The Sunday Crossword No 3012, Sunday 09 Sep 2018

ACROSS
1   Destroy resistance, mean, without hesitation (6) RAVAGE {R}{AVerAGE}
4   Bully in cast looking menacing (8) SCOWLING {S{COW}LING}
9   Legend, about pixie and old partner with proposal and answer, easily understood (4-11) SELF-EXPLANATORY {S{ELF}{EX}{PLAN}{A}TORY}
11 Noise with hectic air in airport as a rule (10) ORDINARILY {OR{DIN}{AIR*}LY}
12 Appointment kept by lord at embassy (4) DATE [T]
13 Tone of old photographs, religious in the main? (5) SEPIA {SE{PI}A}
15 Rewarded too highly in past with power and support (8) OVERPAID {OVER}{P}{AID}
18 Strange dream about time required to make sugar (8) DEMERARA {DEM{ERA}RA*}
19 Learner at home with good old jargon (5) LINGO {L}{IN}{G}{O}
21 Diamonds are awfully expensive (4) DEAR {D}{ARE*}
22 Music in stream's electronic, not adventurous (4-6) RISK AVERSE {RI{SKA}VERS}{E}
25 Regiment arranged rig used at sea (9,6) GRENADIER GUARDS*
26 Work, mostly cautious, by saint, hopeful one (8) OPTIMIST {OP}{TIMId}{ST}
27 Sloping island, one covered with powder (6) ITALIC  {I}{TAL{1}C}

DOWN
1   Press one in trouble to give answer (8) RESPONSE*
2   Legal volume with article on cover (5) VALID {V}{A}{LID}
3   Fruit in odd parts of garden with promise (9) GREENGAGE {GaRdEn}{ENGAGE}

5   Thousand, enthralled by broadcast clip, hear rare saxophonist (7,6) CHARLIE PARKER {K} in {CLIP+HEAR +RARE}*
6   Tolerate sport (4) WEAR [DD]
7   Idyll's beginning thus with language about love and loneliness (9) ISOLATION {Id..l}{SO}{LATI{O}N}
8   Grand view around south over river in spring (6) GEYSER {G}{EY{S}E}{R}
10 Private investigation initially links big names (13) PERSONALITIES {PERSONAL}{In...n}{TIES}
14 Stop enclosing area on large common (9) PREVALENT {PREV{A}{L}ENT}
16 Value plot prepared for field event (4,5) POLE VAULT*
17 Is emperor loudly upset over chapter of scientific evidence? (8) FORENSIC {IS}{NERO}{F}<={C}
20 A soldier in trouble for slow movement (6) ADAGIO {AD{A}{GI}O}
23 Pastoral artist restricted by endless regulation (5) RURAL {RU{RA}Le}
24 Conflict with spymaster getting heated (4) WARM {WAR}{M}

GRID