Crossword

ACROSS

1 Knocks out issue's last article, then gets up (9)

8 Beat up the poet (5)

9 This flier has a drink with a Pole (7)

11 Finish off the French name, possibly (6)

12 Heavenly bodies from Naples and Turin, originally (7)

13 Poet has real difficulties (4)

14 Power obtained on His Majesty's leaders (3)

17 Heinous foreign power conceals crime-fighting organisation (1,1,1)

18 Be backward and depraved (4)

21 Lost identity after new interpretation of Islam (7)

23 With which Robert was inspired by pride's potential (6)

24 Poet points to inner inferno with unknown climax (7)

25 One's upset by Stallone's first – they could be out of joint (5)

26 I'd wine and rum, getting drunk with poet (5,4)

DOWN

2 One later revision out East provides a test (5)

3 Defeating, decapitating and devouring (6)

4 It provides light supply under natural sources (3)

5 This poet's not just a window shopper! (7)

6 Dickensian heroine's not on in the seasons (7)

7 Amostly slow-witted, but extremely overjoyed majority (9)

10 Ceremony that's reportedly correct (4)

12 Encouraging one to give a musical rendition after concert (9)

15 Female priest in mass? Not normal (7)

16 The skill lies in handing out penalties to the Home Counties! (7)

19 Remarkably thin Scottish banker (4)

20 Al's confused by Herbert's skiing event (6)

22 Old people involved against the police – nice work if you can get it! (5)

24 Observed the proverb (3)

LAST WEEK'S SOLUTION:

Across 3, Pretoria. 8, Mood. 9, Avant-garde. 10, Stop. 11, Tine. 13, Salvo. 17, Isabel. 18, Prices. 19, Label. 22, Laic. 24, Oche. 25, Anti-racism. 26, Else. 27, Sinister.

Down 1, Monte. 2, Adaptable. 4, Range. 5, Togas. 6, Rural. 7, Ale-house. 12, Nile. 14, As it comes. 15, Williams. 16, Epha. 20, Baton. 21, Larks. 22, Lucre. 23, Chess.