1-across – Task undertaken for enjoyment : LABOUR

4-across – See 1 : OFLOVE

9-across – Move fast, noisily, and heavily : THUNDER

10-across – A partsong in which voices follow each other : ROUND

11-across – Thespian : ACTOR

12-across – Recklessness : ABANDON

13-across – One opposed to closer links with our Continental neighbours : EUROSCEPTIC

18-across – Sparking apparatus : EXCITER

20-across – Remove a cover from : UNCAP

22-across – Sacred song : PSALM

23-across – Ease : LEISURE

24-across – Stops something early on : NIPSIN

25-across – See 24 : THEBUD

1-down – Series of films starring Mel Gibson : LETHAL

2-down – Major force : BRUNT

3-down – Urged on : UNDERGO

5-down – Force : FORZA

6-down – Roman Catholic organisation : OPUSDEI

7-down – Potential consequence of playing with a 1,16? : ENDING

8-down – Navigation by spherical arc : GREATCIRCLE

14-down – Detach : UNCLASP

15-down – Strait-laced : PRUDISH

16-down – See 1 : WEAPON

17-down – See 7 : UPDEAD

19-down – Speeds, rhythms of musical pieces : TEMPI

21-down – Very small quantity of something, especially food : CRUMB

1-across – Sortie : CHARGE

4-across – Flower arrangement : SPRAY

7-across – Fuel for the internal combustion engine : PETROL

8-across – Dish made of rice, shellfish and chicken : PAELLA

9-across – Steady : ONAN

10-across – See 9 : EVENKEEL

12-across – Unsympathetic : ILLDISPOSED

17-across – Genuflecting : ONBENDED

19-across – See 17 : KNEE

20-across – Do well : THRIVE

21-across – Belied : EDIBLE

22-across – Reception room or waiting area : FOYER

23-across – Male reproductive organ of a flower : STAMEN

1-down – Current name for Madras : CHENNAI

2-down – On or near the kidneys : ADRENAL

3-down – Of serried ranks, eg of spectators : GALLERIED

4-down – Breed : SPAWN

5-down – Assuage : RELIEVE

6-down – Annual periodical : YEARLY

11-down – Serving to promote one’s interest : EXPEDIENT

13-down – Personal freedom from servitude : LIBERTY

14-down – Religion : SIKHISM

15-down – Linger over : DWELLON

16-down – To some : SORTOF

18-down – At no time in the past or future : NEVER

5-across – Advantages compared to disadvantages : PROSANDCONS

7-across – Hankering : ITCH

8-across – —– – — order: perfect condition : APPLEPIE

9-across – Pressed : COOPTED

11-across – Engagingly stimulating or provocative : SALTY

13-across – Gristle : SINEW

14-across – Large grazing animal of temperate Europe and Asia : REDDEER

16-across – Achy lips : PHYSICAL

17-across – Coal stratum : SEAM

18-across – Form of voting : SHOWOFHANDS

1-down – Lepidopteran : MOTH

2-down – Confused talk and activity : PALAVER

3-down – Proficient : ADEPT

4-down – Mother country : HOMELAND

5-down – Make consistent or orderly arrangements : PUTTORIGHTS

6-down – Stop rowing! : SHIPTHEOARS

10-down – Unit reserved for reporters at a sporting event : PRESSBOX

12-down – Very rich : WEALTHY

15-down – Descendent or heir : SCION

17-down – Plummet : SINK

1-across – Take an independent approach to something : GOONES

4-across – See 1 : OWNWAY

8-across – Ending of a series or sequence : OMEGA

9-across – Chief sanctuary of Zeus : OLYMPIA

10-across – Embarkation and disembarkation point for ocean-going ships : SEAPORT

11-across – Criminal pyromania : ARSON

12-across – One, usually deaf, who uses sight to understand conversation : LIPREADER

17-across – Roman domicile : VILLA

19-across – Give the go-ahead : APPROVE

21-across – Cite Ken : NECKTIE

22-across – The very best group : ELITE

23-across – Steinbeck novel : OFMICE

24-across – See 23 : ANDMEN

1-down – Magazine printed on good quality paper : GLOSSY

2-down – In total : OVERALL

3-down – Muse of love poetry : ERATO

5-down – Awry : WAYWARD

6-down – Passes over with a cloth : WIPES

7-down – Desires strongly : YEARNS

9-down – Intent on gain : ONTHEMAKE

13-down – Euphemism for a credit card : PLASTIC

14-down – Metallic element, atomic no 45 : RHODIUM

15-down – Nevertheless : EVENSO

16-down – Put down : DEMEAN

18-down – Stand-in : LOCUM

20-down – Formal expression of praise : PAEAN

1-across – Small European songbird : CHAFFINCH

8-across – Another time : AGAIN

9-across – Eight-sided object : OCTAGON

10-across – Congenital : INHERENT

11-across – Literally, ‘I forbid’ : VETO

13-across – Elaborate, flowery : ORNATE

14-across – —— and daub, primitive wall structure : WATTLE

16-across – Course : TACK

17-across – Hugo, halt! : ALTHOUGH

19-across – Citizen of a country ‘born’ in 1948 : ISRAELI

20-across – Raft-making S American corkwood : BALSA

21-across – Depression of a typewriter or computer board : KEYSTROKE

1-down – Not abstract or imaginary : CONCRETE

2-down – Sum : AMOUNT

3-down – Greek salad cheese : FETA

4-down – In a heedless way : NEGLECTFULLY

5-down – Adopt the body language of shame : HANGONESHEAD

6-down – Exaggerate or overemphasise something : LAYITONTHICK

7-down – Wholesale warehouse : CASHANDCARRY

12-down – Of a garment that doesn’t need dry cleaning : WASHABLE

15-down – Last month : ULTIMO

18-down – Denomination : SECT