The Guardian - Cryptic crossword No 25,874 - Feb 18 2013

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Clues Answers
A drop of the hard stuff HAILSTONE
Agreement to study population count is announced CONSENSUS
An unpleasant person, but an unnamed one SOANDSO
Cock-a-hoop, still following City ECSTATIC
Decrease in newspapers PRESS
Disturbance in court, perhaps RUCTION
Drop a catch in the close LATCH
Elisha ordered to take in male Biblical outcast ISHMAEL
Embraces sweetheart and wives ESPOUSES
Ground and house might be theirs LANDLORDS
Ill-disposed ladies to be separated ISOLATED
It's a rigid rule YARDSTICK
Living in the wild, not a flat NATURAL
Mountain retreat needs freezer for fish PLAICE
No end of good fortune concerning money LUCRE
Clues Answers
Note the world shortage DEARTH
Ocean-designed craft? Hardly CANOE
Old coach station VICTORIA
One step up from the gutter KERBSTONE
Orphan who was accepted as a Wolf Cub MOWGLI
Part of the Mass is identified with St Francis ASSISI
Producing elastic YIELDING
Propose a broadcast on a serial TV drama SOAPOPERA
Scratch starter? ITCH
The first half of this should be considered THOUGHT
The short answer about foreign capital ATHENS
Unfriendly country, we hear CHILLY
Unnecessary to curtail one's requirements NEEDLESS
Worst — and best! BEAT
Years possibly follow as a metal tester ASSAYER