No 2651, Sunday 11 Sep 11

ACROSS
1   - Cheek from defensive player about bowler, for example (8) - BACKCHAT {BACK}{C}{HAT}
5   - Child aboard very old snowmobile (6) - SKIDOO {S{KID}O}{O}
9   - Work on cheek with second cosmetic (8) - LIPSTICK {LIP}{S}{TICK}
10 - Embarrassed top MP (6) - REDCAP {RED}{CAP}
11 - Order in Japanese dictionaries (5) - EDICT [T]
13 - Stands down, putting seaman in charge during engagements (9) - ABDICATES {AB}{D{IC}ATES}
15 - Male injured too, unfortunately, in play (5,3,6) - ROMEO AND JULIET*
18 - Is in charge of a disciplined organisation in Hastings - Ruth, I suspect, ahead of Penny (4,1,5,4) - RUNS A TIGHT SHIP {RUNS A TIGHT SHI*}{P}
20 - Edible fruit in cask we brought back - money's needed upfront? (6,3) - CASHEW NUT {CASH}{EW<-} {NUT<-}
22 - Sponger left separately, reportedly (5) - LEECH {L}{EECH}(~each)
23 - Join a navy? I may have (6) - SEAMAN {SEAM}{A}{N}
24 - Speak amusingly about very loud artist producing rubbish (8) - RIFFRAFF {RI{FF}{RA}FF}
26 - Favour parking by river - could be free (6) - PREFER {P}{R}{EFER*}
27 - Hairstyle of son, top dog around family (8) - SKINHEAD {S}{KIN}{HEAD}
DOWN
1   - British tree with less on top (6) - BALDER {B}{ALDER}
2   - Sign of growth to the south of island off Italy (9) - CAPRICORN {CAPRI}{CORN}
3   - Lower score (3) - CUT [DD]
4   - Praise Catholic priest during hostilities (11) - ACCLAMATION {AC{C}{LAMA}TION}
6   - Remain brief, and don't reveal one's thoughts (4,7) - KEEP COUNSEL {KEEP} {COUNSEL}
7   - Old coin adult found in passage (5) - DUCAT {DUC{A}T}
8   - Facing one's counterpart on location (8) - OPPOSITE OPPO{SITE}
12 - Book at that time peaked (a novel) (3,5,3) - THE NAKED APE {THE N}{AKED (A)PE*}
14 - Brought about, as if by magic? (3,3,5) - DID THE TRICK [CD]
16 - Travel from place to place in Italy with nervous trainee (9) - ITINERATE {IT}{INERATE*}
17 - Expert on drink has a breakdown (6,2) - CRACKS UP {CRACK}{S UP}
19 - Irritated husband in coffee shop, then daughter (6) - CHAFED {C{H}AFE}{D}
21 - Husband admitting love for Italian wine (5) - SOAVE {S{O}AVE}
25 - Endless finance for entertainment (3) - FUN FUNd