Sat. Times 24478

[toalisi]

Stuck in LH bottom corner
22ac- Mean somehow to keep neon in it's natural state- an element (9) ??N?????E
25ac- Three consecutive notes let down (7)
22dn- Lines taken through short distance, so connection device (5)
21dn- Useless ruse entering country, short of a hoax (6)

[kayakamina]

22d M ode m

[kayakamina]

25a Def la te

[kayakamina]

21d Canard - hoax

R (ruse less use) in CANAD(a) - country short of A

[greyfox]

Manganese

Cana(r)d (a)

[kayakamina]

22a Manganese - element

Anag MEAN + ES GA (natural state) + N (neon)

[kayakamina]

Amend 22a

Manganese - element .....* MEAN + NE (neon) +GAS (natural state)

Sorry K

[greyfox]

Beg to differ on the parsing of Manganese:

Anagram of MEAN around NE(Neon) inside its natural state GAS.

[toalisi]

Thanks to both.