May 2021 Puzzles

Across

• 1 Sport to be had in changing end of game (4)
• 3 Communist embraces reactionary countrymen (8)
• 9 Corporal punishment for a sitcom? (7)
• 10 Instruments tell stories to the audience (5)
• 11 Down Under, taking ecstasy gas (5)
• 12 South Pole in the dark when the North Pole is this? (6)
• 14 Prejudice is detected in game play (6)
• 16 Essential to slip on choir cloak (6)
• 19 Sandwich tray in Italy (6)
• 21 Jelly has pickle in the middle (5)
• 24 Animal is fine when placed with a Greek character (5)
• 25 Adults following with many a bondsman? (7)
• 26 That's tough, being captured by dangerous extremists, but they won't give up (8)
• 27 Some Hogmanay celebrators came back blue (4)

Down

• 1 Idyllic beyond speaking (8)
• 2 Dance nowhere (5)
• 4 Swathe in French wrapping (6)
• 5 Fibre intake of zany loner (5)
• 6 Transport policeman, a conservative at heart (7)
• 7 Commandos joining house band (4)
• 8 Accentuate weight anxiety or hassle (6)
• 13 Footwear made of, say, coffee and chocolate? Wickedness! (8)
• 15 Oriental guy munched on stem (7)
• 17 Oscar celebration mentioned in speech (6)
• 18 Watched sheep featuring in short film (6)
• 20 Island is bringing in zealous administrative leaders (5)
• 22 Devotion comes from compassion without the first little bit of envy (5)
• 23 Unapproachable virus? (4)