No 14556, Wednesday 06 Jul 2025, Crescent

Solution to 25A has been deliberately left unsolved and is to be answered only by a non-regular / novice commenter, with proper annotation. Those who have answered earlier in the week, please give others a chance. 

Open for anyone to solve, if not solved by 1 PM.

Clues of 7D and 11D have got interchanged

ACROSS

8   Wage battle at last instant shelling coasts of Lebu (9) EMOLUMENT {b...lE}{MO{LebU}MENT}

9   Metallic gold hinges in clips (4) IRON {I{OR<=}N}

10 Toper crew's most wasted Australian chaps? (3-3,9) TWO-POT SCREAMERS  {TOPER+CREWS+MOST+A}*  Semi&lit

12 Denounces case charging former partners (9) EXECRATES {CRATE} in {EXES}

13 Matter remains on appeal (5) ISSUE {IS}{SUE}

14 Faint impression of connection with line in the middle (7) INKLING {INK{L}ING} (Correction - (-l)INK(+l)LING - See comments)

17 Roving swindler back to snare enthusiastic one (7) NOMADIC {CON<=} over {MAD}{1}

19 Drop dead with desire (5) DITCH {D}{ITCH}

21 Bones from a fish piercing rounded object (9) METACARPI {A}{CARP} in {ITEM<=}

24 Chopping rule to pound raw meat blend (11,4) PORTMANTEAU WORD {R+TO+POUND+RAW+MEAT}*

25 Month to be idle (4) ?O?N (Addendum - MOON [DD] - See comments)

26 One referred to habit inspired by adult education, in short, turning point (9) ADDRESSEE {DRESS} in {A}{EDu...n<=}{E}

DOWN

1   Become frightened when it mysteriously died in wake (3,3,4,2) GET THE WIND UP {WHEN+IT}*{D} in {GET UP}

2   Style of jumper once, almost polka dancing (4,4) POLO NECK {ONCE+POLKa}*

3   Odd time for speaker's talk (6) RUMOUR {RUM}{(~hour)OUR}

4   Some service tips in table tennis to gain edge (3,3) TEA SET {Ta..e}{EASE}{Te..s}

5   Timber in ship second to none, not wanting ordinary sort at sea (8) STERNSON {S}{NoNE+SORT}*

6   Supplement section from affidavit, am in memorandum (7,1) VITAMIN M [T]

7   Babies raised and left end up with rich relatives (12) STEPCHILDREN {STEP}{L+END+RICH}* (Correction - {PETS<=}{I+END+RICH}* - See comments)

11 Wretched holes? Very! (6) HOVELS {HOLES+V}* &lit

15 Hellish stink in void (8) INHUMANE {IN{HUM}ANE} Stink/Hum? See comments

16 New parts matched in design blow a gasket (2,6) GO MENTAL {ME{N}T} in {GOAL}

18 Rodent lifting its front half before creative inspiration takes over (8) DORMOUSE {RODent<=}{M{O}USE}

20 Slip under cot ultimately in dread (6) TERROR {ERROR}<=>{coT}

22 Tax nets close in (6) TRENDY  {TR{END}Y}

23 Agencies united in specific situations (6) CAUSES {CA{U}SES}

Reference List

Gold = OR, Australian = A, Line = L, Dead = D, Rule = R, Adult = A, Point = E, Died = D, Second = S, Ordinary = O, Left = L, Very = V, New = N, Over = O, United = U