CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS 1 Have solid reason for development of some land (2,5,6)

10 Steer clear of a short piece of music at the end (5)

11 Managed to murder a second new percussion instrument (5,4)

12 Highly rated items worth a lot to a leading dramatist (9)

13 Final state of 15 down inside athletic event (5)

14 Understood how a small branch has developed (7)

16 Right piece offered, at last, to acknowledge payment (7)

18 It’s hard to get into a suit by firesides (7) 20 A friend took in an additive to afternoon performance (7)

21 Italian runner, in time, got to a crucial moment (5)

23 Join up with some soldiers,at last, to get onto the register (9)

25 Look to have a second cover on paintings, in the main (9)

26 Start to get the French to live in church land (5)

27 Major feature at the heart of publications (6,7) DOWN 2 Had a little common sense, by the end. But it’s pointless (2,3)

3 Was it a mistake to have finished with a spectacle? (9)

4 Guaranteed to get in, and certain to have diamonds covered (7)

5 Was more dignified, having laid out £1,000, with little hesitation (7)

6 Got round to study an ancient Greek nymph (5)

7 Ran riot over a new account of events (9) 8 Failed to get involved, when stuck in a queue for the mail (4,2,3,4) 9 A measure of distance and time for one at some stages in large stadiums (13) 15 Sadly, met Ian in a lifeless state (9)

17 List of names, etc, studying university courses in the US (9)

19 Aspire, it’s said, to find precipitous place before the French (7)

20 Raises prices before doing better in some tests (5,2)

22 It’s understood that Tom, for instance, came back with it (5)

24 Removed some faults from them, endlessly (5)