No 11990, Tuesday 25 Apr 2017, Gridman

ACROSS
7   Overly fearful artist and leader are confined in home (8) PARANOID {PA{RA}{NO1}D}
9   Fight by foreign sea getting more hot (6) WARMER {WAR}{MER}
10 When scanties get torn, help is required (10) ASSISTANCE {AS}{SCANTIES}*
11 Timid man to eke out (4) MEEK {M}{EKE}*
12 The French partner's focal device (4) LENS {LE}{NS}
14 First, decorous old piece's placed back (10) PRIMORDIAL {PRIM}{O}{R}{LAID<=} R = Rook = Chess piece
16 Cubbon, for example, gets a winter coat (5) PARKA {PARK}{A}
17 Grown improperly - not right! (5) WRONG*
21 Source's established a new case has been emptied (10) PROVENANCE {PROVEN}{A}{N}{CasE}
22 State frankly: "Have gown with edges torn" (4) AVOW {hAVe}{gOWn}
23 Let slip no second tablet (4) PILL sPILL
24 Declare earnestly: "Fool's always worried" (10) ASSEVERATE {ASS}{EVER}{ATE}
26 Small journal's browsing site is attractive (6) MAGNET {MAG}{NET}
27 Volcanic rock found by old boy with two men (8) OBSIDIAN {OB}{SID}{IAN}

DOWN
1   Stop the woman taking English spirit (7) BANSHEE {BAN}{SHE}{E}
2   A ten in half-time prepare to take off (4) TAXI {T{A}{X}Ime}
3   Throat issue revealed by a study - one conducted in old Delhi (7) ADENOID {A}{DEN}{O{1}D}
4   Model - small and quaint (4) TWEE {T}{WEE}
5   Overly proper publicity on new American diva (5,5) PRIMA DONNA {PRIM}{A D}{ON}{N}{A}
6   Fresh beginning of French boy with a single (7) RENEWAL {RENE}{W}{A}{L} L for Single?
8   Frank exposes approval in enclosure (9) OUTSPOKEN {OUTS}{P{OK}EN}
13 Rats falling over and concealing not one hungry person (10) STARVELING {RATS<=}{VEiLING}
15 "...it is in ___ that we are underlings" (Shakespeare) (9) OURSELVES [FITB]
18 Crafty person? (7) ARTISAN [CD]
19 Having difficulty, Spain to find a fix (2,1,4) IN A SPOT*
20 Superhero hugging old rower (7) BOATMAN {B{O}ATMAN}
24 Vehicle in which tau toured round (4) AUTO {TAU}*{O}
25 Went on highway, we hear (4) RODE (~road)

GRID