CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

No 16,531

ACROSS

1 Fine American place for stickler (7) 5 EU Irish-speaker backs alliance (6) 9 Metal miners grab old boy entering islands (7) 10 Walked on injured rodent daughter brought in (7) 11 It could be pale, with no head (3) 12 Following change, flog tree (6,5) 13 See red hiding new stove (5) 14 A grim road shattered old player (9) 16 Forever wasting time unscrupulously (9) 17 Popular American crosses delta and river (5) 19 Hurt amateur in scrum tackling superior reckless type (5-6) 22 Tooth chafes outer gum initially (3) 23 Spies collar informer touring old European state (7) 24 Bona fide ingenue needs sorting out (7) 26 Face when given a kiss, so it’s said (6) 27 Former leader of team in court’s gone for good (7)

DOWN

1 Five in Berlin broadcast amusements (7) 2 Donkey blocking beach reflects trickery (5,3,7) 3 Philatelist begins with a letter written by Greek (3) 4 Finish absorbing introduction to major Indian language (5) 5 Modern coffee accompanied by a dry bubbly (6-3) 6 Fat Man’s a flop (1-4) 7 Factory shortfall — UN did not procure tanks (15) 8 ‘Superman: The Movie’ incorporates song of praise (6) 12 Cut off? Try following first of signs (5) 14 Disinclined to rave about clue solved on time (9) 15 Preparation of morphine’s like religion to Marx (5) 16 New York city, home of Ulysses (6) 18 Present gets us excited about golf (7) 20 Bishop’s headgear given up in summertime (5) 21 Rake over front of garden — an unpleasant piece of work (5) 25 Final goal (3)