I'm not if sure Alfie is a new setter but the name doesn't seem familiar - anyway he (presumably) is most welcome. This was a mixture of easy and challenging clues 4dn/9ac proved enough challenge to push me just over 15 minutes - however, as always, if you know, you just know. I think the number of girl's names (which can be almost anything) also held me up.
I'm travelling today so responses may be some hours late.
ACROSS
1. Okay - alright. Old (O), girl (Kay).
3. Egg rolls - food. Big car (ROLLS) comes after for example (E.G.) and good (G).
9. Britain - country. The answer kept emerging as checkers went in but I was reluctant to biff. Girl (RITA) inside scrap (BIN). I was fixated on scrap=fight.
10. Pasta - simple food (well, until you add the wonderful sauces). Dad's (PAS), word of thanks (TA).
11. Ideal - exemplar. One (I) with trade (DEAL).
12. Odds on - favourite. COD as the best of many good surfaces which raised a smile. Eccentric (ODD), child (SON).
14. Grin and bear it - gallantly endure. Anagram (awfully) of BAD RE TRAINING.
17. Bazaar - market. Homophone (heard of) very strange - bizarre.
19. Tithe - part one of ten. It (IT) features in article (THE). A tenth part of agricultural or other produce, personal income, or profits, contributed either voluntarily or as a tax for the support of the church or clergy or for charitable purposes.
22. Haiku - Japanese verse. First letters (primarily) of Has As Its Key Unity.
23. Larissa - (another) girl. King (R) inside an anagram (mad) of ALAS IS.
24. Sanctity - imparts holiness. Anagram (ludicrously) of SCANTY IT.
25. Type - make - as in make of car. In the clue (something of) adversiTY PErhaps.
DOWN
1. Oxbridge - top colleges. Neat (OX), game (BRIDGE).
2. Aside - in reserve. One half of an old vinyl record was called a side.
4. Gunpowder plot - plan we remember annually. Tea (GUNPOWDER) - unfamiliar to me - a fine variety of green tea, each leaf of which is rolled into a pellet, bed (PLOT) as in garden bed.
5. Rapid - quick. Knock (RAP), I had (ID).
6. Lassoer - roper - not in day to day use - unless you live on a ranch maybe. Girl (LASS) - is this a record of references to girls? Finished in poetry is OER.
7. Slav - one from Eastern Europe. Southern (S), ladies (LAV) - toilet humour.
8. Dahlia - bloomer. Trouble (AIL), had (HAD) - all coming upwards (arisen).
13. Steerage - economy class - on a ship. Anagram (unusually) of EAGER SET.
15. Venetian - Italian. In the clue (involved in) recITAL I ANticipate.
16. Entire - whole. Set of book (NT) in Ireland (EIRE).
18. Adult - X-rated. Commercial (AD), qUaLiTy.
20. Yummy - tasty. Starting letters of Truffles And Some Tangerine Yoghurt.
21. Thus - so. Anagram (zany) of rUTHS losing the head letter so no 'r'.
I'm travelling today so responses may be some hours late.
ACROSS
1. Okay - alright. Old (O), girl (Kay).
3. Egg rolls - food. Big car (ROLLS) comes after for example (E.G.) and good (G).
9. Britain - country. The answer kept emerging as checkers went in but I was reluctant to biff. Girl (RITA) inside scrap (BIN). I was fixated on scrap=fight.
10. Pasta - simple food (well, until you add the wonderful sauces). Dad's (PAS), word of thanks (TA).
11. Ideal - exemplar. One (I) with trade (DEAL).
12. Odds on - favourite. COD as the best of many good surfaces which raised a smile. Eccentric (ODD), child (SON).
14. Grin and bear it - gallantly endure. Anagram (awfully) of BAD RE TRAINING.
17. Bazaar - market. Homophone (heard of) very strange - bizarre.
19. Tithe - part one of ten. It (IT) features in article (THE). A tenth part of agricultural or other produce, personal income, or profits, contributed either voluntarily or as a tax for the support of the church or clergy or for charitable purposes.
22. Haiku - Japanese verse. First letters (primarily) of Has As Its Key Unity.
23. Larissa - (another) girl. King (R) inside an anagram (mad) of ALAS IS.
24. Sanctity - imparts holiness. Anagram (ludicrously) of SCANTY IT.
25. Type - make - as in make of car. In the clue (something of) adversiTY PErhaps.
DOWN
1. Oxbridge - top colleges. Neat (OX), game (BRIDGE).
2. Aside - in reserve. One half of an old vinyl record was called a side.
4. Gunpowder plot - plan we remember annually. Tea (GUNPOWDER) - unfamiliar to me - a fine variety of green tea, each leaf of which is rolled into a pellet, bed (PLOT) as in garden bed.
5. Rapid - quick. Knock (RAP), I had (ID).
6. Lassoer - roper - not in day to day use - unless you live on a ranch maybe. Girl (LASS) - is this a record of references to girls? Finished in poetry is OER.
7. Slav - one from Eastern Europe. Southern (S), ladies (LAV) - toilet humour.
8. Dahlia - bloomer. Trouble (AIL), had (HAD) - all coming upwards (arisen).
13. Steerage - economy class - on a ship. Anagram (unusually) of EAGER SET.
15. Venetian - Italian. In the clue (involved in) recITAL I ANticipate.
16. Entire - whole. Set of book (NT) in Ireland (EIRE).
18. Adult - X-rated. Commercial (AD), qUaLiTy.
20. Yummy - tasty. Starting letters of Truffles And Some Tangerine Yoghurt.
21. Thus - so. Anagram (zany) of rUTHS losing the head letter so no 'r'.