No 2851, Sunday 26 Jul 2015

ACROSS
1   Drop round, breaking engagement, being wretched (8) DESOLATE {D{ESOL<=}ATE}
5   Some aghast at usurper's position (6) STATUS [T]
9   Clever type getting support with folder for incoming messages (8) BRAINBOX {BRA}{INBOX}
10 Duty abandoned, freeze (6) OFFICE {OFF}{ICE}
12 Declaration in part of speech with substance that's binding (13) PRONOUNCEMENT {PRONOUN}{CEMENT}
14 Area of water in middle of land behind old church (5) OCEAN {O}{CE}{lANd}
15 Soldier deployed near ridge (9) GRENADIER*
17 Embarrass party minute before match (9) DISCOMFIT {DISCO}{M}{FIT}
19 Nut about to enter enclosure (5) PECAN {PE{CA}N}

20 Campaigning body urges proper reforms, holding us back (8,5) PRESSURE GROUP {URGES+PROPER}* around {US<=}
23 Single leprechaun I question partially (6) UNIQUE [T]
24 Area with unusual heat in north of capital city (8) ATHENIAN {A}{HEAT+IN}*{N}
25 Revolutionary encounters English judge (6) ESTEEM {E}{STEEM}<=
26 Retired, overwhelmed by change? That's affectation (8) PRETENCE {P{RET}ENCE}

DOWN
1   Liability in first performance, not united (4) DEBT DEBuT
2   Clarity from head of state, quietly in control (9) SHARPNESS {St..e}{HAR{P}NESS}
3   Nothing upset firm line followed by new president (7) LINCOLN {LIN<=}{CO}{L}{N}
4   Moving of earth around uneven road (12) THOROUGHFARE {OF+EARTH}* around {ROUGH}
6   Employees without leader going over odd bits of extra material (7) TAFFETA {sTAFF}{ExTrA}
7   Observance after time lacking originality (5) TRITE {T}{RITE}
8   Doctor grew silent, getting uncomfortably hot (10) SWELTERING*
11 Detective wearing singlet on air got rattled (12) INVESTIGATOR {IN VEST}{AIR+GOT}*
13 Stirring up old men - me, George Sand? (3,2,5) NOM DE PLUME*
16 One working under Conservative in incompetent establishment (9) INCEPTION {IN{C}EPT}{1}{ON}
18 Unknown book penned by sailor? Correct (7) OBSCURE {O{B}S}{CURE}
19 Complaint from annoying person full of rubbish (7) PROTEST {P{ROT}EST}
21 Be second in departure (5) EXIST {EXI{S}T}
22 Joint work's ending most of poverty (4) KNEE {worK}{NEEd}

GRID