No 2738 , Sunday 12 May 13

I love such CWs, no CD's you see. Specially liked 12A.

ACROSS
1   Outstanding performer, kind to imitate (5,3) CLASS ACT {CLASS} {ACT}
5   Cavalryman caught in country road close to Sedgemoor (6) LANCER {LAN{C}E}{R}
9   Left to choice in platoon, I suspect (8) OPTIONAL*
10 Temple of a deity in Pennsylvania (6) PAGODA {P{A}{GOD}A}
11 Urgency shown by the man crossing a street (5) HASTE {H{A}{ST}E}
12 Awfully mean celebrities - say who they are (4,5) NAME NAMES {MEAN*} {NAMES}
14 Mavericks may make no charge for gins, vodkas, etc. (4,7) FREE SPIRITS {FREE} {SPIRITS}
18 London home of detective in song? (5,6) BAKER STREET [DD]
21 Four-letter word used by girl upset about closure of restaurant (9) TETRAGRAM {TE{T}RAGRAM<=}
23 Cheese made by pair back in Georgia (5) GOUDA {G{OUD<=}A}

24 Grease gear in drilling installation (3,3) OIL RIG {OIL} {RIG}

25 Aim to provoke compromise (8) ENDANGER {END}{ANGER}
26 Endure sister, drunk (6) RESIST*
27 Along with a very fashionable person, meets a head of state (2,4,2) AS WELL AS {A}{S WELL} {A}{S}

DOWN
1   A hat, something for the gardener outdoors? (6) CLOCHE [DD]

 2   Painter displaying unusual traits (6)  ARTIST*
3   Track about boy with female, romantically attached (6,3) SPOKEN FOR {SPO{KEN} {F}OR}
4   What may arrive in the post from Manx chap, in character (5,6) CHAIN LETTER {CHAp}{IN} {LETTER} Manx cats have no tail! Remember these from the snail mail days and later e-mail, seems to be forgotten now that we have spam.
6   Military commander, elected once more (5)  AGAIN {AGA}{IN}
7   Chinese-style dish, food had by me at home (4,4)  CHOW MEIN {CHOW} {ME}{IN}
8   Make another appraisal concerning fools on top of statue (8)  REASSESS {RE}{ASSES}{S}
13 Teacher resents planners (11) MASTERMINDS {MASTER}{MINDS}
15 Join unfortunate gent coming in hopping mad (9) INTEGRATE {I{GENT*}RATE}
16 A racket rising, rising in slaughterhouse (8) ABATTOIR {A}{BAT}{ROIR<=}
17 Hoax the French about time for game (8) SKITTLES {SKIT}{T}{LES}

HOW IT WAS PLAYED IN FRANCE

19 Caddy initially glued broken club (6) CUDGEL {C}{GLUED*}
20 A doctor tucking into mother's curry (6) MADRAS {M{A}{DR}A'S}

INDIAN FOOD !

22 Sign of tooth decay, canine needing to be extracted (5) ARIES cARIES

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