Solving time, 12 mins.
* = anagram < = reversed
ACROSS
1 S WITCH
4 D (RAG ST) ER
9 D (ISM) AY
10 UP STREAM (master)*
12 ARETHA FRANKLIN (Enthral/irk a fan)*
13 EN TREE Ref bridge players and cherry tree
14 ANGE(r) VIN vin = wine in French
17 O PEN (Robin) DAY
18 COARSE “course” = way ‘of speaking’ indicates the homophone
19 A CROSS THE BOARD Definition: without exception
23 TAKE NOTE Double definition
24 PI LOSE
25 CAREWORN (Racer now)*
26 REEFER Reefer = midshipman, refers to Marryat’s book re Midshipman Easy
DOWN
1 SODA (a do’s)<
2 INSURANCE BROKER (Our bank, sincerer)*
3 CHARTERED Definition = hired (teacher r d) * starts = first letters
5 (g)RIPER
6 GO T ON
7 THE GLOVES ARE OFF Cryptic definition
8 RUM (IN) ANT
11 BAR ELY The ecclesiastical see best known to solvers
14 A R (CH) ED
15 GLAMORISED (a girl some)* &lit
16 MONASTIC Cryptic definition
20 SINE (without from Latin) W (first letter)
21 TUT O R
22 D EAR