The Hindu Crossword No. 2590 Solutions

Across
1 Early visitor for tots — fire blazing? (5-6) FIRST FOOTER (for tots — fire blazing=ana. FOR+TOTS+FIRE = FIRST FOOTER)
9 Billeted in lodgings in district, extremely exposed (9) QUARTERED (district=QUARTER, extremely exposed=extreme letters of ExposeD=ED => QUARTER+ED)
10 Whack team's leader on shoulder (5) THUMP (team's leader=T, shoulder=HUMP=>team's leader on shoulder = T+HUMP)
11 go along with a European, for the most part (5) AGREE (a=A, European=GREEK=>European, for the most part=GREE => A+GREE)
12 UK rep isn't prepared for these US motorways (9) TURNPIKES (UK rep isn't prepared = ana. UK+REPS+ISNT)
13 One prisoner is after law dictionary (7) LEXICON (One=I, prisoner=CON, law=LEX=>One prisoner is after law=LEX+IC+CON)
14 Valid gen given by sappers round about (2,5) IN FORCE (gen=INFO, sappers=soldiers=RE, about=C=>gen given by sappers round about = IN FOR(C)E)
15 Army officer caught out in a Mediterranean island (7) MAJORCA (Army officer=MAJOR, caught out=C, a=A=>Army officer caught out in a = MAJOR+C+A)
17 Period of time touring in the old country? (7) D_H_M_Y
20 Slow-moving girl bringing tray (4,5) LAZY SUSAN (Slow-moving=LAZY, girl=SUSAN)
22 Lofted club might Woosnam's first on fringe (5) WEDGE (Woosnam's first=W, fringe=EDGE=>Woosnam's first on fringe = W+EDGE)
23 Record shown in book (5) ALBUM (Double Defn. - 1. Record 2.book)
24 Terrible crimes - social worker exposes wrong doing (9) MISCREANT (Terrible crimes =ana. CRIMES=MISCRE, social worker=ANT=>Terrible crimes - social worker = MISCRE+ANT)
25 British essayist, one's to come to shore after leaving US entry station (5,6) ELLIS ISLAND (British essaysist=ELLIS, one's=IS, shore=LAND=>British essayist, one's to come to shore = > ELLIS IS+LAND)

Down
1 As if Mrs Thatcher could be Santa! (6,9) FATHER CHRISTMAS (As if Mrs Thatcher could be=ana. AS+IF+MRS+THATCHER)
2 Play associated with one girl in a world of romance? (9) RURITANIA (Play=RUR??, one=I, girl=TANIA => RUR+I+TANIA)
3 Style of architecture identified with duke in the course of an organised tour? (5) TUDOR (duke=D, organized tour=ana. TOUR=TUOR=>duke in the course of an organised tour=TU(D)OR)
4 In seventh heaven, as Hillary once was? (2,3,2,3,5) ON TOP OF THE WORLD (Cryptic Defn. -> ref. to Sir Edmund Hilary's conquest of the Everest)
5 One who has dealings with an US lorry driver? (7) TRUCKER (Double Defn.)
6 Witty retort about accepting one appointment (7) RIPOSTE (about=RE, one=I, appointment=POST=>about accepting one appointment=R(I+POST)E)
7 Yell in brief violent storm (6) SQUALL (Double Defn.)
8 Graduate reportedly takes in a network of circuit elements (6) MATRIX (Graduate=MA, takes in=TRICKS=>reportedly takes in=homonym of TRICKS=TRIX =>Graduate reportedly takes in = MA+TRIX)
14 Ones entering one Asian republic from another (9) INDONESIA (Ones=ONES, one Asian republic=INDIA=>Ones entering one Asian republic = IND(ONES)IA)
15 Benefit from travel allowance (7) MILEAGE (Double Defn.)
16 Painted woman, biblical character (7) JEZEBEL (Double Defn. - 1. Painted woman i.e. a prostitute 2. biblical character)
18 Very angry lover over international being reckless (6) MADCAP (Very angry=MAD, lover over international being=CAP?? => MAD+CAP)
19 French girl almost checked out after end of party (6) YVETTED (checked out=VETTED=>almost checked out=VETTED-D, end of party=Y=>almost checked out after end of party=Y+VETTE)
21 Small book of drawing attention to Aegean island (5) SAMOS (Small=S, rest??)