The Sunday Crossword No 3262, Sunday 09 Jul 2023

ACROSS

1   Mariners with beers for each: they try to move stuff (8) SALESMEN S(-ea+ales)ALESMEN

5   Grotesque, having caught drunken expostulation (6) GOTHIC {GOT}{HIC}

10 Say the thing (7) ARTICLE [DD]

11 Land crumbling into sea (7) ESTONIA*

12 With energy, canter and get hitched on the run (5) ELOPE {E}{LOPE}

13 Second lag (3,6) GET BEHIND [DD]

14 Focus, as this may provide you with drink (11) CONCENTRATE [DD]

18 Scare away Ed Balls, showing aromatic ingredient (7,4) CARAWAY SEED*

21 'All-star' assortment that includes Everyman: sense a problem? (5,1,3) SMELL A RAT {ALL+STAR}* over {ME}

23 Grasses often seen adjacent to violas etc? (5) REEDS [DD]

24 Part of boat for rowing, or, we're told, one found on canal (7) OARLOCK {(~or)OAR}{LOCK}

25 Aggravated, annoyed? It's innocuous (7) ANODYNE*

26 Bar that will prove attractive? (6) MAGNET [CD]

27 Belittled as 'average', puncturing performance (8) DEMEANED {DE{MEAN}ED}

DOWN

1   Being held up, goes over what creates a gap (6) SPACER<=

2   Cleansing substance's left unopened, 'magical concoction' (6) LOTION {L}{pOTION}

3   South American with reputation: bully that you can't criticise (6,3) SACRED COW {SA}{CRED}{COW}

4   Back-up for safety can be key when involved with merger (9,5) EMERGENCY BRAKE {CAN+BE+KEY+MERGER}*

6   Some accoutrements being de trop (5) OUTRE [T]

7   Disadvantage: partial hitch, and I capitulate (8) HANDICAP [T]

8   Crime novelist who may provide illumination? (8) CHANDLER [DD]

9   'Allow the flesh to congeal'? Notoriously callous pronouncement (3,4,3,4) LET THEM EAT CAKE {LET}{THE}{MEAT}{CAKE}

15 Patriotic icon loudly started to consume a wine served chilled (5,4) TUDOR ROSE {(~chewed a)TUDOR}{ROSE}

16 Primarily inclement, chilly – even Siberian – tempest, often restricting mobility? (3,5) ICE STORM Acrostic Semi&lit

17 Forest creature and ferret go wild (4,4) TREE FROG*

19 East African knowledge certainly not heading north (6) KENYAN {KEN}{NAY<=}

20 Rise like condor to begin with, then halt (6) ASCEND {AS}{Co...r}{END}

22 Shapeless, abandoned (5) LOOSE [DD]

Reference List

Each = E, Energy = E, Left = L, South = S, American = A, Reputation = CRED