The Sunday Crossword No 3337, Sunday 22 Dec 2024

ACROSS

1   A letter is lenient (10) PERMISSIVE {PER}{MISSIVE}

6   Biblical character in thesaurus (4) ESAU [T]

9   University department in which things may be granted? (10) ADMISSIONS [DD]

10 Atmosphere – ruination – that’s regressive (4) MOOD<=

12 Food for the young fish initially diving deep (6,6) SCHOOL DINNER {SCHOOL}{Di...g}{INNER}

15 Seizes chair’s comfortable features (not masculine) (7) ARRESTS ARmRESTS

16 I refuse to believe in a model bank robbery (7) ATHEIST {A}{T}{HEIST}

17 Blocks two-thirds of the toady protuberances (7) THWARTS {THe}{WARTS}

19 Trembling, drool about new American football star (7) RONALDO {RO{N}{A}LDO*}

20 What makes … what makes the world go round … go round? (5-7) MONEY SPINNER [CD]

23 Gripped in booby trap (4) RAPT*

24 More than one character in finest robe lampooned, being flash here (6,4) STROBE LAMP [T]

25 Complaint heard in E. London, somewhere in E. London (4) ACNE (~'ackney)

26 A monkey and 20 ponies? (5,5) GRAND TOTAL [CD] (500=20x25)

DOWN

1   Ring? Strip (you made out) (4) PEAL (~peel)

2   Where one inevitably ends up emulating the locals? (4) ROME [CD]

3   Part of religious group, saint prays for means of repelling creepy-crawlies (6,6) INSECT SPRAYS {IN}{SECT}{S}{PRAYS}

4   Some laceless items, podalically oriented – not starchy, principally? (4-3) SLIP-ONS Acrostic &lit

5   Nondescript vehicle Everyman will advocate at the outset (7) VANILLA {VAN}{I'LL}{Ad...e}

7   Nestle with William’s feathered friends (10) SPOONBILLS {SPOON}{BILLS}

8   I see below rose (10) UNDERSTOOD {UNDER}{STOOD} 

11 Like attractive accounts when entire thigh’s displayed (4-8) HIGH-INTEREST*

13 A Samaritan adrift in Atlantic ship (5,5) SANTA MARIA*

14 Alluring security measure that keeps paper in place (7,3) DRAWING PIN {DRAWING}{PIN}

18 Doorman who might give you hell? (2,5) ST PETER [CD]

19 Shabby slate (3-4) RUN-DOWN [DD]

21 Take public transport up to find shopping centre (4) MART<=

22 Gemstone? It’s love, mate (4) OPAL {O}{PAL}

Reference List

Masculine = M, Model = T, New = N, American = A, Monkey = GRAND(500 Pounds), Pony = 25 Pounds, Saint = S