The Sunday Crossword No 3290, Sunday 21 Jan 2024

ACROSS

1   Check section of fire insurance (4) REIN [T]

3   Old fellow satisfied, calm, drinking beer in reflection (10) METHUSELAH {MET}{HUS{ALE<=}H}

9   'As you'd say, the whole thing?' 'A few' (4) SOME (~sum)

10 Questionably demand list separated into unconnected items (10) DISMANTLED*

11 Boredom beaten: dessert's announced in fancy part of hotel (7,5) BEDROOM SUITE {BOREDOM}*{(~sweet)SUITE}

15 Pickles plays the fiddle (7) SCRAPES [DD]

16 German, let down in the end, scowls and scowls (7) GLOWERS {G}{LOWER}{s...lS}

17 Former lover takes care of spreads (7) EXTENDS {EX}{TENDS}

19 Foolish – as in, inefficient (in earliest stages) (7) ASININE [T]

20 Germ attendee disseminated in public function (4-3-5) MEET-AND-GREET*

23 Thrash musicians getting rich pastries (5,5) CREAM HORNS {CREAM}{HORNS} I love these

24 Relish with which duck and root vegetable knocked back (4) MAYO {O}{YAM}<= 

By jules - rolls royce mayonnaise, CC BY 2.0, https://commons.wikimedia.org/w/index.php?curid=35344899

25 Inadequacy shown by nephew wearing suit in untidy state (10) MEAGRENESS {AGRE{N}E} in {MESS} 

26 In announcement, apprehend – in the main? (4) SEAS (~seize)

DOWN

1   Revolted by former First Family: they're in the White House Garden (4,6) ROSE BUSHES {ROSE}{BUSHES}

2   Everyman's to act as chair? That's unreasonable (10) IMMODERATE {I'M}{MODERATE}

4   Puzzles, games in play (7) ENIGMAS*

5   Amateur served up food somewhere in N Germany (7) HAMBURG {HAM}{GRUB<=}

6   Authorizing, penalizing (11) SANCTIONING [DD]

7   Loud, ultimately; lady ululating, primarily? (4) LULU Acrostic &lit

8   Mask and whip (4) HIDE [DD]

12 Phone Empire about blockbuster (11) OPPENHEIMER*

13 Cautious ponder (10) DELIBERATE [DD}

14 Claims señoras sit around (10) ASSERTIONS*

18 Brood, feeling blue: you need a rest (3-4) SIT-DOWN {SIT}{DOWN}

19 Not initially gaping, small canopies (7) AWNINGS {yAWNING}{S}

21 Second piece of recording equipment making racket (4) SCAM {S}{CAMera}

22 Welsh actress taking part: Greek character (4) ZETA {catherine-ZETA-jones)

Reference List

German = G, Nephew = N, Small = S, Second = S