Times Cryptic 26396

A fairly straightforward solve completed in 34 minutes, so just 4 minutes over my target time. I don’t think I have ever blogged a puzzle before that didn’t contain a single full anagram and with only one partial one (at 15dn), but there’s a first time for everything! Also there’s no cricket as far as I can see. All the words were familiar and nearly all the meanings though I had to take it on trust that 18dn is a compound.

As usual definitions are underlined in bold italics, {deletions are in curly brackets} and [indicators in square ones]

Across
1	It measures oxygen expelled by a shooting star (5)
	METER – METE{o}R (shooting star [oxygen expelled])
4	Accompanied by worker, one tucked into crusty roll (9)
	CROISSANT – I (one) inside [tucked into] CROSS (crusty), ANT (worker)
9	Dozy old man dropping article in sea off Cowes (9)
	SOMNOLENT – O (old) + M{a}N (man [dropping article]) inside SOLENT (sea off Cowes – Isle of Wight)
10	Pigment from river talked of in East London? (5)
	UMBER – Sounds like [talked of ] “Humber” (river) with its H dropped as by East-enders
11	Beam about runs scored: it’s an uncommon thing (6)
	RARITY – RAY (beam) contains [about] R (runs scored) + IT
12	Shrewish woman badgered, some might say, a knight (8)
	HARRIDAN – Sounds like [some might say] “harried” (badgered), A, N (knight – chess)
14	Examiners of vision book dates, we hear, after work (12)
	OPTOMETRISTS – OP (work), TOME (book), sounds like [we hear] “trysts” (dates)
17	Condemnation of end of play touring northern clubs (12)
	DENOUNCEMENT – DENOUEMENT (end of play) contains [touring] N (northern) + C (clubs – cards)
20	Shoot farther than university team leader in William’s place? (8)
	OUTRANGE – U (university) + T{eam} [leader] inside ORANGE (William’s place). I assume this refers to William III, Prince of Orange. My history is very rusty and I’m not sure he actually came from the Principality of Orange, but his title did.
21	Character of fruit – superior, note (6)
	FIGURE – FIG (fruit), U (superior), RE (note)
23	Farewell from girl in a group of western states (5)
	ADIEU – A, DI (girl), EU (group of western states)
24	Pack hoodie, perhaps, with remaining diamonds? (9)
	OVERCROWD – OVER (remaining), CROW (hoodie, perhaps), D (diamonds – cards again)
25	Reckless description of match following a strike (3-6)
	HOT-HEADED – A straight definition followed by a cryptic one
26	Follow United in future perhaps, taking time off (5)
	ENSUE – U (united) inside {t}ENSE (future, perhaps [taking time off])
Down
1	Expand space supporting husky and sled event? (8)
	MUSHROOM – MUSH (husky and sled event), ROOM (space).  SOED has MUSH as: A journey made through snow with a dog sledge. I’m not sure that qualifies it as an event as such but I imagine it might be an event in some sort of competition.
2	They must scrub hard without advantage? Cheek! (8)
	TEMERITY – T{h}EY [scrub hard] contains [without] MERIT (advantage)
3	Degree of heat moderate in marsupial of adult age? (4,11)
	ROOM TEMPERATURE – ROO (marsupial), then TEMPER (moderate) inside MATURE (of adult age)
4	One checking accounts in French port? (4)
	CAEN – CA (one checking accounts – Chartered Accountant), EN (in, French)
5	Hospital visitor determined to take deep breaths without obligation (3-7)
	OUT-PATIENT – OUT (determined), PANT (take deep breaths) contains [without] TIE (obligation). Nice misdirection here with regard to hospital visiting.
6	Do the impossible: bribe a specific group (6,3,6)
	SQUARE THE CIRCLE – SQUARE (bribe), THE CIRCLE (specific group). “The” being a definite article so referring to something specific.
7	How one addressed Shakespeare verbally in dawn poem? (6)
	AUBADE – Sounds like “O, Bard”, how one might address Bill Shakespeare. I know this word from musical pieces of that name.
8	Man occupying the chair of state (6)
	THRONE – RON (man) inside [occupying] THE
13	Keep firm grasp in wrestling? (10)
	STRONGHOLD – STRONG (firm), HOLD (grasp in wrestling)
15	Vague upper-class fellow gets thrown over, poor soul (8)
	NEBULOUS – U (upper-class) + BEN (fellow) reversed [thrown over], anagram [poor] of SOUL. Our only anagrammatical element today.
16	Nurse accommodated by a supporter, one who’s present (8)
	ATTENDEE – A, TEND (nurse) inside [accommodated by] TEE (supporter – golf)
18	Luxurious setting for army compound (6)
	POTASH – POSH (luxurious) contains [setting for] TA (army)
19	Austere set are in City regularly (6)
	STRICT – S{e}T {a}R{e} C{I}T{y} [regularly]
22	Half of them set up publicity for alcoholic drink (4)
	MEAD – {th}EM [half of] reversed [set up], AD (publicity)