Cryptic crossword

ACROSS

3. A very plain standard (9) 8. A never-to-be-repeated occasion (4) 9. Telling job for shopkeepers (9) 10. Ambled into a

madhouse (6) 11. Yet people may sit in

one (5) 14. Decoys, breaking the

rules (5) 15. When it falls, it has the

cheek to go on (4) 16. Gives out but sends the

money right away (5) 18. Eats some biscuits

upstairs (4) 20. They’re used to make a

stool (5) 21. Sprinkle water on a small

bouquet (5) 24. Mounting a revolt? (6) 25. Usually it’s the best of

the entries (5,4) 26. Spare list (4) 27. Dancer all bare in

confusion! (9)

DOWN

1. It’s certain one shouldn’t be so sceptical (9) 2. Sharp falls in sweet production? (4,5) 4. It’s about time for a bit of news (4) 5. Take only what is right? (5) 6. It might be a latent gift (6) 7. Capital punishment? (4) 9. Breed fish, we hear (5) 11. I’m sly, perhaps, and

slippery (5) 12. Put down and bore

witness about it (9) 13. They impressed a newspaper company (5,4) 17. It has to be negotiated in

flight (5) 19. This column backs one

up (6) 22. It counts as a hazard for

ramblers (5) 23. It could be for a Malayan

vessel (4) 24. The horse ran round the

ring (4)