No 2693, Sunday 01 Jul 12

ACROSS
1   - Sent a message about Slovenian tourist destination (6)  - CABLED {CA}{BLED}
4   - Desert that woman? On the contrary (6)  - RATHER {RAT}{HER}
10 - Brings up in houses built across river (9)  - NOURISHES {NOU{R}ISHES*}
11 - Count's child at university (3,2)  - TOT UP {TOT} {UP}
12 - Unfashionable shed one rejected (7)  - OUTCAST {OUT}{CAST}
13 - Starts to avoid key meals (7)  - LUNCHES LaUNCHES
14 - Groom's award in sport? (3,2,3,5)  - MAN OF THE MATCH [DD]
17 - The most tongue-tied manages this without the slightest exaggeration? (2,3,3,5)  - TO SAY THE LEAST [CD]
21 - Royal attendant has no time for messenger (7)  - COURIER COURtIER
22 - Urge simple changes involving uranium (7)  - IMPULSE {IMP{U}LSE*}
24 - Love game, possibly last in series (5)  - OMEGA {O}{GAME*}
25 - I must be protected by guns regulation (9)  - ORDINANCE {ORD{I}NANCE}
26 - I may pose a problem for a dog (6)  - SETTER [DD]
27 - Stand by wife, a sly type (6)  - WEASEL {W}{EASEL}
DOWN
1   - Charlie, on French river, making soup (8)  - CONSOMME {C}{ON}{SOMME}

2   - Lacking sharpness, trombone, say, in club? (5,10)  - BLUNT INSTRUMENT {BLUNT} {INSTRUMENT}
3   - Girl from Israeli port brought over around one (5)  - ERICA {ER{I}CA<-}
5   - Social worker, woman, having short chat before the baby's born (9)  - ANTENATAL {ANT}{ENA}{TALk}
6   - Struck senior teacher - possible punishment to get prominent media attention (3,3,9)  - HIT THE HEADLINES {HIT} {THE HEAD}{LINES}
7   - Meal for old man, among others (6)  - REPAST {RE{PA}ST}
8   - Roofing material which church required (6)  - THATCH {THAT}{CH}
9   - A squalid property surrounding yard provides sanctuary (6)  - ASYLUM {A}{S{Y}LUM}
15 - Charm of fiesta can, somehow (9)  - FASCINATE*
16 - Light ale brewed at that place inside (8)  - ETHEREAL {E{THERE}AL*}
18 - Flowering plant in a Lancashire river (6)  - YARROW [DD]

19 - What one may have expected from 'Sweeney Todd' (musical affair)? (6)  - HAIRDO {HAIR}{DO}
20 - Game the French boycotted is over (6)  - ACROSS lACROSSe
23 - Writer, for example, brought up in a London suburb (5) - PENGE {PEN}{GE<-}