The Sunday Crossword No 2992, Sunday 22 Apr 2018

ACROSS
1   Walk behind vehicle with a protective covering (8) CARAPACE {CAR}{A}{PACE}
5   Not wild about hotel beside small river (6) THAMES {T{H}AME}{S}
9   Approach disrupted by endless mass of cloud (7) NEBULAR {NE{BULk}AR}
10 Nervous about channel with piercing sound (7) SHRILLY {SH{RILL}Y}
11 Mean firm (5) TIGHT [DD]
13 Former Welsh rite translated (9) ERSTWHILE*
14 Average bar in combination with a lounge initially (13) UNEXCEPTIONAL {UN{EXCEPT}ION}{A}{Lo...e}
16 Vicious ruler stopping breakaway faction (8,5) SPLINTER GROUP*
20 Reissue revolutionary book and increase in zest (9) REPUBLISH {B}{UP}<= in {RELISH}
21 Rope in rascal as soldier (5) LASSO [T]
22 Cutting out loud partnership (7) PAIRING (~paring)
23 Pawn apt to be easily influenced (7) PLIABLE {P}{LIABLE}
25 Hate extreme features of dire experiment (6) DETEST {DirE}{TEST}
26 Glaring, draw attention to storm (8) FLAGRANT {FLAG}{RANT}

DOWN
1   Understand tricks? Correct (8) CONSTRUE {CONS}{TRUE}
2   Wipe food, not good (3) RUB gRUB
3   Discreet love illuminated in film (7) POLITIC {P{O}{LIT}IC}
4   Like keeping in touch with letters (13) CORRESPONDING [DD]
6   Solid week working? Not easily achieved (4-3) HARD-WON {HARD}-{W}{ON}
7   Smile of Lulu awfully sweet (11) MELLIFLUOUS*
8   Pen was first labelled (6) STYLED {STY}{LED}
10 See great work on ceiling here: it's nice, complicated in form, and large (7,6) SISTINE CHAPEL {S{ITS+NICE}*HAPE}{L}

12 Brilliant, enthralling mimics coming up with trendy make-up (11) GREASEPAINT {GREA{APES<=}{IN}T}
15 Work with part containing single name for rival (8) OPPONENT {OP}{P{ONE}{N}T}
17 Bible so involved in campaigns (7) LOBBIES*
18 Bad upset in band causing annoyance (7) GALLING {GA{ILL<=}NG}
19 Stand with climbing party after stumble (6) TRIPOD {TRIP}{DO<=}
24 Answer twice following black sheep's cry (3) BAA {B}{A}{A}

GRID