GUARDIAN CRYPTIC CROSSWORD NO. 27,468

ACROSS

1 What gambler may do, missing unknown signs (8) 5 Assurance from a doctor about pallor in odd places (6) 9 Is it driver James or MP Jeremy reported persecution? (5-4) 11 Religious adversary,

not half grotesque (5) 12 Hedonistic ways of husband, following dainty pair of girls (8,4) 15 Warning what a misandrist wants? (4) 16 African in evening wear and I attack Scot (10) 18 Unfriendly bird’s way

to kick horse, say (4,6) 19 Poet’s lost face, having

wagered money (4) 21 Hoping to get a small ratio using integers (12) 24 Big star back to bowl

a slow delivery (5) 25 Deplores what top managers are paid? (9) 26 Loves entertaining composer, not one to dramatise (6) 27 Fellow feeling inhibited accepts to lightly touch setter’s back (8)

DOWN

1 Assistant with navy, one of many on board (4) 2 Key element of

air for singer (4) 3 Stick bill on

present (6) 4 Muttered furiously, poked by weighty girl with a stick (4,9) 6 Paul left distraught,

making some scoff (8) 7 Invalid, incorrect legal document one cuts (10) 8 Shot or pass defender’s stifled (10) 10 Annoyingly, criminal stole my investing money abroad (13) 13 Bird eats hot dog, possibly uncertain (5-3-2) 14 Fiddle with glass covering hotel — you can see through it (10) 17 Dawn light caused

a shock (8) 20 Ruler and predecessor of Sun King, one with power (6) 22 Don’t delete this shot’s

frame on film (4) 23 See tablets pharmacy’s

packaging (4)