Cryptic Crossword - The Scotsman 13/02/13

Across

1 Precious tip about it being very steep (11)

9 He deserts the poor retreating soldiers (5)

10 Older eccentric having an affair at fabulous place (8)

12 Coats last longer (7)

13 Greek circle (7)

14 One’s troubled about ring in halter (5)

15 No way of working drawing mathematical chart (9)

18 Begin to do something, remove ladder (4,5)

20 Meals served up at old Hebrew capital (5)

21 Old-fashioned cunning by US agency on the way back (7)

24 New rector entertains fellow small farmer (7)

25 Men of letters almost able to read and write, I concluded! (8)

26 and 27 Handy storage area in car? (5,11)

DOWN

2 Again Pete, tyro, inside gorged (7)

3 Removal of obstructions during this sale (9)

4 Spaniard stopped role-playing inside (5)

5 Going into sideroad (7)

6 and 7 How railway engine progressed without help from others (5,3,3,5)

8 Nothing in tub, nothing all right or catching vessel (8)

11 For sale outside perhaps (2,3,6)

16 Pleasure obtained while suffering pain, maims with cosh disastrously (9)

17 Singularly ceremonial washing (8)

19 Have a drink with some fish inside during reorganisation (5-2)

20 Might it be fired on day of forced union? (7)

22 In Minorca, I roamed in the capital! (5)

23 I fish around for somewhere to sit (5)