The Sunday Crossword No 3348, Sunday 09 Mar 2025

ACROSS

7   Wild misery drinking drop of Dubonnet: it’s only partly sweet (4-3) SEMI-DRY {MISERY}* over {Du...t}

8   Appetizing cabbage stuffed with quark on a regular basis (7) SAVOURY {SAVO{qUaRk}Y}

10 Cultivated pasturage but no time for mangetout (5,3) SUGAR PEA PAStURAGE*

11 Urge nephew to get round, grand festive booze (6) EGGNOG {EGG}{N}{O}{G}

12 In speech, would you let Everyman drink? (3,3) MAI TAI (~might I)

13 Adieu! Eve’s off: this calls for strong drink! (3,2,3) EAU DE VIE*

14 Behind boozer, fatso that’s often steaming (6,7) SPONGE PUDDING {PUDDING}<=>{SPONGE}

17 Greens, then fruitcake and fried pâtisserie item (8) DOUGHNUT {DOUGH}{NUT}

20 Somewhat sombre, a stockbroker’s bust (6) BREAST [T]

22 One particular ticket-seller vocally eschewed home cooking (3,3) ATE OUT (~a tout)

23 One opening function, first I reveal curry (8) TANDOORI {DOOR}<=>{TAN} then{I}

24 Pupils nervously bottling beer (7) PILSNER [T]

25 Judge with mounds of fat, heading off for desserts (7) JELLIES {J}{bELLIES}

DOWN

1   Creepy-crawly, one in which you find the Spanish caviare (6) BELUGA {B{EL}UG}{A}

2   Coriander? Instead, linguistically American name that’s rife online, primarily! (8) CILANTRO Acrostic &lit

3   It’s useful for Yorkshire puddings left out in the rain, perhaps (8) DRIPPING [DD}

4   Golden Gate – first, some cake! (6) GATEAU {AU}<=>{GATE}

5   Meaty sandwich ingredient that might be Old Norse (6) TONGUE [DD]

6   Evidently hungry, doctor taking first slice of cake, fresh out of the oven (8) DROOLING {(-c+dr)DROOLING}}

9   Too bad! Kept a vulgar jacketed item (5,6) BAKED POTATO*

14 Flings cut short, stopped by questionable charmer (8) SMOOTHIE {S{MOOT}HIEs}

15 An apéritif or 10? No, mate, on reflection (8) DUBONNET {TEN}{NO}{BUD}<=

16 Reserve cash for summer treat (3,5) ICE LOLLY {ICE}{LOLLY}

18 German to wake up and complain (6) GROUSE {G}{ROUSE}

19 Woody spice – prized item – cask sent up (6) NUTMEG {GEM}{TUN}<=

21 Prepare round ball that’ll cleanse your palate (6) SORBET {S{ORB}ET}

Reference List

Time = T, Nephew = N, Grand = G, Function = TAN, Judge = J, The in Spanish = EL, German = G, Cask = TUN