1-across – Mechanical device : SPRING

4-across – Spoken nonsense : DRIVEL

9-across – Yearbook : ALMANAC

10-across – Punctuation mark : COLON

11-across – Essential, life-giving : VITAL

12-across – Pacify, placate : APPEASE

13-across – Legal proceedings : PROSECUTION

18-across – Succinct, terse : LACONIC

20-across – Love affair : AMOUR

22-across – Body of soldiers : SQUAD

23-across – Rebuke : REPROOF

24-across – Walk unsteadily : TOTTER

25-across – Private, covert : SECRET

1-down – Deprive of food : STARVE

2-down – Send money in payment : REMIT

3-down – Confound, bewilder : NONPLUS

5-down – Go over again : RECAP

6-down – Site of eruption : VOLCANO

7-down – Tarry, hang about : LINGER

8-down – Instant lottery ticket : SCRATCHCARD

14-down – Enlist : RECRUIT

15-down – Tread down : TRAMPLE

16-down – Small private room : CLOSET

17-down – Return on investment : PROFIT

19-down – Elbow : NUDGE

21-down – Smell, scent : ODOUR

1-across – Colliery : MINE

3-across – Coffee : ESPRESSO

9-across – Whip, flog : SCOURGE

10-across – Puncture, explode : BURST

11-across – Gather, pick up : GLEAN

12-across – Water boiler : KETTLE

14-across – Time of heavy rainfall : MONSOONSEASON

17-across – Mushroom, mould : FUNGUS

19-across – Come into conflict : CLASH

22-across – Cleanse, purify : PURGE

23-across – Whole number : INTEGER

24-across – Isolation, loneliness : SOLITUDE

25-across – Network of lines : GRID

1-down – Hatred of marriage : MISOGAMY

2-down – Hangman’s halter : NOOSE

4-down – Say what one thinks : SPEAKONESMIND

5-down – Automaton : ROBOT

6-down – Excess, overstock : SURPLUS

7-down – Vow, sworn word : OATH

8-down – At once : PRONTO

13-down – Firmly fastened : ANCHORED

15-down – Not allied to either side : NEUTRAL

16-down – Provoke, animate : EXCITE

18-down – Visitor, lodger : GUEST

20-down – Bode, foretell : AUGUR

21-down – Work of art : OPUS

1-across – Sympathy : FELLOWFEELING

8-across – Age : EON

9-across – Competitor, challenger : CONTENDER

10-across – Lay waste, despoil : DESOLATE

11-across – Continental land mass : ASIA

13-across – American real estate : REALTY

14-across – Red-faced, flushed : FLORID

16-across – Assume an attitude : POSE

17-across – Flying machines : AIRCRAFT

20-across – Tool for lawn care : SCARIFIER

21-across – Mischievous child : IMP

22-across – Device converting a current to mechanical energy : ELECTRICMOTOR

1-down – Sphere of endeavour : FIELD

2-down – Texas? : LONESTARSTATE

3-down – Kiss : OSCULATE

4-down – Having set limits : FINITE

5-down – Pitcher, jug : EWER

6-down – Manufacturing magnate : INDUSTRIALIST

7-down – Floral tribute : GARLAND

12-down – Guitar pick : PLECTRUM

13-down – Reply, retort : RIPOSTE

15-down – Swimwear : BIKINI

18-down – Come to a point : TAPER

19-down – Imply, suggest : HINT

1-across – Nuisance : PEST

3-across – Obstinate, unyielding : STUBBORN

8-across – Female relative : AUNT

9-across – Fearful, shy : TIMOROUS

11-across – Charlatan : MOUNTEBANK

14-across – Capital’s river : THAMES

15-across – Misappropriated; hot : STOLEN

17-across – Pools desiderata : SCOREDRAWS

20-across – Disdain, scorn : CONTEMPT

21-across – Fair and proper : JUST

22-across – Wholly, totally : ENTIRELY

23-across – Measure : METE

1-down – Recreational friend : PLAYMATE

2-down – One of a kind : SINGULAR

4-down – Soft, felt hat : TRILBY

5-down – Contemplative reverie : BROWNSTUDY

6-down – Woodwind instrument : OBOE

7-down – Make a home : NEST

10-down – Give a wide berth : STEERCLEAR

12-down – Gratification : PLEASURE

13-down – Aromatic cordial drink : ANISETTE

16-down – Drive forward : PROPEL

18-down – Skin complaint : ACNE

19-down – Measure of speed on water : KNOT

1-across – Sheets and pillow cases, for instance : BEDLINEN

5-across – Hit sharply : SWAT

9-across – Photographic cameo superimposed on to another print : INSET

10-across – Of abyssal ocean areas : DEEPSEA

11-across – Lady patron : BENEFACTRESS

13-across – Accomplishment : ACTION

14-across – Threefold : TRIPLE

17-across – Drawing : ILLUSTRATION

20-across – Set free : UNCHAIN

21-across – Fill with high spirits : ELATE

22-across – Board game : LUDO

23-across – Perpendicular : VERTICAL

1-down – Enticement : BAIT

2-down – Examine minutely : DISSECT

3-down – Has the advantage : INTHEBOXSEAT

4-down – Make more attractive : ENDEAR

6-down – Atrophy : WASTE

7-down – Make over : TRANSFER

8-down – Withdraw to avoid something unpleasant : BEATARETREAT

12-down – Chronic : HABITUAL

15-down – Matter-of-fact : PROSAIC

16-down – Reverie : TRANCE

18-down – Compos mentis : LUCID

19-down – Tartarus, of myth : HELL