No 14777, Saturday 25 Apr 2026, Gridzilla

 ACROSS
1 Heavenly body starts to revolve around sun and ultimately quits revolving (6) QUASAR [Acrostic<]

4 Tooth decay can affect roots in elderly subjects primarily (6) CARIES [Acrostic]
8 Go over the daily grind, taking drugs for a bit of amusement (7) RETRACE {R(-a+E)ETRACE}
9 Girl and boy enthralled by wild bison and apes (7) GIBBONS {G}{B in BISON*}

11 Peek and go on (4,6) KEEP MOVING {PEEK}* [RA]
12 Avoiding pressure, lift part of foot (4) INCH {pINCH}
13 Car manufacturer's latest model is out perhaps (5) TESLA {LATESt}*
14 What a job applicant might do to// develop? (4,4) TAKE FORM [DD]
16 On the way out, daughter stops to pick up prize (4,4) HOLD DEAR {OLD}{D} in {HEAR}
18 Uncivilized gestures to describe creeps? (5) EDGES [T]
20 Oddly, slug hit after ricocheting, like so (4) THUS { SlUg HiT<}
21 Lots of soot spoils furniture (10) FOOTSTOOLS*

23 Armed marine? (7) OCTOPUS [CD]
24 Failing tests regularly, police detective is forced to leave (7) EVICTED {DetECTIVE}*
25 Improves a couple of measures at day school (6) EMENDS {EM+EN}{D}{S}
26 Roll soy or figs basically for desserts (6) FROYOS {SOY OR Figs}<

DOWN

1 What starts quarrels, reportedly, in a waiting line? (5) QUEUE {~Quarrells}
2 Liquid soap or drop of paraffin is suitable (7) APROPOS {SOAP OR Paraffin}*
3 Sarpanch or agent controls city (9) ANCHORAGE [T]
5 Getting angry right away and mellowing (5) AGING {rAGING}
6 Precisely where to see a lawyer's defence strategy? (2,5) IN BRIEF {IN BRIEF}
7 Smart chaps get small cushy jobs (9) SINECURES {S{IN}ECURE}{S}
10 According to Spooner, cold smoked salmon is something a cat owner might buy (6,3) LITTER BOX {Spoonerism of BITTER LOX}

13 Hot chocolate - not cold, mostly, could produce a problem (9) TOOTHACHE {HOT CHOcolATE}*
15 Sleek founders? (5,4) KEELS OVER {SLEEK<}
17 So, bride's desperate to take clothes off? (7) DISROBE*
19 Love, for one, made rich guy irritable (7) GROUCHY {R(-i+O)OCH GUY}*
21 Regained ground (5) FOUND [DD]
22 City will be safe and prosperous ultimately (5) LEEDS [Tail Acrostic]

Reference List

Drugs=E (Ecstasy), Girl=G, Boy=B, Pressure=P, Model=T ( Ford's Model T), Daughter=D, Measures= EM and EN (measures in printing), Day=D, School=S, Right=R, Small=S, Love=0=O, One=1=I.