No 12098, Tuesday 29 Aug 2017, Arden

ACROSS
1   Mineral rights included — means lower pound (6) CORRAL {CO{RR}AL}
4   Stop a stowaway coming into country (8) BOTSWANA {B{STOW*}AN}{A}

9   Minister and lawmaker have a patch-up (6) REVAMP {REV}{A}{MP} A for and? See comments
10 John’s house has birds (8) CANARIES {CAN}{ARIES}

12 Complaints from Mumbai suburb — items go missing regularly (8) MALADIES {MALAD}{ItEmS}
13 "Give evidence on total utility" they say (6) ADDUCE {ADD}{UCE}(~use)
15 Not expensive to admit parent, pay at the end for treatment (12) CHEMOTHERAPY {CHE{MOTHER}AP}{paY}
18 Two fruits in one (6,6) CHERRY TOMATO [CD]

21 Distant meteor showers (6) REMOTE*
22 Out on a limb? Take cover, save neck basically (8) INSECURE {INS{nECk}URE}
24 Bearings damaged, gate crashes (6,2) BARGES IN*
25 I'm back playing this shot (6) MISHIT {IM<=}{THIS*}
26 Shorter version of game? Engage county (8) CHESHIRE {CHESs}{HIRE}
27 Yanks go wild, injecting drug in a furtive manner (6) SNEAKY {E} n {YANKS}*

DOWN
1   China relay race, associate announced (8) CERAMICS {RACE*}{MICS}(~ mix)
2   Arm over minister's girlfriend (8) REVOLVER {REV}{LOVER}<=
3   Well equipped to fight, tethered them to a building (5,2,3,5) ARMED TO THE TEETH*
5   Two rounds to lift stone (4) OPAL {LAP}{O}<=
6   He jokes about losing his seat (7,8) STANDUP COMEDIAN [CD]
7   A rain cloud, not black but threatening (6) ANIMUS {A}{NIMbUS}
8   Americans catch up with writer (6) AUSTEN {A}{US}{NET<=}
11 Cap on the hooter (7) LEGHORN  {LEG}{HORN}

14 Short border — one yard of inclusion is creating friction (7) FRAYING {FR{A}{Y}INGe}
16 Old woman's headscarf (8) BABUSHKA [DD]
17 City in UK — passage featured in business line (8) COVENTRY {CO}{VENT}{RY}
19 A teacher discards book about language (6) ARABIC {A}{RAbBI}{C}
20 Surface energy will blend (6) EMERGE {E}{MERGE}
23 One occupying vacant place by river landing (4) PIER {Pla{1}cE}{R}

GRID