No 12168, Tuesday 21 Nov 2017, Gridman

ACROSS
1   Wimp gets the most out of old political leader (7) MILKSOP {MILKS}{O}{Po...l}
5   Wives perhaps hold evening prayer (6) VESPER [T]
9   At first, kisans rake and accumulate leaves from South African pen (5) KRAAL Acrostic

10 Crazy to signal a desire for the good old times (9) NOSTALGIA*
11 Caesar's friend married? No, it's the opposite (7) ANTONYM {ANTONY}{M}
12 Almost state Raja's out of brisk movement (7) ALLEGRO {ALLEGe}{R}{O}
13 Child's dispute (5) ISSUE [DD]
14 One who doesn't sit hard on a mount (4,5) EASY RIDER [CD]
16 Huge third outing of a supari, perhaps (5,4) HIRED THUG*
19 A small, small photograph of cold mould (5) ASPIC {A}{S}{PIC}
21 Work big problem for marsupial (7) OPOSSUM {OP}{OS}{SUM}

23 Walker briefly besieged by Spanish bull is wreck (7) TORPEDO {TOR{PED}O}
24 A latrine i remodelled, among other things (5,4) INTER ALIA*
25 A party with primarily inadmissible legal defence (5) ALIBI {A}{LIB}{In...e}
26 Initially cut, largely obscure diamond-shaped pattern (6) ARGYLE lARGELY*

27 Wet blanket over his torn kitchen cloth (7) DISHRAG {D{HIS*}RAG}

DOWN
1   Enjoy fully — without going to the bed at all (4,1,5,2,2) MAKE A NIGHT OF IT [CD]
2   No slate used in temporary sheds (4-3) LEAN-TOS*
3   Still quiet (7) SILENCE [DD]
4   No men check into two factors of Cambodian capital (5,4) PHNOM PENH {PH}{NOM}{P{EN}H} As per word play it is {NO MEN} in  {PH} {PH} but it doesn't seem to work that way
5   Activist alarmed by partial view (5) VISTA [T]
6   Office gadget that is more essential? (7) STAPLER [DD]
7   Kept busy by one who is altar-bound? (7) ENGAGED [DD]
8   When you have to render up accounts... (3,2,9) DAY OF RECKONING [CD]
15 What a storm-tossed ship captain wants to do — light up in type of castle (5,4) SIGHT LAND {LIGHT}* in {SAND}
17 Jumper's rest disturbed by bird (7) ROOSTER {ROO}{REST*}
18 Ruin of the French at ancient city (7) DESTROY {DES}{TROY}
19 Fanny nearly gets to show up overdue items (7) ARREARS {AR{REAR}Se}
20 Top raja in empire jostled (7) PREMIER {P{R}EMIER*}
22 All but gents take slippery partner up in scuffle (5) MELEE {MEn}{EEL<=}

GRID