The Sunday Crossword No 3228, Sunday 13 Nov 2022

ACROSS

1   Moral compass, contrary to biology etc. (10) CONSCIENCE {CON}{SCIENCE}

6   Knocks back ginger biscuit (4) SNAP<=

9   Belittling a pair of crotchets I intone (10) MINIMISING {MINIM}{I}{SING} 

10 German lad's behind, not taking sides (4) OTTO bOTTOm

11 Pub's risky investment opportunity: a cider press? (5,7) FRUIT MACHINE [CD]

15 Song and dance, regularly, with beautiful Greek (7) ARIADNE {ARIA}{DaNcE}

16 Primarily, she offers pitches ranging above normal operatics? (7) SOPRANO Acrostic &lit

17 Warrior in sad mural is never reaching the end (7) SAMURAI {SAd+MURAl+Is}

19 Public relations with a line that's been confected (7) PRALINE {PR}{A}{LINE}

20 High quail, oddly plucked, in the sauce: cordon bleu? (5,7) HAUTE CUISINE {qUaIl+IN+THE+SAUCE}*

23 Announced Oscar: Tango's kind of seedy (4) OATY (~ o t}

24 Only move us irrationally and with spite (10) VENOMOUSLY*

25 Sports team audibly sounded exhausted (4) SIDE (~sighed)

26 Thoreau so moved, taking in grand country (5,5) SOUTH KOREA {THOREAU+SO}* over {K}

DOWN

1   Tents being affected (4) CAMP [DD]

2   Notes describing Everyman: ultimately tolerable square (4) NINE {N}{I}{N}{t...lE}

3   Dare America regroup to find good fellowship? (11) CAMARADERIE*

4   Quietness after peeling off, soaked in bathroom (2,5) EN SUITE {qUITENESs}* 

5   Big screens showing a little porcine mascot (7) CINEMAS [T]

7   Critic and I regrettably offering caustic stuff (6,4) NITRIC ACID*

8   Nasty xenophobes with antiquated telecom facilities (5,5) PHONE BOXES*

12 When temperature rises, British navigator becomes a pirate (7,4) CAPTAIN HOOK {CAPTAIN (-c+h)HOOK}

13 Lies in synthetic coverings (10) FALSEHOODS {FALSE}{HOODS}

14 With ten-fold increase ignored, got off (10) DISMOUNTED DIS(-c+m)MOUNTED

18 Antenatal routine disrupted (2,5) IN UTERO*

19 Distribute and collapse (4,3) PASS OUT [DD]

21 Old Russian leader, somewhat drastic in retrospect (4) TSAR [T<=]

22 'Talkative' singer's not so big, we're told (4) MYNA (~minor)

Reference List

Oscar = O, Tango = T, Grand = K, Note = N, Temperature rise = C(cold) to H(hot)