No 2602, Sunday 19 Sep 10

ACROSS
1   - Could be Mira, twinkling star taken from a city in India (8) - AMRITSAR*
5   - Very good, or very bad? (6) - WICKED [DD]

9   - Following behind king (5) - {LATE}{R}
10 - Third-rate minstrel and clumsy actor carrying extra weight? (9) - {HAM}{FATTER} Had to google search this
12 - Lecturer baffled poor serfs (9) - PROFESSOR*
13 - Honours leader of expedition, extremely overweight (5) - {OBES}{E}
14 - Talk to an eccentric, revolutionary in the past, in a city in Tennessee (11) - {CHAT}{TANO*}{OGA<-} Listen to Chattanooga Choo Choo

18 - Victor's round? (3,2,6) - LAP OF HONOUR [E]
21 - Bring together in a religious service (5) - {A}{MASS}
22 - Private hotel by cobbled Rome street (9) - {INN}{ERMO*}{ST}
24 - Has to step off rapidly (9) - POSTHASTE*
25 - Benefit of dog having no lead? (5) - bASSET
26 - Bit of silly nonsense in bar (6) - {S}{TRIPE}
27 - In hiding in hotel, man with changed appearance (2,3,3) - ON THE LAM*
DOWN
1   - 50 introduced to remarkably special food flavouring (8) - {AL{L}SPICE}
2   - Reasonable grounds detailed (8) - RATIONALe
3   - Curt, in sister's estimation (5) - TERSE [T]
4   - A game outside with dad in discomfort (5,3,5) - {A}{CHES {AND} {PA}{IN}S}

SEE THIS CARTOON

6   - Lover from Ontario, possibly coming round in the morning (9) - {IN{AM}ORATO*}
7   - Christopher, 10, leads one to new-born pet? (6) - {KIT}{TEN}

8   - County Down's top store bombed (6) - {D}{ORSET*}
11 - A ballerina not many forget dancing (6,7) - MARGOT FONTEYN*
15 - Discusses business lectures before small dance (5,4) - {TALKS} {S}{HOP}

16 - Huge shortfall in fuel (8) - {CO{LOSS}AL}
17 - Jazz pianist, Greek character, tired all the time, artist brought over (3,5) - {AR}{T} {T}{A}{T}{UM}<- Didn't know TATT stands for 'Tired All The Time' Syndrome.
19 - Affected, American university grounds (6) - {CAMP}{US}
20 - Emperor is flanked by king and a queen (6) - {K}{A}{IS}{ER}
23 - Come to an open stretch of water (5) - REACH [DD]

GRID