Across:
1. Friend has qualification first, before jerk, in a discreet manner (14)
9. Duck eats duck in child’s carrier (7)
10. Dad’s right to look angry in sitting room (7)
11. Tranquillity for one after workout (5)
12. Protects from offensive remarks outside A&E (9)
13. Top man returns with copper to rubbish from residents (9)
14. Foreman loses half of face covering (5)
15. Group gets number working to come back (5)
17. Evil bile is fed with incredulity! (9)
20. Develops acceptable carpet prices all round (9)
22. Direct the French to stand between two rivers (5)
23. Figure horse was captured by midday (7)
24. Working to hold very small Greek character (7)
:25. Marie’s reply: “One smashed me teeth first in terrible tackle!” (3 4 3 4)
Down:
1. Displeasure when doctor said, “Very soft cream goes on afterwards.” (14)
2. Dull cops air new order (7)
3. In a difficult situation there (2 3 4)
4. Redhead gains access to Niagara Falls without a charge (7)
5. Unfortunately miss top duties (7)
6. Initially all untrained recording artists learn by ear (5)
7. No steel nuts for king (7)
8. Angry official has no time in new centre to start to enable check (5 9)
14. Struggle with cannabis gaining popular opinion (9)
16. Heavyweight gets back to working now – or never (3 4)
17. Co-operation gets river going round holiday accommodation (7)
18. Some ecstasy stolen in a heartbeat! (7)
19. Cultivate timeless airy back country (7)
21. Ne’er-do-well without uniform has time for man of many words (5)
Solution:
DIPLOMATICALLY=
I=R=N=R=M=U=E=C
SCOOTER=PARLOUR
A=S=H=A=O=A=N=O
PEACE=INSULATES
P=I=S=G=T===E=S
OCCUPANTS=VISOR
I===O=====I===E
NONET=DISBELIEF
T=O===E=Y=W=L=E
MATURATES=POLAR
E=O=O=E=T=O=Y=E
NONAGON=OMICRON
T=C=E=T=L=N=I=C
=LETTHEMEATCAKE
Name: Puzzle 500
Author: by Steve Townsend

Annos-Across:
1. DIPLOMA (= qualification) TIC (= jerk) ALLY (= Friend)
9. SCO [O (= duck) TER (= Duck)
10. PA (= Dad) R(ight) LOUR (= look angry)
11. PE (= workout) ACE (= one)
12. INSUL (A) T (E) S (= offensive remarks)
13. OC (= CO reversed) CU (= copper) PANTS (= rubbish)
14. (SUPER) VISOR (= Foreman)
15. NONET [= TEN (= number) ON (= working) all reversed]
17. DISBELIEF (anag bile is fed)(anagrind = Evil)
20. MAT (= carpet) [U (= acceptable)] RATES (= prices)
22. PO (= river) LA (= the French) R(iver)
23. NO [NAG (= horse)] ON (= midday)
24. O [MICRO (= very small)] N (= Working)
:25. L [ET THEM E (anag me teeth)(anagrind = smeashed) A (= One) T CAKE (anag tackle)(anagrind = terrible)
Annos-Down:
1. DISA (anag said)(anagrind = doctor) PP (= Very soft) OINTMENT (= cream)
2. PROSAIC (anag cops air)(anag = new order)
3. Double Def
4. ARRAIGN [anag Niagara (+R -A)(anagrind = Falls)
5. IMPOSTS (anag miss top)(anagrind = Unfortunately)
6. A(ll) U(ntrained) R(ecording A(rtist) L(earn)
7. LEONTES (anag No steel)(anagrind = nuts)
8. CROSS (= Angry) REF (= official) ERENC [anag cen(t)re](anagrind = new) E(nable)
14. VIE (= Struggle) W(ith) PO [IN (= popular)] T (= cannabis)
16. NOT (= TON reversed) ON (= working) CE (= now)
17. DE [TENT (= holiday accommodation)] E (= river)
18. Hidden in wordplay
19. (-T)ILL (= Cultivate timeless) YRIA (= AIRY reversed)
21. ROG [-U(niform)] E (= Ne'er-do-well) T(ime)
Defs-Across:
1. in a discreet manner
10. sitting room
11. Tranquillity
12. Protects
13. residents
14. face covering
15. Group
17. incredulity
20. Develops
22. Direct
23. Figure
24. Greek character
Defs-Down:
1. Displeasure
2. Dull
3. In a difficult situation
3. there
4. charge
5. duties
6. by ear
7. king
8. check
14. opinion
16. never
17. Co-operation
18. a heartbeat
19. country
21. man of many words