CROSSWORD

ACROSS 1. Bird sank into water in America (4) 4. Scoundrel to attest against old American, without much substance (10)

9. Like a picture being restored that's unorthodox (3-3-4) 10. Stand at funeral? It's very cold, not dry (4) 11. Son, bothered and panicky (6)

12. Good Scottish church in which there's a new leadership (8)

14. Soldier's contribution to newspaper article? (4)

15. Most senior worker, I sit alongside the dealer (6,4)

17. Dogged act secures period of office now (10)

20. Honest attempt to make the grade after setback (4)

21. One liquid drops into another, yours truly imagines (8)

23. Room in vehicle lined with length of material? (6)

24. Sister admits nothing? That could be proper (4)

25. Old Greek councillor in new opera housed in a holiday home (10) 26. Roughed-up motorway said to need engineers brought in (10) 27. Register for work (4) DOWN 2. If I lose face going wrong, out comes the gobbledegook (11)

3. Get rid of old lover, bore, embracing boy (9)

4. Conservative leader starts to look enthusiastic in constituency (7) 5. Defenders got bad with age and didn't move quickly enough (7,4,4)

6. Wicked no end, group of students hanging round one capital city (7)

7. Stars at leaving speech (5)

8. Material coming out shortly, revolutionary (5)

13. I cannot be described as such (11)

16. Most outstanding feature on land is school (9)

18. Wise man wrapping old set of holy books in something artistic (7)

19. Creature with several legs as before walked up (7)

21. Drop of liquid: you may get this in bar (5) 22. First character to go under in river trips (5)