The Hindu Crossword 2611 Solutions

Across
1 Frisk doctor in prison (6) GAMBOL (doctor=MB, prison=GAOL=>doctor in prison = GA(MB)OL)
5 Offshoot of British farm (6) BRANCH (British=B, farm=RANCH => B+RANCH)
8 Fancy icing in tandoori? Restaurant may have it (3,12) AIR CONDITIONING (Fancy icing in tandoori = ana. ICING+IN+TANDOORI)
10 Old servant given cards first (10) HANDMAIDEN (cards=HAND, first=MAIDEN => HAND+MAIDEN)
11 Hairstyle sported by Doctor Faustus, swept back (4) AFRO (Reverse container => DoctOR FAustus, swept back)
13 Loose thing that is worn in bed? (7) NIGHTIE (thing=THING, that is=IE=>Loose thing that is = ana. THING+IE)
15 Driving vehicle through pouring rain is bliss? (7) NIRVANA (vehicle=VAN, pouring rain=ana. RAIN=NIRA=>Driving vehicle through pouring rain = NIR(VAN)A)
16 A complaint is made by each girl left out (7) EARACHE (each=EA, girl=RACHEL=>girl left out=RACHEL-L=>each girl left out = EA+RACHE)
18 Building that's spherical - amphitheatre, originally (7) ROTUNDA (spherical=ROTUND, amphitheatre, originally=A => ROTUND+A)
19 Head of soccer outfit in comedy sketch (4) SKIT (Head of Soccer=S, outfit=KIT => S+KIT)
20 Page written about the Italian forbidding a journey to a shrine (10) PILGRIMAGE (Page=PAGE, Italian=IL, forbidding=GRIM=>Page written about the Italian forbidding = P(IL+GRIM)AGE)
23 Where Plato was taught a lesson? (6,2,7) SCHOOL OF THOUGHT (Cryptic Def)
24 Respect shown by upright character in strange dream (6) ADMIRE (upright character=I, strange dream=ana. DREAM=>ADMRE=>upright character in strange dream = ADM(I)RE)
25 Buds are almost out - that's ridiculous (6) ABSURD (Buds=BUDS, are almost=AR=>Buds are almost out = ana. BUDS+AR)

Down
2 A bishop on an island (5) ARRON (A=A, bishop=RR, an=AN=>A bishop on an = A+RR+AN)
3 Handle carriages , so some say, with credit (10) BROOMSTICK (carriages=smthing which is homonymous with BROOMS, credit=TICK (tick mark))
4 Wrecker did, maliciously breaking instrument (7) LUDDITE (did maliciously=ana. DID=DDI, instrument=LUTE=>did, maliciously breaking instrument = LU(DDI)TE)
5 Bird from intensely cold North (7) BITTERN (intensely cold=BITTER, North=N => BITTER+N)
6 A leader of men, very large man (4) AMOS (A=A, leader of Men=M, very large=OS => A+M+OS)
7 Leader on English newspaper printed during row (9) CHIEFTAIN (English newspaper=FT, row=CHAIN => English newspaper printed during row = CH(FT)AIN -- where does the extra I come from?)
8,9 Saying not applicable to a busman's holiday? (1,6,2,2,4,2,1,4) A CHANGE IS AS GOOD AS A REST (Cryptic def)
12 Dreadful August riot, uncalled for (10) GRATUITOUS (Dreadful August riot = ana. AUGUST+RIOT)
14 Awfully daring, he's decorated (9) GARNISHED (Awfully daring, he's = ana. DARING+HES)
17 Perfect example in opening to Exodus (religious book) (7) EPITOME (opening to Exodus=E, religious=PI, book=TOME => E+PI+TOME)
18 Great at new sporting event (7) REGATTA (great at new = ana. GREAT+AT)
21 There's fury when old car fails to start (5) ANGER (old car=RANGER?=>old car fails to start =RANGER-R)
22 Guru's student in Tokyo - girl (4) YOGI (Container => TokYO GIrl)