Across
1
Caliph’s comment about acquired skill (14)
8
Supernatural beings left during day before something’s beginning (5)
9
Playful and caring but not happy (8)
12
Invade enclosure after some cricket (7)
13
Serves tea loudly in break (5)
15
Moving five feet around circle at the start is productive (9)
17
Dependable agent united board (9)
20
Bad place, bad moods (5)
21
Children replacing head of smoked fish with head of narwhal (7)
23
Epitaph and finale containing note came to fruition (7)
25
Smoother youngster initially providing cajolement (8)
26
Koalas strangely left out somewhere in Japan (5)
27
Respite from rabidly preaching beast (9,5)
Down
1
Warning – pie is strangely sublime (3-9)
2
Desire secret right away (5)
3
Throw off scent of cider dispersed in vapour (9)
4
Talk about going into passage for dish (7)
5
Second method of fellow becoming braggart (4-3)
6
Measure of time in lake (5)
7
Mice, say, in revolting study? It doesn’t matter (5,4)
10
Bury referee is at half way point (12)
14
Hated posh polar pun getting revised (9)
16
Returning second bobbins, sewers might replace these (9)
18
Implore leaders of scouting expedition to enter wood (7)
19
Organ left by rear of vestry working before much time passes (5,2)
22
Former lover with skill upset auxiliary (5)
24
Antelope found in colony alarmingly (5)