The Sunday Crossword No 2976, Sunday 31 Dec 2017

ACROSS
1   Agree with piece about unfinished theory (8) COINCIDE {COIN}{C}{IDEa}
5   Conflict followed by retreat of revolutionary guard (6) WARDER {WAR}{RED<=}
9   Records? Seek album by Carole King (8) TAPESTRY {TAPES}{TRY}

10 Hurried south-east in country (6) CHASED {CHA{SE}D}
12 Recipient in middle of appeal securing positive vote (5) PAYEE {apP{AYE}Eal}
13 Angle in market economy ultimately without regard for others (9) SELFISHLY {SEL{FISH}L}{e...nY}
14 Perfume advert, we learn, all over the place (8,5) LAVENDER WATER*
17 Check evidence for restoration (13) REINSTATEMENT {REIN}{STATEMENT}
21 Relaxed criminal needs to admit deficiency (9) SLACKENED {S{LACK}ENED*}
22 Drone having half of that drink (5) THRUM {THat}{RUM}
24 Extract from novel I cite (6) ELICIT [T]
25 Barrier protecting most of noble Italian city (8) FLORENCE {F{LORd}ENCE}
26 Security in place beside border (6) PLEDGE {PL}{EDGE}
27 One couple in trouble missing old luxury (8) OPULENCE {ONE+CoUPLE}*

DOWN
1   Launch religious group, receiving a knock (8) CATAPULT {C{A}{TAP}ULT}
2   Just ignoring small hint (5) IMPLY sIMPLY
3   In command up ahead of rear in tank (7) CISTERN {IC<=}{STERN}
4   Novelist in party, not so much in revolt (5,7) DORIS LESSING {DO}{RIS{LESS}ING}
6   Article in middle part lacking weight for non-believer (7) ATHEIST {wA{THE}IST}
7   Free performance (9) DISCHARGE [DD]
8   Unwanted effect in photo from overnight flight (3-3) RED-EYE [DD]
11 Sign of impatience from audience had clowns blundering on stage (4,8) SLOW HANDCLAP {HAD+CLOWNS}*{LAP}
15 Revision of a list, ever flexible (9) VERSATILE*
16 Charge in printed English (8) STAMPEDE {STAMPED}{E}
18 Popular monarch harbouring large suspicion (7) INKLING {IN}{K{L}ING}
19 Delight in umpteenth rally (7) ENTHRAL [T]
20 Numb when on strip going north (6) ASLEEP {AS}{PEEL<=}
23 Fight knight amid devastation (3-2) RUN-IN {RU{N}IN}

GRID