CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

3 Track record originally set by champion, programme reveals (10) 8 Sister crossing area by church in shade (6) 9 Actress who played Norma Desmond — good in last performance (8) 10 Calling urgently about one petitioner (8) 11 Set on fire in the course of campaign, it exploded (6) 12 Soldiers initially observe German man breaking into military vehicles (5,5) 14 In favour of person helping to produce rapid growth (13) 20 Heartless first leader disturbed one backing union of states (10) 22 Unfortunate result for province (6) 23 One on raid given order before start of operation (8) 24 Sit astride and go off, following street on right (8) 25 Ballesteros catching the French liner (6) 26 Long leases arranged in US city (3,7)

DOWN

1 Complete rest period for Americans (4,4) 2 On the air, weird protagonist lacking traditional virtues (4-4) 3 Put right about item? (6) 4 Pitch players used (4) 5 Is the old lady after cleaner that shows pulling power? (8) 6 Resembling a certain big animal from island nursed by remarkable nurse (6) 7 Reason fool imprisoned by state (6) 13 Very much ungoverned, oddly defective (2,3) 15 In northern part of France, excavate beneath one (5,3) 16 Not in good health? Corpulent editor may be unlucky (3-5) 17 Steep decline in doves flying close to shore (8) 18 Wasted opening in board game (6) 19 Over-the-top articles about Western capital (6) 21 Engineers are absent from being lax (6) 23 One-roomed dwelling to dispose of, reportedly (4)