I found this very easy, solving time 13 mins.
anagram = * reversed = <
ACROSS
1 SPECKS Kid in SPECS
5 TELEMANN German composer who I’d not heard of but managed to work out from the wordplay (Lent)* around (name)* – as it happens ‘name’ is also reversed, but the clue is of course quite correct as it’s also an anagram indicated by ‘changed’, I think
9 DOUBLE NEGATIVE Cryptic definition from the two ‘nos’. Example of such a wrong usage given in Collins is “I wouldn’t never have believed it”
10 TATE MODERN Took me a while to see the wordplay here. I think it’s TAT (rubbish) then (RE DOME)< ie ‘review’ ‘about millennium monument’ N (new)
11 LUDO gLUm DO
13 DAGGA (marijuana) “dagger” refers to Shakespeare’s play Macbeth in which he kills King Duncan with a dagger
15 APPENDIX A “penned dick’s” ‘Private Eye’ one of three other publications referred to in today’s crossword. dick = detective (US) = private eye
17 CONVERSE CON VERSE
19 LARDY doctoR in LADY
20 TSAR Hidden in thaT SARkozy
21 SARAH PALIN (HAS)< around A R(Republican) PAL(crony) IN (elected)
22 SPECTATOR (weekly – publication reference no. 2) SPORT afteRnoon in SPOT
24 PARSONIC PIC around ARSON
25 SENTRY SENT RY
DOWN
2 PROS AND CONS pros and cons are both ‘groups acting illegally’. Definition: arguments
3 CABLE The politician and guy = cable (rope)
4 STEGOSAUR (sure goats)*
5 THERESA (heaters)*
6 LEARN hidden in schooL EARNestly
7 MAINLINER Cryptic double definition punning on ‘train’ (railways) and ‘user’ (of drugs)
8 NÉE Two pieces of wordplay here – hidden in PyreNEEs also NE E (Spain – IVR – cars)
12 DAILY MIRROR ( Publication reference no. 3) (lorry raid M1)*
14 GOVERNESS (Never go)* SS (Sunday school). Amusing surface
16 PILCHARDS CHARD in SLIP<
18 ERRATIC TAR< in ERIC (Morecambe) – comedian
21 SIT-IN (NIT IS)<
22 ALPEN A L PEN Brand name for breakfast cereal, I think, so alternative to ‘porridge’
23 SEA SEAL less final letter seal(vb) = hunt for seals
Well-written and inventive. It was a lovely solve following my possibly lucky success with Araucaria this morning! For some reason the STEGOSAUR clue caused me almost to break a rib with the giggles. Not sure it was meant to do that.
Success with Araucaria is a yet to be achieved goal in this solver’s career, walruss, but you’re right about this puzzle. Cleverly constructed clues, elegant surfaces as always (14dn is the best), and my giggle was LARDY at 19ac.
PARSONIC is a bit obscure, but entirely fair (maybe Dac didn’t fancy clueing it around the famous hedgehog), and I didn’t know SEAL could be used as a verb for hunting the cute little fellows.
Another masterpiece from the Wednesday genius. Go compare his flawless surfaces and constructions with the tortuous/torturous ramblings elsewhere.
I got this all except Dagga (Dogma was the only word I could find that fit, and I had no idea why it would work).
You’re right – Alpen is a breakfast cereal; I liked this clue
I thought it was easy, too, though it is the first time I have done one by this setter – it took me about 20′ on my exercise cycle (The xeroxed copy just about survived the sweat). However, I can’t say I found him/her very exciting, and Araucaria today was much more interesting.
Got all but 13a.Not heard of dagga but a good clue nonetheless.About 20 mins to (almost!) solve.Thanks Dac!