The Sunday Crossword No 3206, Sunday 12 Jun 2022

ACROSS

1   He penned hits, some unfinished sadly? (7,8)  STEPHEN SONDHEIM {HE+PENNED+HITS+SOMe}* &lit

9   Everyman starts to get awfully enormous (4) MEGA {ME}{Get}{Aw...y}

10 Finally sag — not tall — crumbling (2,4,4) AT LONG LAST*

11 Rushes (runs forward) to find help at a wedding (6) USHERS (-r)USHE(+r)RS

12 Old males confusedly kept changing direction (8) SLALOMED*

13 Slays pirates (6,3) KNOCKS OFF [DD]

15 Starter of frogs: to consume is an act of daring (4) FEAT {Frog}{EAT}

16 A little prat, with an idiot (4) TWIT [T]

17 Clues in meandering letter suggesting insobriety (9) TIPSINESS {TIPS}{IN}{(~s)ESS}

21 Former squeeze: 'I will give you beef' (8) PASTRAMI {PAST}{RAM}{I}

22 Bank not originally allowed to give you trinket (6) ANKLET {bANK}{LET}

24 Inept golfer's cry — what he's done — what you now are! (10) FOREWARNED {FORE}{WARNED}

25 Celebrity's retiring? Oh no (4) RATS<=

26 Secrecy is virtue, working here? (8,7) SECURITY SERVICE* &lit

DOWN

2   Time to argue for mutiny? (7) TREASON {T}{REASON}

3   Tool that's rudimentary called out (5) PLANE (~plain)

4   Goes past the Spanish church's recesses (7) ELAPSES {EL}{APSES}

5   Fluffy 'sciences' I cast off, wanting independence (4-11) SELF SUFFICIENCY*

6   Notification on nutrition forswearing adipose tissue, primarily? (3-3) NON-FAT Acrostic &lit

7   Date movie (9) HALLOWEEN [DD]

8   Study Pietersen's opening in cricket? (7) INSPECT {INS{Pi...n}ECT}

14 A neurotic trembled, wanting liqueur (9) COINTREAU*

16 Vacuous tortoise appeared to find a flower (3,4) TEA ROSE {To...sE}{AROSE}

18 Bandage cut, drinking whiskey (7) SWADDLE {S{W}ADDLE}

19 Putrid conservative penetrating? I'm not so sure (7) SCEPTIC {S{C}EPTIC}

20 A week in large African country – or a small one? (6) MALAWI {MAL{A}{W}I} Semi&lit

23 Drink of vodka at openings in Russian ballet company (5) KIROV {KIR}{Of}{Vo..a}

Reference List

Time = T, The in Spanish = EL, Whiskey = W, Conservative = C, Week = W