The Sunday Crossword No 3225, Sunday 23 Oct 2022

ACROSS

1   After time, I have chess kit laid out for friendly (5,2,7) THICK AS THIEVES {T}{I+HAVE+CHESS+KIT}*

9   Dry burger (not filling) in France you sent back (4) BRUT {Bu...eR}{TU<=}

10 For free gin, turning to handy index? (10) FOREFINGER*

11 Student follows code, in small part (6) MORSEL {L}<=>{MORSE}

12 Much-performed play, in more ways than one (3,5) WAR HORSE [DD]

13 Stridently yelling about '80s film selling out (9) BETRAYING {B{ET}RAYING}

15 Twice, Everyman's beginning to take against nephew: that's not odd (4) EVEN {Ev...n}{V}{Ev...n}{Ne...w}

16 Moving starter of potato to end for desserts (4) PUDS (-s)PUD(+s)S

17 Heart aflutter amid nervous motions: what a performance (9) THEATRICS {T{HEART*}ICS}

21 Retailer that's most thick English abandoned (8) STOCKIST STOCKIeST

22 One of a pair in All's Well That Ends Well? (6) ADVERB Definition by example

24 Reduction in account of self-absorbed period (10) WITHDRAWAL [DD]

25 Ring from swimming facility returned (4) LOOP<=

26 'Wonky tea trolley fixed by tool?' 'We don't yet know' (3,5,2,4) TOO EARLY TO TELL {TEA+TROLLEY}* in {TOOL}

DOWN

2   Constitutional regulator seizing some wealth or money (7) HORMONE [T]

3   Names and locations in report (5) CITES (~sites)

4   Absolutely dreadfully (7) AWFULLY [DD]

5   Knitted her tent with wool? Give up (5,2,3,5) THROW IN THE TOWEL*

6   No firm's infirm, in brief (6) INFORM {NO+FIRM}*

7   Vehicle to go across ... to go across university city (9) VANCOUVER {VAN}{CO{U}VER}

8   Crushes a relative (7) STEPSON {STEPS ON}

14 Leaves from orchid CIA cultivated (9) RADICCHIO*

16 Nationalist, smooth and funny individual (7) PATRIOT {PAT}{RIOT}

18 American, obscenely bloated, losing energy: don't trust him (1,3,3) A BAD LOT {A}{BLOATeD*}

19 Author wanting banger, perhaps with bread (7) CARROLL {CAR}{ROLL}

20 Character in pursuit of Romeo? (6) SIERRA [C&DD]

23 Vigilant, attentive lackey: expeditiously tending, primarily? (5) VALET Acrostic &lit

Reference List

Time = T, You in FRench = TU, Student = L, Code = MORSE, Against = V, Nephew = N, English = E, University = U, American = A, Energy = E