Thanks to Flamande for a puzzle in which there was a great deal to enjoy. I’d completed the grid in 8 minutes except for 12, 14 and loi 23ac, my final time being just over 10 minutes. CODs to 12ac and 1dn for lovely use of language which made me smile but there was plenty more to appreciate.
ACROSS
1. TAPING - recording. Minor hit (TAP), popular (IN), (G)oths.
4. PROBED - asked searching questions. Minot problem (PROB) with editor (ED).
9. ICED TEA - drink. Anagram (ruined) of ACE DIET.
10. MEGAN - name of female. Say (EG) embraces by male (MAN).
11. GAIN - win. (GA)mes, at home (IN).
12. SINGLETS - underwear. To celebrate (SING), why don’t we? (LETS). A clue that was too clever for me for some time - I’m not a singlets sort of person for a start so this didn’t occur to me, sing for celebrate didn’t spring to mind and then there was the clever why don’t we? Excellent.
14. GET-TOGETHER - meeting. Twice bring (GET GET) and that woman (HER) coming round to (TO). I was slow here getting rid of the idea that there were two 'her's in the answer.
18. MODERATE - reasonable. Cost (RATE) of fashion (MODE) gives us MODE RATE.
20. ARCH - gateway. Gateway ne(AR CH)ichester partly demolished. Normally the hidden indicator tells us what should be extracted from the clue - here 'partly demolished' tells us that the rest of the clue can be erased leaving only ARCH standing.
23. CORDIAL - double definition. It was always going to be a double definition I just couldn’t think of cordial as a drink which of course it is - it also means warm in the sense of relations.
24. ROTATE - go round. Old (O) and London gallery (TATE) next to river (R) which is very neat because of course the Tate is next to a river.
25. STAGEY - very dramatic. Deer (STAG), you once - ye - knocked over (EY).
DOWN
1. THINGY - the name of old whatshisname escapes me. Lean (THIN), (G)u(Y).
2. PRESIDE - take charge. (P)layers, on (RE), team (SIDE).
3. NOTE - observe. Where would setters be without public school=ETON? In this case it’s upside down (on the way up).
5. RAMSGATE - UK resort. Anagram (performing) of MEGASTAR.
6. BOGIE - small truck. That is (IE) stuck at bottom of swamp (BOG).
7. DANISH - pastry. Little Daniel (DAN), is (IS), hot (H).
8. TAKING STOCK - assessing the situation. A shoplifter may take the stock of a store, a rustler takes cattle (stock).
13. START OUT - begin journey. Anagram (somehow) of AT TOURS, (T)oulouse.
15. EARRING - piece of jewellery. Being mistaken (ERRING) clutching a (A).
16. SMILER - a happy-looking sort. Sister (SR) covering more than a kilometre (MILE).
17. CHILLY - cold. Homophone (according to reports) of part of South America (Chile).
19. DONUT - American spelling of this cake. Prepare (DO), fruit (NUT).
21. BRAT - naughty child. (B)ehaviour (R)eally (A)ntagonises (T)eacher.
ACROSS
1. TAPING - recording. Minor hit (TAP), popular (IN), (G)oths.
4. PROBED - asked searching questions. Minot problem (PROB) with editor (ED).
9. ICED TEA - drink. Anagram (ruined) of ACE DIET.
10. MEGAN - name of female. Say (EG) embraces by male (MAN).
11. GAIN - win. (GA)mes, at home (IN).
12. SINGLETS - underwear. To celebrate (SING), why don’t we? (LETS). A clue that was too clever for me for some time - I’m not a singlets sort of person for a start so this didn’t occur to me, sing for celebrate didn’t spring to mind and then there was the clever why don’t we? Excellent.
14. GET-TOGETHER - meeting. Twice bring (GET GET) and that woman (HER) coming round to (TO). I was slow here getting rid of the idea that there were two 'her's in the answer.
18. MODERATE - reasonable. Cost (RATE) of fashion (MODE) gives us MODE RATE.
20. ARCH - gateway. Gateway ne(AR CH)ichester partly demolished. Normally the hidden indicator tells us what should be extracted from the clue - here 'partly demolished' tells us that the rest of the clue can be erased leaving only ARCH standing.
23. CORDIAL - double definition. It was always going to be a double definition I just couldn’t think of cordial as a drink which of course it is - it also means warm in the sense of relations.
24. ROTATE - go round. Old (O) and London gallery (TATE) next to river (R) which is very neat because of course the Tate is next to a river.
25. STAGEY - very dramatic. Deer (STAG), you once - ye - knocked over (EY).
DOWN
1. THINGY - the name of old whatshisname escapes me. Lean (THIN), (G)u(Y).
2. PRESIDE - take charge. (P)layers, on (RE), team (SIDE).
3. NOTE - observe. Where would setters be without public school=ETON? In this case it’s upside down (on the way up).
5. RAMSGATE - UK resort. Anagram (performing) of MEGASTAR.
6. BOGIE - small truck. That is (IE) stuck at bottom of swamp (BOG).
7. DANISH - pastry. Little Daniel (DAN), is (IS), hot (H).
8. TAKING STOCK - assessing the situation. A shoplifter may take the stock of a store, a rustler takes cattle (stock).
13. START OUT - begin journey. Anagram (somehow) of AT TOURS, (T)oulouse.
15. EARRING - piece of jewellery. Being mistaken (ERRING) clutching a (A).
16. SMILER - a happy-looking sort. Sister (SR) covering more than a kilometre (MILE).
17. CHILLY - cold. Homophone (according to reports) of part of South America (Chile).
19. DONUT - American spelling of this cake. Prepare (DO), fruit (NUT).
21. BRAT - naughty child. (B)ehaviour (R)eally (A)ntagonises (T)eacher.