CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

▶ Across

1. Small, roundish stone lens (6)

4. Keep one short of credit when among imps cavorting (6)

9. The French boy-children go to school for them (7)

10. Some took a picture of the giraffe-like animal (5)

11. A promise one will acknowledge (4)

12. Drag a leg like one politician following Labour leader (4)

13. Before it enters register, erase it (3)

15. To be an informer, render it in music (4)

16. Softly played finale will be about to happen (4)

19. Funny line may render one speechless (3)

21. Rating to lay, after a loss, in a skilled manner (4)

22. Times leaders are generally edited scrupulously (4)

24. An advance, reportedly, all by yourself (5)

25. It wasn't hard for Richard once to mould it round ceiling (7)

26. Revealing magazine spread? (6)

27. Cuts the plate one brings with one, headless (6)

▶ Down

1. Haul along to cafe somehow and appear dismal (4,1,4,4)

2. They wear aprons as they move along the diagonals (7)

3. Have the appearance of regard (4)

5. Man at the wheel might affect our price (8)

6. Throwing a nine could prove senseless (5)

7. Press licenses it out as being beyond value (13)

8. Just about up to the atmosphere around the street (5)

14. They may be on a raid, as driven wild (8)

17. Shark will faithfully follow one of Pisces (7)

18. Fire about fifty for being inattentive (5)

20. Some players grow up without women (5)

23. Shakespearean crone was one to favour world revolution (4)

▶ Yesterday's solution

Across 1. Directed 7. Prude 8. Scarlet 9. Errands

10. Gasp 12. Trimmed 14. Evening 17. Game

18. Plunder 21. Dwindle 22. Naïve 23. Inferred Down 1. Design 2. Reassure 3. Call 4. Extent

5. Burn 6. Teased 7. Parting 11. Spindle 13. Marauder

14. Expend 15. Garden 16. Depend 19. Unit 20. Mine