ACROSS
8. (MAIN POLO)* = PALOMINO <horse>
9. U SABLE = USABLE <practical>
10. <rising> REVOLT = ←T LOVER←
11. <lack> SCARCITY = CAR inside S CITY
12. <male> STAG = S TAG
14. →"DINKY RINK"← = RINKY-DINK <cheap, trite and old-fashioned>
15. (ADAGIO TO INSIPID)* = OOPS I DID IT AGAIN <2000 pop hit>
18. <waffle> HEM AND HAW = HE-MAN HAD* W_
20. AG inside PE = PAGE <kid in court>
21. F REEF + ALL = FREE FALL <rapidly-worsening state>
22. <strip of tarmac> RUNWAY = RU ←YAWN←
24. <stellar> ASTRAL = _AST _R + A L
25. <innocent-looking> CHERUBIC = CHE RUB_IC

DOWN
1. JA + DE = JADE <semiprecious stone>
2. <see you> SO LONG = N G after SOLO
3. <spent a few months> WINTERED = INTER inside WED
4. <problematic gift> POISONED CHALICE = (COCAINE POLISHED)*
5. <uncomfortable> QUEASY = (...s)QUE A SY(b...)
6. <mending fabric> PATCHING = NIGHTCAP*
7. BLI_TZ ←IRK← EG = BLITZKRIEG <offensive>
13. TOO B inside THRUSH = TOOTHBRUSH <bristled stick>
16. ←EMMYS← TRY = SYMMETRY <balance>
17. (AD WRITER)* = TAWDRIER <more unseemly>
19. <not quite> NEARLY = EARLY after N
20. <repressed> PENT-UP = PEN + TUP
23. ←SIX A← = AXIS <this is what revolution's about!>