| Across | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | CARD GAME | |
| Came across a road close to swing bridge, for example (4,4) | CAME outside [A + RD + SWIN(G)] | |
| 5 | PLEDGE | |
| Guarantee place with slight advantage (6) | PL + EDGE | |
| 9 | RIGHTED | |
| Repaired semitrailer damaged the back of Ford (7) | RIG + anagram of THE + FOR(D) | |
| 10 | FORGIVE | |
| Let off four in shape (7) | IV inside FORGE | |
| 11 | SHUNT | |
| Deliberately avoid time switch (5) | SHUN + T | |
| 12 | CONSORTIA | |
| Syndicates being supported by group in CIA (9) | (ON + SORT) inside CIA | |
| 13 | WELL-BALANCED | |
| Sensible spring clean arranged in poor housing (4-8) | WELL + (anagram of CLEAN inside BAD) | |
| 17 | ACHIEVEMENTS | |
| A chief mostly reviews outside people’s exploits (12) | A + (CHIE)F + VETS outside MEN | |
| 20 | POWERBOAT | |
| Tow a probe at sea with launch, say (9) | Anagram of TOW A PROBE | |
| 22 | MOLAR | |
| Damage on outside of old, decayed tooth? (5) | MAR outside (OL)D | |
| 23 | PADDLED | |
| Displayed power at sea? (7) | P + ADDLED | |
| 24 | LETTING | |
| Allowing a break of serve can grate at the start (7) | LET + TIN + (G)RATE | |
| 25 | SUPERB | |
| Retired salesman travelling in bus is fine (6) | (REP inside BUS) reversed | |
| 26 | SYNDROME | |
| Vacated, say, revamped modern complex? (8) | S(a)Y + anagram of MODERN | |
| Down | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | CURTSY | |
| Abrupt, say, ignoring a gesture of respect (6) | CURT + SAY minus A | |
| 2 | RAGOUT | |
| Tease not in office is a spicy dish (6) | RAG + OUT | |
| 3 | GETS THERE | |
| Guardian’s top cryptic setter – he makes it (4,5) | (G)UARDIAN + anagram of SETTER HE | |
| 4 | MEDICAL RECORD | |
| Case history claimed falsely on line (7,6) | Anagram of CLAIMED + RE + CORD | |
| 6 | LARGO | |
| Piece conducted by scholar goes slowly (5) | schoLAR GOes | |
| 7 | DRIFT ICE | |
| It may be split into small cubes? (5,3) | RIFT inside DICE | |
| 8 | EMERALDS | |
| Centrepiece of diamond fenced by shoddy dealers in gems (8) | DIA(M)OND inside anagram of DEALERS | |
| 10 | FUNDAMENTALLY | |
| Available money a unit’s members count up primarily (13) | FUND + A + MEN + TALLY | |
| 14 | ATTEMPTED | |
| A worker sometimes engaged by Times editor tried? (9) | A + (TEMP inside TT) + ED | |
| 15 | GASPIPES | |
| Shocked reaction is limiting one third of petrol fuel suppliers (8) | GASP + [IS outside (PE)TROL] | |
| 16 | SHOWED UP | |
| We had uranium in store exposed (6,2) | (WED + U) inside SHOP | |
| 18 | ALBINO | |
| Fair person wearing ring under vestment (6) | (IN + O) after ALB | |
| 19 | PRAGUE | |
| Rupiahs get exchanged without needing this capital (6) | Anagram of RUPIAHS GET minus THIS | |
| 21 | RULER | |
| One responsible for stock losses – no saint or leader (5) | RUSTLER minus ST |
Overlooked 10d in my Picks of the Week David. It is a true Gem of construction,.
Very minor matter. Still not at peace with 14d.
Can’t grasp the “two T’s outside TEMP”. Can only find one (T)IMES.
Easy. One “T” = TIME. Two “T”s = TIMES.
Too easy Greg.
I was about to check if “Times” was known as “The Thunderer”……