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Thanks Malone, it's the definitions I don't get, how does resistive = to be kicking against the pricks, and I've heard of Desert Rats but not of rat as a synonym for desert (The Sahara is the largest rat in Africa?).

StrangelyBrown, the Rat/Desert (with its Dessert pronunciation) appears a lot in crosswords. Chambers has 'rat; to desert or change sides for unworthy motives'.

Ok, thanks Malone, you live and learn.

Thanks, StrangelyBrown.

I don't really like the 'kicking against the pricks' clue, but I can see - just about - what it means, they're both indicating rebelliousness, resistance etc.

If in doubt, Google is your friend. ;-)

https://www.neverthirsty.org/bible-qa/qa-archives/question/what-is-meant-by-it-is-hard-for-thee-to-kick-against-the-pricks/

Thanks, Tim... I wasn't too doubtful - the meanings were close enough for me - but it's nice to get things totally cleared up.

25d confused me also and I am sad to see that it is another depressing example of setters using 'in the know' clues.

A rat is not a desert. A desert is not a rat.

A 'desert rat 'is either a rat living in the desert or a WW2 soldier. But if I used blue as a synonym for train just because there once was a Blue Train people would think I was nuts.

Tango, nothing "in the know" about it.

Rat = desert is in Chambers.

intransitive verb (ratt'ing; ratt'ed)
To hunt or catch rats
To desert or change sides for unworthy motives
To act as an informer
(of a worker) to work as a rat

Tango,I'm sorry, but I think there's absolutely nothing wrong with rat/desert. It's been a recognised usage for a long time, as shown by the references given here.