No 14590, Tuesday 16 Sep 2025, Crescent

Solution to 16D 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.

ACROSS

8   List cheat rips, throws, jumps and runs? (9) ATHLETICS*

9   Force breaking set lifting action (4) LOFT {LO{F}T}

10 Be blatant and take French leave? (2,7,6) GO WITHOUT SAYING [DD]

12 A case of regulation in code possibly? (9) ORDINANCE {A+Re...oN+IN+CODE}* &lit

13 Well-padded robe seamstress hems (5) OBESE [T]

14 Advance of one million initially paid, balance to follow (7) IMPREST {1}{M}{Paid}{REST}

17 Last month's boring old chestnut for example? (7) EXTREME {EX}{TRE{M}E}

19 Back to one's tongue (5) HINDI {HIND}{1}

21 Topping choice by pope in liberal circles (9) PEPPERONI {PER} in {POPE+IN}* 

24 Minor error margin, frequently enough, set tight limits (4,2,3,6) SLIP OF THE TONGUE {LIP}{OFT} in {ENOUGH+SET}*

25 Present judge picked up (4) HERE (~hear)

26 Unlikely it is clear? Very likely (9) REALISTIC* 

DOWN

1   Big shot involved with grant caught red-handed (4,2,6) BANG TO RIGHTS {BIG+SHOT+GRANT}*

2   Nervous man, married, captivated by prize (6,2) CHEWED UP {C{HE}{WED}UP}

3   Gas masks with time becoming standard unit for force (6) NEWTON {NE{W}{T}ON}

4   Renounce one jamming Democratic broadcast (6) DISOWN {D}{1}{SOWN}

5   Wonder about holding pose so to speak (2,2,4) AS IT WERE {AWE}{RE} over {SIT}

6   Empty box catches attention (5,3) CLEAR OUT {CL{EAR}OUT}

7   Twin murder in State Department (6) OFFICE {OFF}{ICE}

11 Number that is ringing in emergency rousing operator in the background (4,8) GREY EMINENCE {N+IE+EMERGENCY}*

15 Musical passages reflecting taste in English lyrics (8) EPISODES {SIP<=} in {E}{ODES}

16 Track information sources delivering a history checked by banks (8) T?P?T?R? 

18 Stretch scandal involving Musk? (8) ELONGATE {{ELON}{GATE}

20 New upset spiked (6) NAILED {N}{AILED}

22 Fork out ahead? Jimmy throttles up to take off (6) PREPAY {PR{APE<=}Y}

23 Parthenos island takes part in proposed Greek Cypriot union (6) ENOSIS [T] Semi&lit

Reference List

Force = F, Million = M, Moth = M, Old = EX, With = W, Time = T, Democratic = D, About = RE, Number = N, English = E, New = N, Take off = APE