The Sunday Crossword No 3239, Sunday 29 Jan 2023

ACROSS

1   Means of contact represented in ladies' dreams (5,7) EMAIL ADDRESS*

9   Goes quickly: beers found here (7) BARRELS [DD]

10 In France, is one almost beginning to investigate a country? (7) ESTONIA {EST}{ONe}{In...e}{A}

11 Everyman's beginning to get kiss, first to occur (5) EXIST {Ev...n}{X}{1ST}

12 A key assistant in S. Australian city (8) ADELAIDE {A}{DEL}{AIDE}

14 Legendary Celt in groundbreaking art: hurrah! (4,6) KING ARTHUR [T]

15 Playful bow (4) ARCH [DD]

17 We're told that man'll get better (4) HEAL (~ he'll)

19 A Catholic demanding act of praise (10) ACCLAIMING {A}{C}{CLAIMING}

21 Where to buy goose and gander (8) BUTCHERS [DD]

23 Old photo more likely to exude its fluid, you say? (5) SEPIA (~seepier)

25 At least one northern zone redeveloped – right, duck? (3-4) NON-ZERO {N+ZONE}*{R}{0}

26 Where cuts are – and are not – performed? (7) THEATRE [C&DD]

27 In the States, a wrong number (12) ANAESTHETIST*

DOWN

2   Bird seen around Australia, very remote creature (7) MARTIAN {MARTI{A}N}

3   Granite's disintegrating; it's not chemically reactive (5,3) INERT GAS*

4   And some primordial soup (4) ALSO [T]

5   Incredibly appallingly (10) DREADFULLY [DD]

6   Old flame to get to 50 and celebrate (5) EXTOL {EX}{TO}{L}

7   Increasingly fine and restrain Greek characters from the South (7) SUNNIER {REIN}{NUS}<=

8   Model's partner gathered nuts to do what's necessary (4,3,5) MAKE THE GRADE {MAKE}{GATHERED*}

9   Cause insupportable costs, as flooded river may? (5,3,4) BREAK THE BANK [DD]

13 Food's kept here; cook storms out (10) STOCKROOMS*

16 Most squiffy? Advice: short nap (8) TIPSIEST {TIP}{SIESTa}

18 Insect queen held up appendage (7) ANTENNA {ANT}{ANNE<=}

20 Drive? Sadly, time's up (7) IMPETUS*

22 Hysterically yelling, extremely noisy animal, primarily! (5) HYENA Acrostic Semi&lit

24 Upset, hot and cold, tense: I feel irritation (4) ITCH {H+C+T+I}<=

Reference List

Is in French = EST, Kiss = X, Catholic = C, Northern = N, Right = R, Australia = A, 50 = L, Hot = H, Cold = C, Tense =T