No 2765, Sunday 17 Nov 2013

ACROSS
1   Corresponding with uncle, say (8) RELATIVE [DD
5   Spoil one married couple (6) IMPAIR {1}{M}{PAIR}
10 Barge carrying less weight (7) LIGHTER [DD]
11 Soldiers beheaded and left in hollow in surrounded area (7) ENCLAVE {mEN}{C{L}AVE}
12 Former examiner, reportedly in old government office (9) EXCHEQUER {EX}{CHEQUER}(~checker)
13 Slow speech, live, shown after tie (5) DRAWL {DRAW}{L}
14 Failed attempt on hill in English resort town (13) LITTLEHAMPTON*
17 Shambles follows quickly after interval (4,9) DOGS BREAKFAST {DOGS} {BREAK}{FAST}
21 What's as good as a mile? Wrong (5) AMISS {A}{MISS}
22 Braggart has look round inside crude mud hut (9) LOUDMOUTH {LO}{UD M{O}UTH*}
24 Stately vehicle coming from church with a flourish (7) CHARIOT {CH}{A}{RIOT}
25 Wise guy in clink, now, allegedly (4-3) KNOW-ALL [T]
26 Female leaving small party with rest (6) SIESTA (-f+s)SIESTA
27 Social outcast, before 'L' in concise dictionary (8) DERELICT {D{ERE}{L}ICT}

DOWN
1   Help whistle-blower to pen story (6) RELIEF {RE{LIE}F}
2   Sound of US soldier in boozer (7) LOGICAL {LO{GI}CAL}
3   Name of book lieutenant raised during match (5) TITLE {TI{TL<=}E}
4   Simulation: learner driver put through it - rarity value worked (7,7) VIRTUAL REALITY {VIRTUA{L} REALITY*}
6   Precocious little girl's taken in about one, a nut (9) MACADAMIA {MA{CA}DAM<=}{1}{A}

7   Resolute, a worker crossing barrier (7) ADAMANT {A}{DAM}{ANT}
8   One within about to chuck wine (8) RIESLING {R{1}E}{SLING}

9   A stone's throw from the joint that's on the verge of the indecent (4,3,7) NEAR THE KNUCKLES {NEAR} {THE KNUCKLES}
15 Use the Circle Line, perhaps - go round wearing this? (4,5) TUBE SKIRT  {TUBE} {SKIRT}
16 Proceeds with loans (8) ADVANCES [DD]
18 I'm in favour, so pull a face (7) GRIMACE {GR{I'M}ACE}
19 Elevated man in grey suit pointing to destructive wave (7) TSUNAMI {TSU{NAM<=}I*}
20 Bloke almost rented wooden villa (6) CHALET {CHAp}{LET}
23 Animal lows close to milking-time (5) MOOSE {MOOS}{E}