Guardian Quiptic 868/Provis

One or two rather remote synonyms, I thought, but generally a sound Quiptic to get us started on the cruciverbal week.

Abbreviations
cd  cryptic definition
dd  double definition
(xxxx)*  anagram
anagrind = anagram indicator
[x]  letter(s) removed

definitions are underlined

Across

1  Goad mischievous child to go on railway
IMPEL
I wasn’t keen on this and it was my LOI.  It’s a charade of IMP and EL for ‘elevated railway’, an abbreviation in American English.  The best-known one is in Chicago, I think.  Does IMPEL mean ‘goad’?  For me, it’s more like ‘force’; whereas ‘goad’ is ‘tease’.

4  Severely criticised extremely abrupt change of course by journalist
ATTACKED
A charade of AT for the outside letters of ‘abrupt’, TACK (think sailing) and ED.

8  Amateur wins great chances most unexpectedly
AGAINST ALL ODDS
A charade of A, GAINS, TALL and ODDS.

10  Junk spam infiltrates quote for cheap holiday accommodation
CAMPSITE
An insertion of (SPAM)* in CITE.

11  Rarely makes new models
SELDOM
(MODELS)*

12  European port‘s almost completely decayed river embankment
ROTTERDAM
A charade of ROTTE[N], R and DAM.

15  One flower came up
AROSE
A charade of A and ROSE.

17  During the night a city is silent
TACIT
Hidden in nighT A CITy.

18  Without feeling stupid
SENSELESS
A dd.

19  Moving forces of the French revolution briefly overturned society
LEVERS
A charade of LE for one of the words for ‘the’ in French, REV reversed and S for ‘society’.

21  America’s wrong to imprison special forces’ hit man
ASSASSIN
An insertion of SAS in AS and SIN.  No donkeys were harmed in the production of this clue.

24  CID officer’s job leads to frustration
DISAPPOINTMENT
A charade of DI’S, Detective Inspector’s, for ‘CID officer’s’ and APPOINTMENT.

25  Outrageous rent rise is put back in
REINSERT
(RENT RISE)*

26  Fast type of music I finally liked
RAPID
A charade of RAP, I and D for the last letter of ‘liked’.

Down

1  I can return early cut, spoilt with lots of mistakes
INACCURATELY
A charade of I, CAN reversed and (EARLY CUT)* with ‘spoilt’ as the anagrind.

2  Scrap act I’m performing, following pressure to be realistic
PRAGMATIC
P for ‘pressure’ followed by RAG for ‘scrap’ and (ACT IM)*

3  Craves full-length trousers
LONGS
A dd, although the second definition was new to me.  I suppose that if SHORTS are ‘short trousers’ then LONGS are …

4  In high places there is time for liberal viewpoints
ATTITUDES
Provis is asking you to replace the L in ALTITUDES with a T.

5  Related to Churchill’s last daughter
TOLD
A charade of TO, L for the last letter of ‘Churchill’ and D.

6  Pull together to manage without old level of payment
COOPERATE
An insertion of O in COPE, followed by RATE.

7  Finished up in crowded neighbourhood
ENDED
Hidden reversed in crowDED NEighbourhood.

9  Posed as single male individual to get dancing date
IMPERSONATED
A charade of I, M, PERSON and (DATE)*

13  Arrive back at inn, closing early for fete
ENTERTAIN
A charade of ENTER, AT reversed and IN[N].  ENTERTAIN for ‘fete’?  If she was ‘feted’ by her colleagues, she wouldn’t necessarily be ‘entertained’.

14  Girl said to go round in skimpy clothing
MINISKIRT
A homophone of ‘Minnie’ (Mouse or Caldwell, take your pick) and SKIRT.

16  Get up late to provide extra rest
OVERSLEEP
A charade of OVER and SLEEP; perhaps not the best clue in this puzzle.

20  Sound made by organ I found in very old church
VOICE
I did like this one, though.  An insertion of I in V, O and CE.

22  Revise later, maybe
ALTER
(LATER)*

23  Part of church is fallen away in the middle
APSE
Another good surface.  It’s [L]APSE[D] and the full word is probably most often seen before the word CATHOLIC.

Many thanks to Provis for this morning’s Quiptic.