Times Crossword

Across

1 Those one despises in unpleasant film (4) 4 Seemingly very amused having fixed match? (4,6)

9 One maybe operating still from cell in Merseyside town by river (10)

10 Move forward as hired hoodlum (4)

11 Where 6’s pet food would end up? That’s 26 (2,4) 12 Reluctant to quote over cutting housing cost (8) 14 Cheese mostly served with nothing to provide energy (4)

15 Conservative swine appears in blue, wanting a plot analysis (10) 17 Hardened animal doctor stops trainee misbehaving (10)

20 Bounce back as nymph consorting with Zeus (4) 21 Dead artist seen following exercise in shadow (8) 23 Suppose example won’t begin to contain problem? (6)

24 Value in warmth and love comes to republic (4) 25 A firm in High Street ultimately closes, no matter what (2,3,5)

26 Article in German on singer in chorus? (10)

27 People to lose millions plugging dry red wine (4)

Down

2 Top rate protection for new heir apparent? (5,6) 3 Underground banker, no good as timekeeper (9) 4 Book about many people in France (7)

5 Grab an anorak, loosely covering fine husband’s troubled area (7-8) 6 Woman unusually hot when stuffing fish (7) 7 Purchase property in Bow, we hear: eco-community? (5) 8 Painter long ago pinching Napoleon’s bottom (5) 13 Twelve guarding Republican representative in that town (11)

16 Drive away, entering plain, but go too far? (9) 18 Warm greeting where the writer’s put up couple (7) 19 Net income generator, always covering back (1-6) 21 Bread given in trench much appreciated (5)

22 This will be dark horse ousting leader (5)