CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

Across

1. Nighttime companions who listen to pillow talk? (7)

5. What’s found during biopsy cheers the spirit (6)

9. Alluring woman has no time at all for tsarina (7) 10. Shakespearean protagonist loves touring the Lakes (7)

11. Low 10’s not finished (3) 12. Educated Polish woman’s absorbing work for thinker (11)

13. It’s left by gannets usually and not oystercatchers primarily (5)

14. In which quad nearly sinks working around cape? (9)

16. I fetch in a foreign tribal leader (9)

17. Bats, like Seurat’s work? (5)

19. Modern rugby introduced to African state by US? That’s odd (11)

22. Contest between two left out, as expected (3)

23. Spray a diseased rose with oil I abandoned (7) 24. What the deaf do to understand one pair in front (3-4)

26. Tristan’s beloved is former leader of Egypt (6) 27. Like crabs maybe ready to go out? (7)

Down

1. Stein cooks me grub with last of plaice (4,3)

2. Foreign representatives drop comical tips in other places (10,5)

3. Exploit American energy (3)

4. Cold food gives us hiccups to some extent (5)

5. How supporters in debate vote for publicity (9)

6. One who’s somewhat rowdy — a hooligan? (5) 7. She’s a left-hander, possibly showing a lack of zeal (4-11)

8. Awful old bishop concealed boxes (6) 12. A specially struck coin offers convincing evidence (5)

14. A doctor’s introduced to old writer at end of square dance (9) 15. Daughter in Arab market raised prestige (5)

16. Nearly scale an unknown peak (6)

18. Bore admitted defeat (7) 20. Space administrators led initially by the nose? (5) 21. Old food shop picked up, running smoothly? (5) 25. Privet oddly a traditional place for blackbirds (3)