No 12333, Saturday 02 June 2018, xChequer

Thanks to Col. for anno of 4D,5D & 21D

Across

7. Democrat becoming Republican, becoming contemporary (6) RECENT {(-d+R)ECENT}
8. The Listener's end? Published last in '91 back then (5,3) OUTER EAR {OUT}{ninetyonE}{R EAR}
9. Apartment getting very loud brought over street cop (8) FLATFOOT {FLAT}{{TOO}{F}<=}
10. Year old mongrel sick of hunting cry (6) YOICKS }Y}{O}{SICK*}
11. Recognize braying, banded one? (5) ZEBRA (T) Banded on double duty?
12. Rice dish in revolting sauce, fling latter half away (6) PILAFF {LIP<=}{AFFair}
14. Love-all, else a new set? Doesn't get mixed up at all (6,4,5) LEAVES WELL ALONE {LOVE ALL ELSE A NEW*}
17. Past your vices and the others getting irritable? (6) TETCHY {T{ETC}HY}
18. Nothing said about hugging, a kiss in order, maybe (5)  TAXON {~NOUGHT<=} about {A}{X}
22. Scanty extra-small clothes? Quite the opposite (6) SPARSE {SPAR{S}E}
23. Midday working breaks not a redundant concept (8) NOONTIDE {NO{ON}T}{IDEa}
24. Conservative to the core, but rule bent to save energy (4-4) TRUE-BLUE {BUT RULE*} around {E}
25. Booms in conclusion (6) UPSHOT (DD) {{UPS}{HOT} See comments

Down

1. See a belly dance and look agog (2,3,4)  BE ALL EYES {SEE A BELLY*}
2. Judge always jails good man, making a fool of the court (6) JESTER {J}{E'{ST}ER}
3. Ante's raised over nothing but a hunch (5) STOOP {POT'S<=} around {O}
4. Canvas from yard sale picked up to hang around in the van (8) STAYSAIL {STAY}{~SALE}
5. Bounteous Buddha's hand for one, primarily one forsaking evil (8) FRUITFUL {FRUIT}{FoUL}
6. Stretched in frame, blank your minds (5) LANKY (T)
8. Hard to succeed in a poor prospect like this? (7,6) OUTSIDE CHANCE (CD) {H TO SUCCEED IN A *} &lit See comments
13. Woo lady without guts, hand shaking in confusion (3,3,3) ANY OLD HOW {WOO LadY HAND *}
15. Very uplifting to sign for fans (8) VOTARIES {V}{TO<=}{ARIES}
16. The Reverend's satisfied, symbolically approves typically Indian thalis (3,5) SET MEALS {(-m+S)ET  (-s+M)EALS}
19. State conclusion to court during a trial (6) ATTEST {A{T{courT}EST}
20. Upcoming artist in studio, potentially isolated (5) APART {AP{RA<=}T}
21. Question piggy banks having lid (5) TOQUE {TO{QU}E} Piggy is child's word for Toe

Reference List
Democrat=D, Republican=R, Very=Too, Loud=F, Year=Y, Old=O, Kiss=X, Small=S, Working=On, Energy=E
Judge=J, Good man=St, Nothing=O, Hard=H, Very=V, Artist=RA, Question=Qu


Colour/Font Scheme

Definition, Solution, Component letters, Embedded links, Anagram Indicator, C/C indicator, Reversal Indicator, Hidden word Indicator, Letter Pick indicator, Deletion Indicator, Homophone Indicator, Movement Indicator, Positional Indicator, Substitution, Indicator, Link/Connector, Extraneous

GRID

Bhargav's Talepiece

The bouncer and the dancer - Part 52

Thus by a strange turn of events Uncle Sam LEAVES WELL ALONE the school. Even an OUTSIDE CHANCE of the school getting into trouble was now absent.

Those who were allowed in would BE ALL EYES as the programs progressed. 

The crowd was always SPARSE. A LANKY TRUE BLUE JESTER with a strange name of Long John Silver was taken in to provide some additional entertainment. But his main duty was to STOOP and collect the money. And there would be no TAX ON that collection!!

Soon the VOTARIES grew and so did the money - some in the current account and quite a lot in the coffers!!

What happened next?