The Sunday Crossword (2887), Sunday 03 Apr 2016

ACROSS
1   Short broadcast including a siren prepared for preliminary event (7-6) CURTAIN-RAISER {CURT}{AI{N-RAISE}*R}
9   Payment to shelter dog not available? Disgusting (9) REPUGNANT {RE{PUG}{NA}NT}
10 Odd editor backing protest (5) DEMUR {DE}{MUR}<=
11 Just occupied by exercises in public (6) OPENLY {O{PE}NLY}
12 Buy tea, filling bag (8) PURCHASE {PUR{CHA}SE}
14 Leader needing attention, in bad shape and beginning to despair (9) SPEARHEAD {SP{EAR}HEA*}{De...r}
15 Part of poem originally about lover (5) ROMEO [T<=]
16 Comments put forward after reflection (5) NOTES {NO}{TES}<=
18 Abandoned right purpose, holding weight (9) RENOUNCED {R}{EN{OUNCE}D}
20 Charm obtaining access (8) ENTRANCE [DD]
21 Grow quiet during second defeat (6) SPROUT {P} in {S}{ROUT}
24 Finish on intimate terms (5) CLOSE [DD]
25 Tests to carry out, designed to provide lessons (9) TUTORIALS {OUT}* in {TRIALS}
26 Jumping main hurdles as novelist (6,7) SALMAN RUSHDIE*

DOWN
1   Load vehicle and leave (5) CARGO {CAR}{GO}
2   Complaints about awards (15) REPRESENTATIONS {RE}{PRESENTATIONS}
3   Run gala badly, becoming gaunt (7) ANGULAR*
4   Interact with odd characters out to be smart (4) NEAT {iNtErAcT}
5   Incredible article on time put into measurement of water depth (10) ASTOUNDING {A}{S{T}OUNDING}
6   Cocktail, rushed, is coming up (7) SIDECAR {SI}{DECAR}<=

7   Mad scandal mayor sorted out for prime minister (6,9) RAMSAY MACDONALD*
8   Force here wrecked ancient property (8) FREEHOLD {F}{HERE*}{OLD}
13 React to art reproduced in reddish-brown colour (10) TERRACOTTA*
14 Pass judgement on grammatical structure (8) SENTENCE [DD]
17 Faces swimming large lake to reach mountain (7) SCAFELL {FACES*}{L}{L}
19 Politician with anger restricted by American judges (7) UMPIRES {MP}{IRE} in {US}
22 Some detest a stew's flavour (5) TASTE [T]
23 Root initially under stone I move (4) STIR {ST}{I}{Root}

GRID

No 11666, Saturday 02 Apr 2016, Skulldugger

"All the best" to the folks taking part in the IIT Madras Cryptic Crossword Open

Across

1 Vacant ramshackle villa a European sailor occupied (9) AVAILABLE {AB} inside {VILLA A E}*
6 Untalented scribbler's // sorry steed (4) HACK (DD)
8 Semipro to colonel: “Boxing rules” (8) PROTOCOL (T)
9 Outstanding protests? On the contrary (3-3) SIT-INS (CD&D)
10 Councillors spoiled veterans' respite (15) REPRESENTATIVES {VETERANS RESPITE}*
11 Ideas rubbished in a stage whisper (5) ASIDE {IDEAS*}
13 This Riley's popped Ecstasy and is misbehaving peevishly (8) SHIRTILY {THIS RILeY}*
15 By the sound of it, baby’s scared of large numbers (8) HUNDREDS {~{HON}{DREADS}}
18 Vocally praises cricket ground (5) LORDS {~LAUDS}
20 Properties with arthritic access, potentially (15) CHARACTERISTICS {ARTHRITIC ACCESS}*
23 Deliverance for fifty one trapped in submerged rock ridge (6) RELIEF {RE{LI}EF}
24 Fantasised (in Spain, Germany) about enchantment endlessly (8) IMAGINED {{I{MAGIc}N}{E}{D}}
25 Brits beginning to go westward, wind up in American prison (4) STIR {bRITS<=}
26 By accident, enlists heartless eavesdropper who might be all ears? (9) LISTENERS {ENLISTS+EavesdroppeR}*

Down

1 Sepia, green pots go well together (5) AGREE (T)
2 Stumbled, took top off, then changed completely (7) ALTERED {fALTERED}
3 Strikes top off curls (5) LOCKS {cLOCKS}
4 Reporting credits obtained by sensibly avoiding spurious source, fabrication (2-5) BY-LINES {sENSIBLY}*
5 Eastern Church lacking dynamism, ends up in seventh heaven (8) ECSTATIC {E}{C}{STATIC}
6 Roster of people soon likely to be late! (3,4) HIT LIST (CD)
7 Inconspicuous set with cocaine for George (9) CONCEALED {CON(-g+C)EALED}
12 Type of monsoon experienced in Manipur, Meghalaya, Mizoram? Not quite (5-4) SOUTH-WEST (DD)
14 Forgiving terrible crime by female University lecturer (8) MERCIFUL {CRIME*}{F}{U}{L}
16 More unsanitary and more dangerous to take it in the other way (7) DIRTIER {DIR{TI<=}ER}
17 Sort of curious chess piece revolutionary abandoned (7) SPECIES {cheSS PIECE}*
19 Rough idea routinely trimmed, revised (7)  OUTLINE {rOUTINELy}*
21 Empty noggin anemones exhibited (5) INANE (T)
22 Head of prison officers decapitated by gangs (5) CREWS {sCREWS}

Reference list

European=E, Sailor=AB (Able Bodied Seaman), Ecstasy=E, Fifty one=LI, Spain=E (Espana), Germany=D (Deutschland)

Eastern=E, Church=C, Cocaine=C, George=G, Female=F, University=U, Lecturer=L, Revolutionary=Che 

Color/Font Scheme

Definition,Solution,Component letters,Anagram Indicator,C/C indicator,Reversal Indicator,Hidden word Indicator, Letter Pick indicator,Deletion Indicator,Homophone Indicator,Movement Indicator,Positional Indicator,Substitution Indicator, Link/Connector

GRID