The Sunday Crossword No 3224, Sunday 16 Oct 2022

ACROSS

1   Sailors travel here for substantial part of meal (4,6) MAIN COURSE [C&DD]

6   Almost perfect notion (4) IDEA IDEAl

9   Trunk of gin ordered; it helps musician get started (6,4) TUNING FORK*

10 Bite from insect that's repelled (4) TANG<=

11 Singer to emit pained expression before piano piece (12) YELLOWHAMMER {YELL OW}{HAMMER}

15 They provide warmth in essence, husband and son (7) HEARTHS {HEART}{H}{S}

16 One found in hedge, perhaps, to argue and quarrel (7) SPARROW {SPAR}{ROW}

17 Some emus tangled with wild equine (7) MUSTANG [T]

19 Spicy sausage mostly unpleasant task, ultimately seeing ennui chez Léo (7) CHORIZO {CHORe}{e..uI}{cheZ}{leO}

20 Stinking Emmenthal Sir put away (2,3,7) IN THE SLAMMER*

23 Call for massage, loudly (4) NEED (~knead)

24 Authorisations for acts of demolition (10) CLEARANCES [DD]

25 Exclamation expressing annoyance with a 2022 World Cup host city (4) DOHA {DOH}{A}

26 Do big trees make up this place? In a sense; largely not! (4,6) GOBI DESERT* &lit 

DOWN

1   Tiny beast's enormous power, we're told (4) MITE (~might)

2   Primarily infinitesimal objects; negative, sometimes? (4) IONS Acrostic &lit

3   Focus your thoughts: what might your drink be made from? (11) CONCENTRATE [DD]

4   Develops – or decreases? (7) UNFOLDS [DD]

5   Moves slowly, after brief second dashes off (7) SCRAWLS {CRAWLS}<=>{Se...d}

7   Rat Pack star working in tandem to secure Alfa Romeo (4,6) DEAN MARTIN {IN+TANDEM}* over {A}{R}

8   Own goal, or a dummy: balls getting weaved? (6,4) ANGORA WOOL*

12 A father failing O-level about a Catholic computer programmer (3,8) ADA LOVELACE {A}{DA} and {O LEVEL}* over {A}{C}

13 Impeach Don, ineffectively defended (10) CHAMPIONED*

14 Fellow athlete's flying, taking drug and artificial body part (5,5) FALSE TEETH {F}{ATHLETES*} over {E}

18 Noted heretic in scene of Jesus' ministry cut short by duck (7) GALILEO {GALILEe}{0}

19 Italian liqueur one consumed in holiday accommodation on Rhode Island (7) CAMPARI {A} in {CAMP}{RI}

21 In the entrance, adjusting central heating: Everyman's beginning to be a pain (4) ACHE {Ad...g}{Ce...l}{He...g}{Ev...n}

22 A little app's strangely quiet alert (4) PSST [T]

Reference List

Husband = H, Son = S, Alfa = A, Romeo = R, Father = DA, Catholic = C, Fellow = F, Drug = E, Rhode Island = RI