Times for the Times

Introduction

Solved in 11 minutes, 30 seconds, after a long drive back after Memorial Day weekend. No time for a larger writeup, but feel free to ask questions in the comments and I'll be happy to respond.

Order of solving
Across:  9, 18, 21
Down:  2, 3, 4, 6, 8, 16, 17, 19, 22
Across:  24, 1, 10, 11, 14, 20
Down:  5, 7
Across:  12
Down:  13, 15
Across:  23

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A fair, middle of the road puzzle today, with some straightforward wordplay and parsing, nothing especially witty or memorable, but nothing to complain about either. 20 minutes with DENOUNCER my LOI. I did remember the tropical bird and the nymph, which helped.

Across
1	Flying mammal healthy cricketer observed, disturbed by game (5,3)
	FRUIT BAT - A healthy cricketer would be a FIT BAT, insert RU the game.
5	Diamond is article giant bird’s swallowed (6)
	TROCHE - THE swallows ROC the fabulous bird. A troche is a diamond shaped lozenge or pill, EDIT even though it can be / should be circular from its etymology, see comments below.
9	Castigator denied swapping sides (9)
	DENOUNCER - Denied = RENOUNCED, swap the first and last letters round.
11	Performer meddling in movie at first with little hesitation (5)
	MIMER - M eddling I n M ovie then ER.
12	Conflict dividing city mostly on the sheltered side (7)
	LEEWARD - LEED(S) has WAR inserted.
13	Prognostication connected with terribly bad stomach (7)
	ABDOMEN - (BAD)* then OMEN = prognostication.
14	Cap charges for clothing new son, a royal (5,8)
	CROWN PRINCESS - cap = CROWN, charges = PRICES, insert N, add S(on).
16	Reporter’s right to interrupt person cited in divorce case (13)
	CORRESPONDENT - Person in divorce case = CO-RESPONDENT, insert an R.
20	Draw game? He painted frescoes and altarpieces (7)
	TIEPOLO - TIE = draw, POLO a game. Giovanni Battista Tiepolo, b. Venice 1696, d. 1770.
21	Letter and old poem about Islamic territory (7)
	EMIRATE - All reversed; ETA Greek letter, RIME old word for rhyme.
23	In retrospect it heralded support for the church (5)
	TITHE - IT in retrospect = TI, THE. &lit. EDIT: and / or parsed as a hidden, RETROSPEC(T IT HE)RALDED
24	Conductor’s chosen way to be announced (9)
	ELECTRODE - ELECT = chosen, RODE sounds like road = way.
25	Wild dog old Yankee kept in small shelter (6)
	COYOTE - COTE = small shelter, insert O and Y.
26	Woman associated with revolutionary king (8)
	ETHELRED - ETHEL is associated with RED revolutionary.

Down
1	Scam exposed by theologian dipping into dossier (6)
	FIDDLE - DD (doctor of divinity) goes into FILE = dossier.
2	Bones a girl finally broke grabbing end of wall (5)
	ULNAE - UNA a girl, E end of broke, insert L end letter of wall. Plural of ulna.
3	Travel firm covering area producing crested bird (7)
	TOURACO - TOUR = travel, CO = firm, insert A for area. African bird more interesting than some, https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Turaco
4	Liable to mishaps, confounded doc with recent pain (8-5)
	ACCIDENT-PRONE - (DOC RECENT PAIN)*.
6	Graduate in drama school gaining name fast? (7)
	RAMADAN - RADA = drama school, insert MA, add N for name.
7	Source of protein politician fed to pet? (9)
	CAMEMBERT - MEMBER = politician (not MP for once), insert into CAT a pet. Seems an odd choice of definition as camembert is 20% protein and 36% fat.
8	Ghostly atmosphere always hanging over island loch (8)
`	EERINESS - E'ER = always, I = island, NESS a loch.
	New layout of back row designed to exclude centre (13)
	REARRANGEMENT - REAR = back, RANGE = row, ME(A)NT = designed with centre A excluded.
14	Better access securing backing for woodworker’s craft (9)
	CARPENTRY - CAP = better, verb; ENTRY = access, insert R being the backing of foR. Or as below, the def. is just 'Craft' and the R is from the end of woodworker.
15	Rapturous new sect — Greek, by the sound of it (8)
	ECSTATIC - (SECT)* then ATIC sounds like ATTIC, for Greek.
17	Dashed over to save animal shelter wearing away (7)
	ERODENT - TORE = dashed, reverse it and insert DEN = animal shelter.
18	Communication left in European skiing area (7)
	EPISTLE - E(uropean), PISTE = skiing area, insert L.
19	Nymph originally nameless before getting identification (6)
	NEREID - N, ERE = before, ID = identification.
22	University lecturer’s back after a second affair (5)
	AMOUR - A, MO = second, U(niversity), R = last letter of lecturer.

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