The Sunday Crossword No 3285, Sunday 17 Dec 2023

ACROSS

1    Dozes: term in recess (4) NAPS<=

3    Originally somewhat tinier Roman Argentoratum, settlement built on Upper Rhine Graben? (10) STRASBOURG Acrostic &lit

9    Source of heat? Eyeliner, we're told (4) COAL (~kohl)

10 Grand: week's wasted in verdant tourist attraction (3,7) KEW GARDENS*

12 Dramatist fermented rum; rather ill (6,6)  ARTHUR MILLER*

15 Chants in native American tongue soothing (at first) (7) INCANTS {INCAN}{To...e}{So...g}

16 Dictator, scratching head, ordered cheese (7) RICOTTA dICTATOR*

17 10 repeatedly ignoring extremes, finding agreement (7) ENTENTE {tEN TEN TEn}

19 Going fast, or making fast (7) BELTING [DD]

20 Prince's ill; he shivers; it's terrifying (5-7)  SPINE CHILLER*

23 Ban lentils? Bizarrely, some sportspeople need this (6,4)  TENNIS BALL*

24 Soon to be unknown (4) ANON [DD]

25 Signs of life in blinks of an eye (10) HEARTBEATS [DD]

26 Fertility goddess in Oxford river (4) ISIS [DD]

DOWN

1    Sir: canteen in resort will give you fruit (10) NECTARINES*

2    Fashionable quality? (10) PLASTICITY [CD]

4    Picnic item among – bother! – mosquitos (7) THERMOS [T]

5    A new German university left a bit of room spare (7) ANGULAR {A}{N}{G}{U}{L}{A}{Room}

6    Guest announced: pitman's docked family pet? (6,6) BORDER COLLIE {(~ boarder)BORDER}{COLLIEr}

7    Worked – like charity-shop items? (4) USED [DD]

8    Head of grass snake; shocked sound (4) GASP {Gr..s}{ASP}

11 'Go to bed': doctor with ointment not half offering opportunity for change (7,5) TURNING POINT {TURN IN}{GP}{OINTment}

13 Lads remove clothes before topless affaires (10) STRIPLINGS {STRIP}{fLINGS}

14 Fruit, nettle secured by fork's prongs (10) TANGERINES {T{ANGER}INES}

18 In Spain then in France, the good rise in honour (7) ENNOBLE {EN}{LE} over {BON<=}

19 Second drunk standing between you and illumination? (7) BACKLIT {BACK}{LIT}

21 'Eat away!' ... taking all starters, Everyman tests café's hospitality (4) ETCH Acrostic

22 Pavlova? Heavenly dish, but not at first (4) ANNA mANNA

Reference List

New = N, German = G, University = U, Left = L, Doctor = GP(General Practioner), The in Spain = EN, The in France = LE