Across: 1. Core group leads goat around study (5 3 6) 9. Final price of catch upset Scot (3 4) 10. Unfinished series of notes about one politician making smelly substance (7) 11. Music producer tours empty sheds (5) 12. Fixing Dad’s broken relic very quietly outside (9) 13. Sweetheart sadly ached to be accepted by agent at prize-giving (6 3) 14. Country starts to turn out new government advice (5) 15. Blasted northern journalist tours Britain (5) 17. Run to get on panel (9) 20. London Police may be opposed to virtual virtuality (9) 22. Nothing was brought up about beginning of ruin of failed company (5) 23. Ciphers go round and round (7) 24. Head cleaner found in Joke Shop? (7) 25. Turns up outside untidy pal’s den by London flight (6 3 5) Down: 1. Dish Dan’s ham out after fireworks (7 3 4) 2. Wrap something for bibulous fantastic trees? (7) 3. Takes a trip to chaotic Paris do with CD (5 4) 4. Could toad with pen be trained to write on this? (7) 5. Load horse for Spooner for what he’s earned in the past? (4 3) 6. Pay up for clock (5) 7. Formation of clone he redesigned (7) 8. Put on small things after parent and I smashed dish! (5 3 6) 14. Put forward the French politician to provide illumination (5 4) 16. Sauce boat may be finished (7) 17. Orders new credits (7) 18. Test new boy’s hat (7) 19. Silver split with Secretary-General (7) 21. River vessel goes round everywhere (5) Solution: BREADANDBUTTER= A=N=R=O=A=I=C=T NETCOST=CAMPHOR G=W=P=E=K=E=E=I EMITS=PAPERCLIP R=N=A=A=A===O=E SPEECHDAY=TONGA A===I=====A===N NUKED=DASHBOARD D=E===I=T=L=G=O METAVERSE=ENRON A=C=I=E=T=L=I=I SPHERIC=SHAMPOO H=U=A=T=O=M=P=N =APPLESANDPEARS Name: Puzzle 456 Author: by Steve Townsend Annos-Across: 1. B [READ (= study)] AND (= group) BUTTER (= goat) 9. NET (= catch) COST (anag Scot)(anagrind = upset) 10. C [A (= one) MP (= politician)] HOR(-d) (= Unfinished series of notes) 11. EMI (= Music producer) T(our)S 12. PA (= Dad) P [ERCLI (anag relic)(anagrind = broken)] P (= very quietly) 13. SP [(Sw)E(et) ECH DA (anag ached)(anag = sadly)] Y (= agent) 14. T(urn) O(ut) N(ew) G(overnment) A(dvice) 15. N [UK (= Britain)] ED (= journalist) 17. DASH (= Run) BOARD (= get on) 20. MET (= London Police) AVERSE (= opposed) 22. EN [R(uin)] ON (= NONE reversed) 23. SPHERIC (anag Ciphers)(anagrind = go round) 24. Double Def 25. APP [LES AND P (anag pal's den)(anag = untidy) (Apples and pears = stairs - Cockney rhyming slang - hence Def) Annos-Down: 1. BANGERS (= fireworks) AND MASH (anag Dan's ham)(anagrind = out) 2. Double Def 3. DROPS ACID (anag Paris do CD)(anagrind = chaotic) 4. NOTEPAD (anag toad pen)(anagrind = be trained) 5. BACK PAY [= PACK BAY (Spooner)] 6. TIMER (= REMIT reversed) 7. ECHELON (anag clone he)(anagrind = redesigned) 8. TRIPE AN (anag parent I)(anagrind = smashed) D ON (= put on) IONS (= small things) 14. TABLE (= Put forward) LA (= the French) 16. KETCH (= boat) UP (= finished) 17. DIRECTS (anag credits)(anagrind = new) 18. STET (anag Test)(anagrind = new) SON (= boy) 19. AG (= Silver) RIP (= split) PA (= Secretary) 21. VI R(iver) AL (= vessel) Defs-Across: 1. Core 9. Final price 10. smelly substance 11. sheds 12. Fixing 13. prize-giving 14. Country 15. Blasted 17. panel 20. virtual virtuality 22. failed company 23. round 24. Head cleaner 24. found in Joke Shop? 25. London flight Defs-Down: 1. Dish 2. Wrap 2. something for bibulous fantastic trees? 3. Takes a trip 4. write on this? 5. what he’s earned in the past? 6. clock 7. Formation 8. dish 14. to provide illumination 16. Sauce 17. Orders 18. hat 19. General 21. everywhere