CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1. Run in live game's first for scorer (4) 4. Much ado about Republican as autocratic leader (3,7) 9. Man eating cake with prisoner restrained (10)

10. Short and flat sandwich needs new filling (4)

11. Junk written about one desktop game (6) 12. One dreams about tucking into processed pasties (8)

14. Tongue all but swallowed by lion? (4) 15. Painter to run to get climbing equipment (4,6)

17. One from skilled elite Cochrane demolished in Times (10)

20. Effort to retain old weight system (4) 21. Replacing fluids and salt is boost with nothing eaten (8)

23. Asian support hotel welcomes back (6) 24. Dope accepts pound in depressed Scottish area (4)

25. Poet, one mostly accepted by Orwell, G (10)

26. Vehicle in escape vacated with trail disappearing (10)

27. Pack present for landlord (4)

DOWN

2. English still cool, calm and collected (11) 3. Upset at charges? Get in free! (9)

4. Fish in lake one in vessel catches (7) 5. What's received, following dismissal, from muchadmired opener? (6,9) 6. Complete artist left bitter upset (7)

7. Hotel on island raised capital out East (5) 8. Base installing British machine (5)

13. Beast that was lively goes inside small house (11)

16. Butcher and fox dine on hearts after shindig (2,2,5)

18. Sharp point seized in wrestling over transport (7)

19. Don't start raucous jabber! (7)

21. One's put out second fire in room (5)

22. Last symbol of resistance? (5)