No 2607, Sunday 31 Oct 10

ACROSS
1   - Become aware of truck just after (4,2,2) – {PICK UP} {ON}
5   - Cat in piece of ground adjoining old church (6) – {O}{CE}{LOT}

10 - A chief at the front (5) – {A}{HEAD}
11 - Odd, Eric pinching c-coin of little value (9) – {E{C}{CENT}RIC}

SEE THIS CARTOON

12 - University, a scene of frantic activity in London (9,6) – {CAMBRIDGE} {CIRCUS}
13 - Happy, girl given ring by American (6) – {JOY}{O}{US}
15 - A wizard, master playing ball (7) – {MAESTR*}{O}
18 - Male with Karen, forced to listen (7) – {HE}{ARKEN*}
19 - Firework plant (6) – ROCKET [DD]

21 - The Express newspaper's report? (8,7) – {DEFINITE} {ARTICLE}
24 - Begin industrial action abroad (6,3) – {STRIKE} {OUT}
25 - State leaders from Iowa detained at Heathrow overnight (5) – {I}{D}{A}{H}{O}
26 - A lemur? Yes, indeed (3-3) – AYE-AYE [DD]

27 - Supports leading baseball player (8) – {BACKS}{TOP}
DOWN
1   - Fish one caught in lodge (6) – {PLA{I}{C}E}

2   - Drink large quantity during passage (5,4) – {C{REAM S}ODA}
3   - Imprisoned naked, yonder, luck having run out (5,4,3,3) – UNDER LOCK AND KEY*
4   - Nymph in folklore, a dryad (5) – OREAD [T]
6   - Swindle kind of eccentric comic (10,5) – CONFIDENCE TRICK*
7   - London theatre having a light quality (5) – LYRIC [DD]
8   - Gathers before dance in confectionery store? (4,4) – {TUCK S}{HOP}
9   - Bird in sensational headline (8) – SCREAMER [DD]

14 - Authorise punitive action (8) – SANCTION [DD]
16 - Acerbic, worker after cut (9) – {TRENCH}{ANT}
17 - Name of country's changed, so I heard (8) – RHODESIA*

20 - Get back about palace revolution (6) – {RE}{COUP}
22 - Ticket price about 100 for play? (5) – {FAR{C}E}
23 - Car in fast race (5) – ASTRA [T]

GRID