The grid of this puzzle – with its sprawling agglomerations of blocks down the middle – should tell you that something is going on; there are clearly bits of the grid that have become so fixed by some sort of thematic content that they have to be all but sealed off. The fifteensquared people had a bit of fun with this, and I’ll link to the specific blog with the solution.
ACROSS
1 Article for working out configuration of locks (4)
4 Observation on getting power on replacing core part (9)
9 Sailors catching sole and other sea creatures (8)
10 Indication of agreement about copper’s shrewdness (6)
11 Not backing dispute in Kings’ complex design (8)
12 Sparkling river entering bay (6)
13 Caught digging into a source of berries, a flowering shrub (6)
14 Mostly the answer incorporates ‘Tripartite, ultimately’ (5-3)
16 Lived off scraps , several times over (8)
18 Say every university clawed back shortfall (6)
20 Important to shun women – to live to this? (6)
22 Pork dish, cooked etc? Thanks (8)
23 Twist almost entirely affecting the back? (6)
25 Supper attendees subsequently consuming last of dessert in passion (8)
26 Game no longer for majority? (6-3)
27 Flaky skin cold water displaced (and foam) (4)
DOWN
2 Unreliable statement supported by account supplied by one mathematician (9)
3 Company upset about oil it processed from type of limestone (7)
4 Comforting ‘solar’ tycoon after vandalism (11)
5 Perfume includes a non-standard background element (5)
6 Eggs on various athletes taking premier placings (3)
7 Scholarly English, little primitive about it (7)
8 Effectiveness in support? Only half of that (5)
12 Boat’s banner quite unfurled (11)
14 A little subdued having polished off Phi? (3)
15 Long distance? Insubstantial, not entirely long (5,4)
17 Improve hen partying – frolic topless (7)
19 Stage effects genuine upturn in Shakespearean character (7)
21 One’s crazy about positive data (5)
22 I knock up little old courtyard (5)
24 Burning books etc? (3)
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