GUARDIAN CRYPTIC CROSSWORD NO. 27,473

ACROSS 1 Multitudes sign to have spymaster imprisoned (6) 4 Put pressure on one

involved in a row (6) 9 Fish in burn (4) 10 Renown for coppers capturing errant minor (10) 11 Ploughman makes

lines in row (6) 12 Go over and scrape it

off (8) 13 Workman’s first wife died in supermarket (9) 15 Boundaries some defend successfully (4) 16 Gasp like a man in gym

(4) 17 One man begged to be

moved (9) 21 Present and organise

race (8) 22 Fabric for belt requires

input of skill (6) 24 Weird game title I

authorised (10) 25 Parking by the verge is

proper (4) 26 Restrain Paddy (6) 27 Moral taint engulfs sinister despot (6) DOWN 1 Sceptic engaged in

armed robbery? (7) 2 Lesson master put into

speech (5) 3 Old relationship Ruby brought to an end (7) 5 Native boy appears in

distress (6) 6 Frank individuals producing subtle innuendoes (9) 7 Copper in Essex demolished feeble defences (7) 8 Commander, a bit crazy, is sectioned (13) 14 Criminal damage? Museum gets woefully slim support! (9) 16 Object to vermin carrying decay (7) 18 Withdraw soldier’s

entertainment (7) 19 High spirits leading to broken toenail (7) 20 Forceful and disagreeable when imprisoning taxmen once (6) 23 Agent the Spanish

hold off (5)