No 2596, Sunday 01 Aug 10

ACROSS
1   - Behind everybody, in spite of any indications to the contrary (5,3) – AFTER ALL [DD]
5   - Animal in mountain pasture, a cat with no tail (6) – {ALP}{A}{CAt}

10 - It holds writer back being cack-handed (5) – {I{NEP<-}T}
11 - Musical instrument broken by priest in US city (9) – {KA{LAMA}ZOO}

12 - Retreat from mostly horrific conflict, finally (7) – {HIDEOUs}{T}
13 - Worker abroad getting financial support (7) – {HAND}{OUT}

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14 - Mere hobby bringing one a return on investment (6,8) – {SIMPLE} {INTEREST}
18 - Fish in a canal - smolt, possibly, around end of August (8,6) – {ATLAN{T}IC SALMON*}

20 - Fish, shad, missing head and tail (7) – {sHAD}{DOCK}

22 - French resort, on western end of estuary, is very good (4,3) – {NICE} {ON}{E} Unusual usage of Western end.
24 - Daughter's marriage in amorous play (9) – {D}{ALLIANCE}
25 - Principal eastern US state (5) – {MAIN}{E}
26 - One regarded as mad in northern state (6) – {N}{UTTER}
27 - Knee lost? Could be in this set of bones (8) – SKELETON*

DOWN
1 - Land on fire (6) – ALIGHT [DD]
2 - Dreamt about problem with exercise machine (9) – {TREADM*}{ILL}

3 - Proportion kept by corporation (5) – RATIO [T]
4 - A lot enjoy article on Victorian novelist (4,3,7) – {LIKE} {THE} {DICKENS}
6 - Zest shown by former PM supporting the French on Monday (5,4) – {LE}{M}{ON} {PEEL}
7 - Nazi shot bearing down on old Allied landing site (5) – {ANZI*}{O}
8 - Deserter, a Pole, put away (8) – {A}{POST}{ATE}

9 - Order, on board - hold and slacken three sheets in the wind (3,5,2,4) – ALL HANDS ON DECK*

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15 - Pieman Tom transformed Christmas show (9) – PANTOMIME*
16 - Friedman, say, comes in to broadcast (9) – ECONOMIST*
17 - Murderer, casing outhouse, seized an advantage (6,2) – {CA{SHED} IN}
19 - Cut off by northern river (6) – {SEVER}{N}

21 - Duke left out pottery (5) – {D}{ELFT*}

23 - Beast of burden arrived, then left (5) – {CAME}{L}

GRID