The Hindu Crossword No. 2581 Sunday, April 18, 2010

Across

1 Please CO, surprisingly, serving up a thin slice of meat (8) ESCALOPE*

5 Cartoonist, first to satirise my article (6) S MY THE

9 Bond girl, a gem (9) SOLITAIRE

11 Leaves female dropped in stews (5) (-F)OLIOS

12 Complete dive, reportedly (5) WHOLE (~hole)

13 What a horse may have on coat so rain disperses (9) CAP(ARISON*)

14 Ephemeral insect - it may seen on the ground in summer (3-3,7) ONE-DAY CRICKET

18 Tornado destroyed British livestock farm completely (4,3,6) (ROOT AND*) B RANCH

19 Reformed rascal met wise guy (5,4) SMART ALEC*

20 Right old racket made by French sculptor (5) R O DIN

22 Indian leader Ben-Hur beheaded cruelly (5) (-B)NEHRU*

23 Tough line taken by hospital department (9) STRING ENT

24 Out-and-out tirade by a leader in Reichstag (6) A R RANT

25 A nob meeting a head of state too (2,4,2) A S WELL A S

Down

1 John's leaving a London location after eastern film star (8) E A ST (-JOHN'S)WOOD

2 Lloyd Webber's instrument found in small room by orchestra's leader (5) CELL O

3 Loose-limbed Latin male gets under it (5) L IT HE

4 American musician caught heading for historical French city with a royal (6,7) PRINCE C H ARLES

6 Book a sail (9) MOONRAKER

7 Attempts to outwit Italian in NI store, foolishly (5,2,2) TRIES IT ON*

8 Sense changes in a city in the Ruhr valley (5) ESSEN*

10 Coppers stride out displaying camaraderie (6,2,5) ESPRIT DE CORPS*

15 One who talks incessantly, here with Arabs, possibly (9) EARBASHER

16 A complete change of policy concerning revolution (5-4) ABOUT-TURN

17 Medical complaint? Hint - iris affected (8) RHINITIS*

19 A children's favourite may be followed by Barbara and Monica et al (5) SANTA (cute!)

20 Fume about name of line (5) RA(N)GE

21 Live with wife in valley (5) D(W)ELL