The Hindu Crossword 8311 Solutions

Across
1 Mark the ballot paper, express oneself clearly (3,6) GET ACROSS (Mark a ballot paper = GET A CROSS)
5 Went out with a companion consumed by hollow dread (5) DATED (consumed=ATE, hollow DreaD=DD => D(ATE)D -- no containment indicator)
8 Belonging to a time before the conflict (3-3) PRE-WAR (Direct)
9 Escape with a bit inside from a trivial inconvenience (8) FLEABITE (Escape=FLEE, a=A, bit=BIT=>Escape with a bit inside = FLE(A+BIT)E)
11 Tsar involved in a connivance (4) STAR (Tsar involved = ana. TSAR)
12 Feats of flying — aces abort one, however (10) AEROBATICS (aces abort one, however = ana. ACES+ABORT+I(one))
14 "... miles to go before _____" (Robert Frost) (5) SLEEP (Direct)
15 Spoon, one to cause an agitation (7) STIRRER (Dbl Def)
16 Realise! A Catholic greeting the first lady! (7) ACHIEVE (A=A, Catholic=C, greeting=HI, the first lady=-EVE=>A Catholic greeting the first lady = A+C+HI+EVE)
17 Survive around the east, nothing less (5) LEAST (survive=LAST, east=E=>Survive around the east = L(E)AST)
19 Dish that gets thrown in slapstick comedy (7,3) CUSTARD PIE (Direct)
20 A simple plant in the botanical garden (4) ALGA (Container => botanicAL GArden)
22 One gambling and aiding crime (8) ABETTING (One=A, gambling=BETTING => A+BETTING)
23 Draw attention to a brief publicity effort (6) ADVERT (publicity effort=ADVERTISEMENT=>brief publicity effort=ADVERT)
24 Selfish person, one who undertakes to ditch pro (5) MISER (one who undertakes=PROMISER=>one who undertakes to ditch pro = PROMISER-PRO)
25 Running away, for a secret match perhaps (9) ELOPMENT (Cryptic Def)
Down
1 Popular drink, new, provides enzyme (6) GTPASE
2 Superior person with a feline feature (3,4,8) THe CATS WHISKERS
3 Talk about headgear (4) CHAT (about=C, headgear=HAT => C+HAT)
4 The French, if you please, visit US Post Office, all renovated (3,4,5) SIL VOUS PLAIT (visit US Post Office, all renovated = ana. VISIT+US+PO+ALL)
5 Striking kind of work done by the Bard (10) DRAMATICAL (Dbl Def)
6 Explosive initially found in Tamil Nadu territory (15) TRINITROTOLUENE (initially found in Tamil Nadu territory=initials of Tamil Nadu Territory = TNT)
7 Shelves for the one putting on clothes (7) DRESSER (Dbl Def)
10 Splendid appearance could lend presence with a difference (12) RESPELENDENCE (lend presence with a difference = ana. LEND+PRESENCE)
13 Patron of a chap, English agent (10) BENEFACTOR (a chap=BEN, English=E, agent=FACTOR => BEN+E+FACTOR)
16 A conservative demand for approval (7) ACCLAIM (A=A, conservative=C, demand=CLAIM => A+C+CLAIIM)
18 Kind of tense about note and too old for it (4,2) PAST IT (Kind of tense=PAST ( past tense), note=TI=>Kind of tense about note = PAS(T I)T)
21 Sharpness shown by the knowledgeable (4) EDGE (Container)