The Sunday Crossword No 3196, Sunday 03 Apr 2022

ACROSS

1   International transport system, part of experiment? (4,4) TEST TUBE {TEST}{TUBE}

5   Run into trees, break into laughter (6) CORPSE {CO{R}PSE}

10 At the outset, handcuffed; occasionally underwater, daredevil in Niagara ill-advisedly? (7) HOUDINI Acrostic &lit

11 Virtuous, perhaps, Merkel endlessly in charge (7) ANGELIC {ANGELa}{IC}

12 Sample of Engelbert Humperdinck provides hit (5) THUMP [T]

13 Dye can dry badly, leading to fuss (3,3,3) HUE AND CRY {HUE}{CAN+DRY}*

14 Disney character, 2-D entity, model for Pluto? (5,6) DWARF PLANET {DWARF}{PLANE}{T}

18 Paid up, spread out all round, got wasted (11) DILAPIDATED {DILA{PAID*}TED}

21 Nudist regularly seen in the French promontory in painting (9) LANDSCAPE {LA}{NuDiSt}{CAPE}

23 Get stuck in, Barney (3-2) SET-TO [DD]

24 Afternoon with Everyman during journey, losing energy: it's hard work (7) TRAVAIL {A}{I} in {TRAVeL}

25 Costumier for Tom Cruise? (7) ANAGRAM Defintion by example

26 Distant socialist with no yen for revolution (6) YONDER {RED}{NO}{Y}<=

27 After messy kiss, run to find snowy incline (3,5) SKI SLOPE {KISS*}{LOPE}

DOWN

1   Italian signori finally seen with cap doffed somewhere in Polynesia (6) TAHITI {IT}{s...rI}<=>{HAT<=}

2   Confine is quiet! (4,2) SHUT UP [DD]

3   Tense and tattered, stumbled (7,2) TRIPPED UP {T}{RIPPED UP}

4   Barren daylight breaking at crack of dawn (6,3,5) BRIGHT AND EARLY*

6   Perhaps bladder is a music-maker? (5) ORGAN [DD]

7   Using part of scalpel, I can shave waterfowl (8) PELICANS [T]

8   Pathetic counterspy, omitting two consecutive vowels, creates coded message (8) ENCRYPTS CouNTERSPY*

9   Take thermal pants away inside, revealing behind (4,3,3,4) LATE OFF THE MARK {TAKE+THERMAL}* over {OFF}

15 Spooner's put Scandinavian on board for help with navigation (9) LODESTARS (~stowed lars to lodestars)

16 Adroitly handled hero-worship (8) IDOLATRY*

17 'Banana's member of vegetable kingdom': artificial intelligence note (8) PLANTAIN {PLANT}{AI}{N}

19 Noise-maker, a little arriviste, reoffended (6) STEREO [T]

20 Speed of light covering no distance: that is revolutionary (6) COMMIE {C}{0 MM}{IE}

22 Tool's fixed, we're told (5) SPADE (~spayed)

Reference List

Run = R, In charge = IC, Model = T, The in French = LA, Afternoon = A, Energy = E, Yen = Y, Italian = IT, Tense = T, Note = N, Speed of Light = C