The Hindu Crossword No. 2585 Solutions - by Vinod & Ganesh

Across
1 Several in Maine like this as a starter? (4) SOME (Maine=ME, like this=SO => like this as a starter suggests that SO comes before ME => SO+ME)
3 Patter from porter on board with cast (5,5) SALES PITCH (Defn.=Patter, porter=ALE, on board=on ship=SS => ALE on SS=SALES, cast=PITCH...explanation thanks to Chaturvasi)
10 Social worker, male, put in a single room initially (7) ALMONER (male=M, a=A, single=LONE, room initially=R => male, put in a single room initially=M in ALONER=AL(M)ONER)
11 Odd coin in vase depicting heraldic beast (7) UNICORN (ana. COIN+vase=URN)
12 Game birds (5,3,6) DUCKS AND DRAKES (Double meaning)
14 A socially acceptable street before, without luxury (7) AUSTERE (A=A, socially acceptable=U, street=ST, before=ERE => A+U+ST+ERE)
16 Atomic pile concerning one on the boards? (7) REACTOR (concerning=RE, one on the boards=ACTOR => RE+ACTOR)
17 Vagabond, exhausted, in front of shed (7) OUTCAST (exhausted=OUT, shed=CAST(v.) => OUT+CAST)
19 One helps to control banking loan I arranged round middle of term (7) AILERON (ana. LOAN I+ER(middle of tERm))
20 Difficult issue in France, one that causes embarrassment (6,8) ENFANT TERRIBLE (Double meaning => issue as in child)
23 Feeling expressed by English poet (7) EMOTION (English=E, poet=MOTION(Andrew Motion) => E+MOTION)
24 A name is given wrongly — the cause? (7) AMNESIA (ana. A NAME IS)
25 Letter openers, presumably? (10) ADDRESSEES (Cryptic defn.)
26 Not quite nimble enough to escape? (4) FLEE (nimble=FLEET, not quite nimble=FLEET-T)

Down
1 Flower in picture, a monster (10) SNAPDRAGON (picture=SNAP, a monster=DRAGON => SNAP+DRAGON)
2 Italian girl caught parrot (5) MIMIC (Italian girl=MIMI, caught=C => MIMI+C)
4 Set out with a compass crossing river (7) ARRANGE (a=A, river=R, compass=RANGE => A+R+RANGE)
5 English copper on winding road in South American country (7) ECUADOR (English=E, copper=CU, winding road=ana. ROAD=ADOR => E+CU+ADOR)
6 Dancer in Marbella somehow grabbed by unlikely pair (5,9) PRIMA BALLERINA (ana. IN MARBELLA + PAIR)
7 Steer and tow a broken-down sports car?(3-6) TWO-SEATER (ana. STEER + TOW)
8 Manual worker given cards (4) HAND (Double meaning)
9 Temptation? Ease off gradually (3,4,2,1,4) ONE STEP AT A TIME (ana. TEMPTATION EASE)
13 Influential woman — big cheese — head of Equity (6,4) GRANDE DAME (big=GRAND, cheese=EDAM, head of Equity=E => GRAND+EDAM+E)
15 Perched in small forest in tropical tree (9) SATINWOOD (Perched=SAT, in=IN, small forest=WOOD)
18 Short examination involving poorly aunt reveals an infectious disease (7) TETANUS (Examination=TEST=> short examination=TEST-T=TES, poorly aunt=ana. AUNT=TANU => TE(TANU)S)
19 Demo disc in superb gallery (7) ACETATE (superb=ACE, gallery=TATE => ACE+TATE)
21 Centre of operations on line from Swiss city (5) BASEL (Centre of operations=BASE, line=L => BASE+L)
22 Goddess? Some mother, anyway (4) HERA (Container => motHER Anyway)