Solution to 3D has been deliberately left unsolved and is to be answered only by a non-regular / novice commenter, with proper annotation. Those who have answered earlier in the week, please give others a chance.
ACROSS
9 Directions ready to include European Community (6) RECIPE {R{EC}IPE}
10 Leaders of African nation encourage war again (4) ANEW Acrostic
11 Primarily searches shows at old city, gives up (10) SURRENDERS {Se...s}{UR}{RENDERS}
12 Careful consideration of a director's grip on people and team leader (10) ADVISEMENT {A}{D}{VISE}{MEN}{Team}
14 Unclear on Victor's exit with fever (4) AGUE vAGUE
15 Group of stars sent off during editing (13) CONSTELLATION {CO{SENT*}LLATION}
18 Expensive? Replace dinar with naira, it is within reach (4) NEAR (-d+n)NEAR
20 Principles of schematic rewritten by leading scientist (10) CATECHISMS {SCHEMATIC}*{Sc...t}
21 Interruptions in rest, unhappy with son (10) BREAKDOWNS {BREAK}{DOWN}{S}
24 A century followed by a LBW, in front. Inconsistent (6) ATONAL {A}{TON}{A}{Lbw}
25 Welsh rabbit was not very sparse in the beginning (8) RAREBITS {BITS}<=>{RARE}
DOWN
1 Cyclonic storm indicator taking head off (8) TORNADIC iNDICATOR*
2 Setter with a bird with clipped making cat sound (4) MEOW {ME}{OWl}
3 Happiest one giving rewards in advance at Estonia (8) ?I?S?E?T (Addendum - TIPSIEST {1}<=>{TIPS} and {EST} - See comment)
4 Critical that dog starting late reaches man (6) URGENT {cUR}{GENT}
5 Frozen cut start to finish (4) ICED dICED
6 Each copper follows one for insight (6) APERCU {PER}{CU}<=>{A}
14 At the start, Allen's low inswinging ball interrupted by defence (5) ALIBI Acrostic
16 Tyres can burst in race (8) ANCESTRY*
17 Select new leader to replace daughter in control (8) NOMINATE (-d+n)NOMINATE
19 Right in time, first teacher took article and found mistakes (6) ERRATA {ER{R}A}{Te...r}{A}
20 Pet fish led astray (6) CODDLE {COD}{LED*}
22 Excellent time to send the English to end (1-3) A-ONE A(-e)ON(+e)E
23 Bantu band's instrument (4) TUBA [T]
Reference List
Old city = UR, Director = D, Victor = V, Dinar = D, Naira = N, Son = S, Money = TIN, Century = TON, Daughter = D, Right = R, English = E
3D - Tipsiest - happiest
ReplyDeleteRewards - Tips
I - one
EST - Estonia
Tips + I + est
Advance (tips before I)
Parts parts ok. Anno?
DeletePls look up 3-letter ISO-alpha code for countries.
DeleteGood & fast.
ReplyDelete25A- 'Bits' from 'Not very'? Any other possibility?
ReplyDeleteNot very could also mean rare/rare bit!
DeleteI have seen used in English crossies.
Not very cooked in steak houses (7)
2D- 'Setter with a bird with'! Too many with's. Also clipped what?
ReplyDeleteA setter with clipped bird would have been better for both surface and cryptic reading.
+1.
DeleteMaybe the setter intended it to be 'bird with clipped wing' and the word got missed somehow
DeleteA straightforward one from Afterdark today. 6D & 8D were new words for me, but good clueing led me to the answers.
ReplyDelete25ac - the clue says sparse in the beginning.
ReplyDeleteSo sparse - rare &
Not very - bits. ?
@ Prasad
Comparatively easy from AD.
ReplyDeleteMy cod - CONSTELLATION, SURRENDERS.
Thanx