the hard way

ACROSS

1 Approaching resort of St Malo ( 6) 4 Parental couple taken round an international waterway ( 6) 9 Smart ef for t surrounds a city ( 7) 10 Chopper blade going to and fro ( 5) 11 People count on them to send them to sleep ( 5) 12 An empty form of recompense ( 7) 13 It is unbeatable at the card table ( 3, 2,6) 18 It’s a heap of use to gardeners ( 7) 20 Gymnastic animal ( 5) 22 Study French ( 5) 23 Return journeys to the Australian bush? ( 7) 24 It comes to the fore in the footwear industry ( 6) 25 What bleach will do when it is brought in ( 6)

DOWN

1 A way to gain admission ( 6) 2 Complex network holds one source of oil ( 5) 3 A set preliminary ( 7) 5 Right to go in a light dress ( 5) 6 New part ordered in Belgium ( 7) 7 Lend a certain sparkle ( 6) 8 Contest the capitalistic thesis ( 11) 14 Put income down or work it out electronically ( 7) 15 Remove all traces ( 7) 16 A sound characteristic of many foreigners ( 6) 17 An unpopular American in a jacket ( 6) 19 Work- time entertainment ( 5) 21 Cook a sort of stew ( 5)