CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 May spot a good place to finish, but still lose narrowly (3,2,3,4)

8 Go off on holiday, with permission (5) 9 Later on, RAC got new form of hire agreement (3,6)

11 Other people have right symbol, initially, for units of heat (6)

12 Son may tend to leave, but can still intimidate intruders (5,3)

14 Have to use spectacles to look at some goblets (10)

15 Retreat into an excellent recess (4)

18 May detest suffering ill will. Indeed, whatever (4)

19 Pals from childhood can end up as officers, in the main (5,5)

21 Criticising an alternative return from a bit of sharp practice ... (8)

23 ... and may be easily duped by a gull, or another bird (6)

25 Need ten men to act out a performance, at some stage (9)

26 Presses one to join some clubs (5) 27 Smart aleck has a brass neck. What a nerve (12)

DOWN

1 Record over a bonding material to get a 13 down (9)

2 Made an introduction before having a stroll (8) 3 Bind together some of the haystacks (4) 4 Have difficulty getting a dairy item. It’s just bad luck (4,6)

5 Did a US author attempt to compose verse (6)

6 Ready to have a square go (3-2)

7 A model, commonly, had the framework to get an airing (7-5)

10 Blacked out, up to a point, lacking any vitality (12)

13 Has an obligation to share at the end of 1 across (10)

16 In cooking, the core tenet is to produce a premium cut of beef (9)

17 One has an aspiration, hoping to have enough drive (8)

20 Turn into second gallery to see a work of art (6)

22 Call out the troops, in the style of the Marines (5)

24 Hardy partner took part in the best and worst work (4)