Financial Times 14,410 / Peto

Ringo is away enjoying a holiday (at least I hope he is enjoying it) so I’m afraid you will have to put up with me today.

A straightforward puzzle with nothing contentious though Peto does seem to like his homophones (four in this one).

Across

1 Stop demolition of side street (6)
DESIST – anagram (demolition of) of SIDE ST (street)

4 Key to provision of meals on a ship (6)
ABOARD – A (key) BOARD (provision of meals)

8 Beef, say, about team collapsing against Germany (3,4)
RED MEAT – RE (about) D (Germany) anagram (collapsing) of TEAM

9 Entrance artist with hint of scent (7)
INGRESS – INGRES (artist) S[cent] (hint of scent)

11 Misbehave with Hardy heroine having fled to southern Greece (10)
TRANSGRESS – RAN (fled) S (southern) GR (Greece) in TESS (Hardy heroine)

12 Dog food (4)
CHOW – double def.

13 Guide’s helpful hint about taking in the centre of Toulouse (5)
PILOT – TIP (helpful hint) reversed (about) around (taking in) [tou]LO[use] (the centre of Toulouse)

14 Lawyer maintaining the Italian conservative intended to waste time (8)
DILATORY – DA (lawyer) around (maintaining) IL (the Italian) TORY (conservative)

16 Henry and Pat embarrassed to find it’s for women only (3,5)
HEN PARTY – anagram (embarrassed) of HENRY PAT

18 Coming around in luggage van kidnapped by Jack (5)
KNAVE – hidden reversal in ‘luggagE VAN Kidnapped’

20 Moderately good food by the sound of it (4)
FAIR – homophone (by the sound of it) of ‘fare’ (food)

21 Girl, admitting it, sent back on prison ship (10)
BRIGANTINE – BRIG (prison) ANNE (girl) around (admitting) IT reversed (sent back)

23 Backing at an end after last of sponsors left (7)
SUPPORT – [sponsor]S (last of sponsors) UP (at an end) PORT (left)

24 An expression of delight at story of cyclist’s skilful manoeuvre (7)
WHEELIE – WHEE (an expression of delight) LIE (story)

25 Spin out odd piece on former model (6)
EXTEND – EX (former) T (model) END (odd piece)

26 In a book about Hungary (2,4)
AT HOME – A TOME (a book) around (about) H (Hungary)

Down

1 Depressing to find beloved embracing Rex (5)
DREAR – DEAR (beloved) around (embracing) R (Rex)

2 Highy important artist involved in the Spanish uprising (7)
SEMINAL – EMIN (artist) in (involved in) LAS (the Spanish) reversed (uprising)

3 A resounding defeat in Southend’s opener at Morecambe caused it (9)
SLAUGHTER – S (Southend’s opener) LAUGHTER (Morecambe caused it) – a reference to the comedian Eric Morcambe

5 It’s more than expected for working in public transport (5)
BONUS – ON (working) in BUS (public transport)

6 A container holding mostly cereal and fruit (7)
APRICOT – A POT (a container) around (holding) RIC[e] (mostly cereal)

7 Reportedly rude after princess’s speech (9)
DISCOURSE – DI’S (princess’s) homophone (reportedly) of ‘coarse’ (rude)

10 Deny lad is worried by envy for example (6,3)
DEADLY SIN – anagram (worried) of DENY LAD IS

13 Over-hasty of priest to get flat set back by river (9)
PREMATURE – PR (priest) TAME (flat) reversed (set back) URE (river)

15 Much the same as getting very warm quickly (4,1,4)
LIKE A SHOT – LIKE (much the same) AS HOT (very warm)

17 It’s used in defence of soldier brought back in a huff (7)
PARAPET – PARA (soldier) reversed (brought back) in PET (a huff)

19 Rated new company’s design style (3,4)
ART DECO – anagram (new) of RATED CO (company)

21 Dull sounding nobleman (5)
BARON – homophone (sounding) of ’barren’ (dull)

22 1 in 18 they say is innocent (5)
NAÏVE – I (1) in a homophone (they say) of ‘knave’ (18)