Independent 1390

ACROSS

1/5 Is his creativity flagging? (8,6)

9 See, in alcoholic brew, mature – this? (8)

10 Motivator needing to be revived, having dropped dead (6)

11 Rudimentary island pipe has only end of scale (8)

12 Notice former politicians’ impromptu remarks (2-4)

14 Seabird arrives in a variety of weathers (10)

18 Unable to fulfil requisition, being broken-down (3,2,5)

22 Northerner backs in alarm (6)

23 Those against work problems? (8)

24 A group of police in charge, having a sharp effect (6)

25 British city to suffer, knocking back tropical fruit plant (8)

26/27 Praised elegy themes hid in confused form (6,8)

DOWN

1/15 The Way of All Flesh? (6,8)

2 Almost half of Vivaldi’s excellent lively piece (6)

3 Characters going in summer to New College, Oxford (6)

4 You’ll see this thing, crumpled, around middle of bedroom (5-5)

6 Band in pit, say, get ready to end performance (4,4)

7 One twice appears in fashionable gallery and institute (8)

8/21 Fictional place – are endless sands its lure? Possibly (8)

13 Small roles some act badly – that’s about the norm (5,5)

15 See 1 down

16 Holding supply of footwear (8)

17 Bureaucrat’s away – one of people should be overthrown (8)

19 2001, among leading features in cinema offers entertainment that’s revolutionary (6)

20 Chaos to strike under flower-garden (6)

21 See 8 down