No 2528, Sunday, 12 Apr 09

I seem to be getting better at the Sunday Crossword. Interesting CW today took me some time to get 5 and 10A and 7D. Excellent surface reading in all the clues
ACROSS
1 - Film, hi-tech, BT released (3,5) - THE BITCH*
5 - Wine in tavern, endless wine (6) - {BAR}{SAC}(-k) Sack is a type of wine
9 - Holder's jacket (8) - ENVELOPE [DD]
10 - Cannon and Ball? (3-3) - POM-POM [DD] In the Indian Army troops of The Madras Regiment wear a POM-POM on their headgear
11 - Cannon in capital - one fired by me, originally (5) - CA(-i)RO{M}
12 - Legitimate, our Brent activity (4-4) - TRUE BORN*
15 - Better skill shown by PM's gardener (10,5) - {CAP}{ABILITY} {BROWN}
18 - Satanist crudely drawn in book (1,5,2,7) - A STUDY IN SCARLET*
19 - Unmarried man, composer, rejected part (8) - {BACH}{ELOR<-} 21 - King, a set behind, is broken (5) - {K}{A}{PUT}
24 - Notice one present in strange metallic element (6) - R{AD}{I}UM
25 - Adult to draw off small measure if need be (2,1,5) - {A}{T A P}INCH}
26 - Bombed British house (6) - {B}{LOTTO} I think house is a typo for housie which is the british game lotto
27 - Nondescript articles that snow damaged (8) - WHATNOTS*
DOWN
1 - Swimming coach in river finds item of clothing (6,4) - TREN{CH COA*}T
2 - Caught in the Ivel, very young eel (5) - ELVER [T]
3 - I criticise a bum in capital city (9) - {I}{SLAM}{A}{BAD}
4 - Political organisation adopting hard line with the US Congress (7,4) - CAPITOL {H}IL*{L}
6 - Sailor holding crowd up, producing weapon (1-4) - A {BOM<-}B
7 - Hooter goes at end of marvellous championship game (5,4) - {SUPER B}{OWL}
8/13 - Happen to score, to make the grade (4,2,2,7) - {COME UP TO} {SCRATCH}
14 - Splitting your sides? Hospital may have to put you -- -------! (2,8) - IN STITCHES [DD]
16 - Finished up at top, surprisingly, around one, accompanied by daughter (3,4,2) - PUT PA{I}{D} TO*
17 - Where accidents often occur - parking lots back abroad (5,4) - BLACK S{P}OT*
20 - Heroin planted on relative in resort (5) - {H}{AUNT}
22 - Punter initially taking a lively interest in a horse (5) - {P}{INTO}