16 Phoney reproduction hard to return with ceremony (9) HYPOCRITE {COPY}{H}<={RITE}
17 Church retreat changed talkative type (9) CHATTERER {CH}{RETREAT*}
19 Quiet, absorbed by case, lacking time to make Japanese dish (5) SUSHI {SU{SH}It}
20 Recreational facility in America that is large, brought about by modern engineers (7,6) LEISURE CENTRE {US}{IE}{L}<={RECENT}{RE}
23 Belief in alien reflected by trap (5) TENET {ET<=}{NET}
24 Gel in appropriate phase prepared (4,5) TAKE SHAPE {TAKE} {PHASE}*
25 Large number before year's end in city inn (8) HOSTELRY {HOST}{EL{yeaR}Y}
26 Section of paint entirely absorbed (6) INTENT [T]

DOWN
1   Payment, in brief hypnotic state, not right (10) REMITTANCE {REMIT}{TrANCE}
2   Herb with some lamb as illustrated (5) BASIL [T]
3   Guide about a medium item of cookware (7) STEAMER {STE{A}{M}ER}
5   Seek for public ground in Dorset area (4,2,7) ISLE OF PURBECK*
6   Fake photograph? Continue to go into it (7) PLASTIC {P{LAST}IC}
7   Flings involving debatable charmers (9) SMOOTHIES {S{MOOT}HIES}
8   Solitary advance reported (4) LONE (~loan)
10 Brush with fame's beginning with time with crowd, united in festival (7,6) FEATHER DUSTER {Fame}{EA{T}{HERD}{U}STER}
13 Perfection about penalty shoot-out finally getting people involved (10) REFINEMENT {RE}{FINE}{MEN}{s...uT}
15 Markings on court order for men's trial (9) TRAMLINES*
18 Prickly plant in varied list in article (7) THISTLE {TH{LIST*}E}
19 Saint manages without grand hat (7) STETSON {ST}{gETS ON}

21 Switch craft (5) TRADE [DD]
22 State a breaking point? Not so (4) UTAH {soUT{A}H}

GRID