No 14332, Saturday 16 Nov 2024, Vidwan

 ACROSS

1 Greats occasionally associated with a northern state's rise (3,2) GET UP {GrEaTs}{UP}
4 Steady Ali is best in action! (9) STABILISE*
9 This city is on it! Perhaps for tantalisation! (7) ATLANTA  CA { ATLANTA+IS ON IT*}=TANTALISATION
10 A broken chair with touch of classicism is antique (7) ARCHAIC {A}{CHAIR*}{Cla.....m}
11 Void whipped by loft's trail (5) DIVOT {VOID*}{lofT} &Lit
12 Quiet and almost grim, Caliph goes back to the paradise city (7-2) SHANGRI-LA {SH}{ANGRy}{ALI<}
13 Fighters for the main battle (5,4) NAVAL UNIT CD
14 Married girl's gift from heavens (5) MANNA {M}{ANNA}
15 Extremist within assault range (5) ULTRA {T}

17 Most peaceful experience, mostly in part of Tanzanian plains (9) SERENGETI {SERENe}{GET It}

19 A typical set of characters without spirits, from the East (4,5) SANS SERIF  {SANS}{FIRES<}
21 Cuckoo! Most boring bird! (5) ROBIN {BORINg*}
22 Tango with wife, starts to orgastically swing on favourite retro dance music (3-4) TWO-STEP {T}{W}{Or.........y}{Sw..g}{PET<}
23 Sapphire, a prize prince rejected in advance (7) ALUMINA {A}{pLUM}{IN}{A}
24 Desire power to somehow put money back in treasury (9) REDEPOSIT {DESIRE Power TO*}
25 Adjust and work without tea break finally (5) TWEAK {T{Work}EA}{breaK}

DOWN
1 Strong new daiquiri cocktail for senior church official (5,10) GRAND INQUISITOR {STRONG New DAIQUIRI*}
2 Long live Grant! Back to The White City! (3,4) TEL AVIV {VIVA LET<}
3 Criticise a count over a cigar (9) PANATELLA {PAN}{A}{TELL}{A}
4 Sun, salt and beach outings, wearing English colours in USA! (5,3,7) STARS AND STRIPES {S}{TAR}{SANDS} {TRIP{E}S}

5 Actually like a dull paint finish on exterior walls, bad work! (2,1,6,2,4) AS A MATTER OF FACT {AS}{A}{MATT}{ExterioR}{OFF}{ACT}
6 At home, Scrooge's often seen in disguise (5) INCOG {IN}{sCrOoGe}
7 This Roman Hun could be Lithuanian (7) ITALIAN CA {ITALIAN+HUN*}=LITHUANIAN
8 Old man of few words, a model leader of India, working to impair Kashmir basically! (11,4) EXCLAMATION MARK {EX}{CLAM}{A}{T}{I}{ON}{MAR}{Ka....r}
14 Petty litigation for clubs? (5,4) MINOR SUIT {MINOR}{SUIT}
16 Often disposed large diamonds? 1000%! (7) TENFOLD {OFTEN*}{L}{D}
18 Bet Biden's most disoriented at the main retreat (7)  EBBTIDE {BET BIDEn*}
20 Periodically sued Trump on false charge (5) SETUP {SuEd TrUmP}

Reference List 

Quiet=Sh, Married=M, Tango=T, Wife=W, Power=P, Work=W, New=N, At home=in, Old=Ex, Model=T, India=I, Working=On, Large=L, Diamonds=D.