The Sunday Crossword, Sunday 28 Aug 2016

ACROSS
1   Leading figure accepted support with hesitation (8-6) STANDARD-BEARER {STANDARD}-{BEAR}{ER}
9   Complain about deceiver (4) LIAR <=
10 Expert politician can start to gain encouragement (9) PROMPTING {PRO}{MP}{TIN}{Gain}
12 Outdoor work English rain ruined (4-3) OPEN-AIR {OP}{E}{N-AIR*}
13 Track bearing north and south and back (7) SPONSOR {SPO{N}{S}OR}
14 Inflexible doctor with refusal left one suffering itch (10) MONOLITHIC {MO}{NO}{L}{1}{ITCH*}
16 Mug following wizard (4) FACE {F}{ACE}
18 Going westward in trek under attack (4) NUKE [T<=]
19 Break from working not possessed by fearful energy (10) CONTRAVENE {C{ONT*}RAVEN}{E}
21 Cakes made with rice as arranged, about fifty (7) ECLAIRS {RICE+AS}* over {L}
22 Strong batting, perfect? (7) INTENSE {IN}{TENSE}
24 Just qualified after event's leader gave up (9) EQUITABLE {Ev..t}{QUIT}{ABLE}
26 Gold used by artist to create atmosphere (4) AURA {AU}{RA}
27 Moving dirt, spared poor burrowing arachnid (8,6) TRAPDOOR SPIDER*

DOWN
2   Rubbish, tons ready (5) TRIPE {T}{RIPE}
3   Number above thousand in assembly as a rule (8) NORMALLY {NO}{R{M}ALLY}
4   Hopes to have endless jelly and food (11) ASPIRATIONS {ASPIc}{RATIONS}
5   Swindle involving upper-class pair (3) DUO {D{U}O}
6   Use line in poem strangely unknown (6) EMPLOY {EMP{L}O*}{Y}
7   Control, say, put back (9) REINSTATE {REIN}{STATE}
8   Court star with degree of error, sadly losing love (5,7) ROGER FEDERER {DEGREE+oF+ERROR}*
11 Opening remark about church and people (12) COMMENCEMENT {COMMEN{CE}{MEN}T}
13 Sins in tales designed to produce piety (11) SAINTLINESS*
15 Family upset before I praise a racing driver (4,5) NIKI LAUDA {NIK<=}{I} {LAUD}{A}

17 Processed meat finished on drive over island (8) PASTRAMI {PAST}{RAM}{I}

20 Elevated biography covering time with depth (6) LIFTED {LIF{T}E}{D}
23 Courage never wavering (5) NERVE*
25 Shout of disapproval from oaf, right away (3) BOO BOOr

GRID