No 9742, Monday 18 Jan 10, Nita Jaggi

As usual NJ has foxed me today with 15D besides some others which I have made wild guesses at.
ACROSS
1 - Drink brand has been announced (4) - MARC (~mark)
9 - Speedster may encounter this on a road trip (4-2,9) - HEAD-ON COLLISION [CD]
10 - Dinner is inside for some Alaskans (4) - MEAL [T]
11 - Sprays of flowers (5) - ROSES [CD]
12 - Weight of the holding device (4) - LASH ? (Correction - LAST [DD] - Thanks to Bhavan, see his comment)
13 - Nine are in trouble over a nonsensical conversation (5) - IN{A}NE*
14 - Form of riot control in Texas dismissing ten around an Arab at midnight (7) - {TE(-x){AR} {G}AS}
16 - Mostly colour the disciple’s turned jacket (7) - {PEAC(-h)}OAT Anno pending)
18 - Turn the vessel on the submarine (1-4) - {U}-{BOAT}
22 - Large pipe on the road (4) - MAIN [E]
23 - Jokingly showing in the main functions (2,3) - IN FUN [T]
24 - Hits the real pest every second (4) - {R}{A}{P}{S}
25 - Measure undertaken for the success of a gigantic plant outreached to take-off (6,9) - GOLDEN PARACHUTE(-t)*
26 - Trees have a foul smell outside (4) - ELMS* Where did one L go?

DOWN
2 - Campaign for a new Democratic leader is being broadcast around Los Angeles (7) - {A}{N}{D}{O{LA}N} This is the Hindi word for Campaign
3 - Arguments that leave out the rock group from the reformations, cannot be changed (14) - CONFRONTATIONS(-rem-a)* Where did the A go?
4 - To stagger around the British revolutionary (5) - RE{B}EL
5 - Warm sentiment (5) - TOAST [CD] Nice clue
6 - It may help to cast-off the broken bones! (7,7) - PLASTER BANDAGE [CD] Don't ask me how
7 - Class of stone a character has in Libya (6) - {A}{SH{L}A}R R is the character?
8 - Company has a booth left out towards the sea (7) - {CO}{A}{STAL(-l)}
15 - Roof of the orange coloured room (7) - ?E?A?O?
17 - Can a notice be put up in the country? (6) - {CAN}{A}{DA<-} )
19 - A messenger is before the supporter of an actor (7) - {A}{BRA}{HAM}
20 - Old king has left the waste matter (5) - {OFFA}{L}
21 - Large quantity of tapes are out (5) - SPATE*


GRID

No 2567, Sunday 17 Jan 10

ACROSS
1 - Opportunity to spin, backing chief minister (10) – {CHANCE}{LLOR<-} )
6 - Author, almost out of order (4) – AMIS(-s)
9 - First to actually tax an island (5) – {A}{TOLL}
10 - Ace fare it cooked? (9) – CAFETARIA* What is the definition here?
12 - Lose heart as pride injured (7) – DESPAIR*
13 - Broadcaster's aid, line reportedly written next to character (3,4) – (~queue){CUE} CARD Anno pending for CARD
14 - Ancient game, nim? No merriness involved (4,4,6) – NINE MENS MORRIS*
17 - Such dealings may result in doing time - dash back to stop call (7,7) – {INSIDE}{R {TRAD<-}ING}
21 - Two vehicles boxing in a mobile home (7) – {CAR}{A}{VAN}
23 - Swine holding queue back is an unusually tall person (7) – GO{LIAT<-}H<-
24 - Carriage entrance (9) – TRANSPORT [DD] Nice one
25 - Composer's regal composition (5) – ELGAR*
26 - Measure rodent? Mouse's tail (4) – {RAT}{E}
27 - Soft drinks best therefore when daughter enters (5,5) – {CREAM} {SO{D}AS}
DOWN
1 - Boy gives praise in church (6) – C{LAUD}E
2 - The study of sound could make one so caustic (9) – ACOUSTICS*
3 - Birds caught on odd videos I released (8,5) – {COLLARED} {DOVES(-i)*}

4 - Lake plant (7) – LUCERNE [DD]

5 - Cold in Fife, so affected business premises (7) – OFFI{C}ES*
7 - Start of Mame song, or one from another musical (5) – {M}{ARIA}
8 - Messy hit-and-run? (8) – {SLAP}{DASH}
11 - Savoy opera song ('lied' to her abroad) (3,10) – THE GONDOLIERS*
15 - Manage newspaper - good editor exhausted (3,6) – {RUN} {RAG}{G}{ED}
16 - Angler given apricots at sea (8) – PISCATOR* New word for me
18 - Bitterness coming out in private, we hear (7) – RANCOUR (~ranker)
19 - Great at swimming event at the seaside (7) – REGATTA*
20 - Part of a song about Egyptian god (6) – {C}{HORUS}
22 - Turn after river close to village - take it (5) – {R}{E}{ACT}

GRID