CROSSWORD

Clues across

1. Poles grab most of cow’s bag without warning (6) 4. Pancakes presented with some mediocre pesto (6) 9. Bring home the bacon, pig’s tail and piece of chicken (4) 10. Queer Scot takes time cooking savoury cakes (10) 11. Bludge cake for the trifle (6) 12. Sweet talk for youngster drinking frothy coffee (8) 13. Commemorative note by old school heads the heartless make into a witty retort (7) 15. Large American sheila … (5) 16. … devours fresh fowls (5) 18. Stock to dish out again (7) 21. Had a share in prank: ate stew (8) 22. I prune pieces before fully grown (6) 24. Artistic works made merely for money by people who don’t know how best to prepare cannabis? (10) 25. To be anti in Scotland takes a certain spirit (not Scotch) (4) 26. My teas can be raunchy (6) 27. Convoluted story about oriental seafood (6)

Clues down

1. This officer smells in the end smoked fish (7) 2. Eat heartily and appreciate the hostelry, you say (3,2) 3. Graphic artists with fluids eating metal (7) 5. Pronounced regret with a pointed comment regarding an edible plant (7) 6. Small cake made from tofu? Tripe! (5,4) 7. Drunk seen on claret offered a mocking smile (7) 8. Gear for the barista with smile going into force-feed fudge (6,7) 14. Friend on a board with good taste (9) 16. Apes now twisted arms (7) 17. Kiss him mistakenly, exhibiting faith mainly in India (7) 19. Soft, rather like courgettes and pumpkins? (7) 20. Empire collapsed. About time: there’s not as much in it (7) 23. Joint rolled using spit? (5)