Cryptic Crossword - The Scotsman 24/06/13

Across

1 Finishes up with tapers (5,2,2,3)

8 To be true, one’s expected to start to cash in (7)

9 Catch rats in elaborate pen (7)

11 Send out some of them, it appears

(4)

12 Gambler intended to follow on, without a sign of improvement (10)

14 Polish up a long piece of fragrant wood (6)

15 Primary pupil associates with high priests (8)

17 Go round dock with a light sail (8)

19 Has time out before man gets a disease (6)

22 Do hosts have a new name for custodians? (10)

23 Left-winger had to get right-back (4)

25 Record one at the time with expression (7)

26 Carry a hollow curio into a gallery (7)

27 Hold onto the sandwich, we hear, to avoid contention (4,3,5)

DOWN

1 Girl fails to finish before one working loud and clear (7)

2 Did a servant girl need a man to help her? (4)

3 New weeds growing all over, in a state (6)

4 Did top orchestra veer into rut, playing prelude? (8)

5 It’s normal, at first, to become a botanist, for example (10)

6 Most mean to get within very close range (7)

7 Drives me off with care to a defence force (5,7)

10 Posed with one’s party with some pride (12)

13 Did a man-of-war have to fight against small current? (10)

16 Have to send off a little girl’s decoration (8)

18 Need some Indian bread to eat small mammal (7)

20 Victor, in the end, got a leading lady (7)

21 Appear to produce, when well-informed (4,2)

24 About to get into a prime agricultural region (4)