The Hindu Crossword 2607 Solutions

Across
1 After much delay, book of maps is printed on time (2,4) AT LAST (book of maps=ATLAS, time=T=>book of maps is printed on time = ATLAS+T)
4 Blokes following a copper showing insight (6) ACUMEN (Blokes=MEN, a=A, copper=CU=>Blokes following a copper = A+CU+MEN)
8 Rascal wanting ring, last piece of jewellery amongst stolen property (9) SCALLYWAG (ring=CALL, last piece of jewellerY=Y, stolen property=SWAG=>ring, last piece of jewellery amongst stolen property =S(CALL+Y)WAG)
11 Sensational cover with ancient city featured inside (5) LURID (cover=LID, ancient city=UR=>cover with ancient city featured inside = L(UR)ID)
12 Dog in time-share, rarely barking (8,7) SEALYHAM TERRIER (time-share, rarely barking = ana. TIME-SHARE+RARELY)
13 Singer in musical (Tommy) (4) ALTO (Container => musicAL TOmmy)
15 An inferior alternative in back next to worst (6,4) SECOND BEST (back=SECOND (to second someone is to back someone), worst=BEST (a verb, e.g. to best one's previous record))
18 Plant rolled about by the wind in fall? Very small daughter chases it (10) TUMBLEWEED (fall=TUMBLE, very small=WEE, very small daughter=D => TUMBLE+WEE+D)
19 Stage favourite's returned (4) STEP (favourite's=PET'S=> favourite's returned = rev. of PETS)
21 Article reportedly in favour of the nation's journalism (3,6,6) THE FOURTH ESTATE (Article=THE, in favour of=FOR=>reportedly in favour of=homonym of FOR=FOUR, the=THE, nation=STATE => THE FOUR+THE+STATE)
23 Having knowledge of a conflict ending in peace (5) AWARE (a=A, conflict=WAR, ending in peace=last letter of peacE=E => A+WAR+E)
24 Almost certain to provide yield (9) SURRENDER (certain=SURE=>Almost certain=SUR, to provide=RENDER => SUR+RENDER)
25 Submissions - wrestler's third gives delight (6) PLEASE (Submissions=PLEASE, wrEstler's third=E => PLEAS+E)
26 Girl with drop of table wine (6) CLARET (Girl=CLARE, drop of Table=T=>Girl with drop of table = CLARE+T)

Down
1 Heartless gibe after one leaves Italian town to get help (9) ASSISTANT (gibe=TAUNT=>Heartless gibe=TAUNT-U=TANT, Italian town=ASSISI=>one leaves Italian town=ASSISI-I=ASSIS=>Heartless gibe after one leaves Italian town = ASSIS+TANT)
2 Animal in a shaded avenue, curled up (5) LLAMA (a=A, shaded avenue=MALL=>a shaded avenue, curled up = rev. of A+MALL)
3 Boy in news, extremely lucky in resort (6) S_L_Y_
5 Pass old high road, in a state (8) COLORADO
6 Joy could get me payment from tenant across the border (9) MERRIMENT (me=ME, payment from tenant=RENT, the border=RIM=>payment from tenant across the border=RENT across RIM=R(RIM)ENT=>get me payment from tenant across the border = ME+RRIMENT)
7 The lowest point in Florida (not written about) (5) NADIR (Florida not written about=rev. of FLORIDA NOT=TON ADIROLF=>'in' is the containment indicator => toN ADIRolf)
9 Intentionally ambiguous statements made by sly person ahead of angry speech (6,5) WEASEL WORDS (a sly person=WEASEL, angry speech=WORDS)
10 Party the go-getter spoiled (3-8) GET-TOGETHER (the go-getter spoiled = ana. THE+GO+GETTER)
14 Mild anger over a note (9) TEMPERATE (anger=TEMPER, a=A, note=TE => TEMPER+A+TE)
16 Classified? Start of these military activities on Crete, possibly (3-6) TOP SECRET (Start of These=T, military activities=OPS, Crete possibly=ana. CRETE=ECRET => T+OPS+ECRET)
17 Mistakes made with underwear (8) BLOOMERS (Dbl Def)
20 A grand in addition (2,4) AS WELL (A=A, grand=SWELL => A+SWELL)
21 Hidden danger involving male vagrant (5) TRAMP (Hidden danger=TRAP, male=M=>Hidden danger involving male = TRA(M)P)
22 Run, avoiding large snake (5) ADDER (Run=LADDER, large=L=>Run, avoiding large = LADDER-L)