Guardian Quiptic 919 Provis

Quite straightforward. Thanks to Provis. Definitions are underlined in the clues.

Across

1 Take down a French exercise, grudgingly at first (5)

UNPEG : UN(French for “a”) + PE(abbrev. for “physical education”, ie. exercise) + the 1st letter of(… at first) “grudgingly“.

4 Extremely desirable to stop involving resistance in drop (8)

DECREASE : The 1st and last letters of(Extremely) “desirable” + CEASE(to stop) containing(involving) R(symbol for electrical resistance in physics).

8 No abusive cop is possibly beyond reproach (5,9)

ABOVE SUSPICION : Anagram of(… possibly) NO ABUSIVE COP IS.

10 Jane could be a disaster (8)

CALAMITY : Cryptic defn: Reference to Calamity Jane, colourful American frontierswoman.

11 Whisper mistaken result (6)

RUSTLE : Anagram of(mistaken) RESULT.

12 Gripe terribly about loathsome advantage enjoyed by some (9)

PRIVILEGE : Anagram of(… terribly) GRIPE containing(about) VILE(loathsome).

15 Hearing test (5)

TRIAL : Double defn: 1st: … in a court of law.

17 It’s worth having in the manner arranged (5)

ASSET : AS(in the same manner, as in “do as I do”) + SET(arranged, say, a table for dinner).

18 Isolated copies retrospectively valued (9)

SEPARATED : Reversal of(… retrospectively) APES(copies;imitates) + RATED(valued;assigned a value to).

19 Safely secure the ends of weedkiller in cupboard (6)

LOCKER : LOCK(to safely secure, with, well, a lock) + the last 2 letters of(the ends of – does this indicator work?).

21 Came across man touring Ohio for shooting (8)

METEORIC : MET(came across) + ERIC(a masculine name) containing(touring) O(abbrev. for Ohio, used before until the now commonly accepted OH. But COLO is the abbreviation for Columbus, Ohio).

Defn: …, as an adjective.

24 Achievement to keep quiet during a Conservative eulogy (14)

ACCOMPLISHMENT : SH!(an interjection to keep quiet) contained in(during) [A + C(abbrev. for “Conservative”, a member of the UK Conservative Party) + COMPLIMENT(a eulogy;an expression of praise) ].

25 It’s sleep-inducing to write note on 40% of curriculum (8)

PENDULUM : PEN(to write) + D(a note in the musical scale) plus(on) the last 4 out of 10 letters of(40% of) “curriculum“.

Defn: Something that could induce sleep (or a hypnotic state) by its rhythmic movement. 

26 Pay out odds on final (5)

SPEND : SP(abbrev. for “starting prices”, quoting the odds at the start of a horse race) plus(on) END(the final stage).

Down

1 Not satisfactory to cancel pub tea randomly (12)

UNACCEPTABLE : Anagram of(… randomly) CANCEL PUB TEA.

2 Makes an announcement in favour of demand by son (9)

PROCLAIMS : PRO(in favour of, as opposed to “con”) + CLAIM(a demand for something considered as one’s due) plus(by) S(abbrev. for “son”).

3 Prepare good meal in a flash (5)

GLEAM : Anagram of(Prepare) [ G(abbrev. for “good”) + MEAL].

4 Certainly have fewer qualms (9)

DOUBTLESS : [DOUBT LESS](to have fewer doubts;qualms).

5 Manage to retire a period of years after losing husband (4)

COPE : Reversal of(to retire, in a down clue) “epoch”(a period of many years) minus(after losing) “h”(abbrev. for “husband”).

6 Regularly seen to oppose meeting (9)

ENCOUNTER : The 2nd and 4th letters of(Regularly) “seen” + COUNTER(to oppose;in opposition to, as in “counter-threat”).

7 Content to abolish outdated way of showing anger (5)

SHOUT : Hidden in(Content to) “abolish outdated“.

9 We will teach daughter to be knowledgeable (4-8)

WELL-EDUCATED : WE’LL(contraction of “we will”) + EDUCATE(to teach) + D(abbrev. for “daughter”).

13 I agree to cover the doctor to make up for it (2,3,4)

IN THE MOOD : I + NOD(a gesture of agreement) containing(to cover) [THE + MO(abbrev. for “medical office”, a doctor in, say, the military or government service) ].

Answer: … to do it.

14 Polite expression for you being against heartless feminism, we hear (9)

EUPHEMISM : Homophone of(…, we hear) [“you” plus(being against) “feminism” minus its central 2 letters(heartless …) ].

16 Be nosy about setter working rent free (9)

INTERFERE : I(self-referential pronoun for the setter of this crossword) + anagram of(working) RENT FREE.

20 Series of recurrent low-level cyclones (5)

CYCLE : Hidden in(of) and reversal of(recurrent) “low-level cyclones“.

22 Distinctive character of the crazily shaved boss (5)

ETHOS : Anagram of(… crazily) THE + “boss” minus its 1st and last letters(shaved …).

23 Old friend can be precious (4)

OPAL : O(abbrev. for “old”) + PAL(a friend).