No 2770, Sunday 22 Dec 2013

ACROSS
1   Superb parrot and chimpanzee, for example (5,3) GREAT APE {GREAT} {APE}
5   US soldiers holding turncoat without charge (6) GRATIS {G{RAT}IS}
9   Phone about small error in notice (9) DISMISSAL {DI{S}{MISS}AL}
11 Tot before a play (5) DRAMA {DRAM}{A}
12 Oarsmen scoffed, by the sound of it (5) EIGHT (~ate)
13 Briefly run across street musicians (9) ORGANISTS {ORGANI{ST}Se}
14 Unhappy keeping scholarly woman (12) BLUESTOCKING {BLUE}{STOCKING}
18 Joining friendly US transportation company (5,7) UNION PACIFIC {UNION} {PACIFIC}
21 Promising illumination after power comes on (9) PLIGHTING {P}{LIGHTING}
23 Merle Haggard in ----- Gantry? (5) ELMER {MERLE}*
24 Rebuke daughter deserved (5) RATED {RATE}{D}
25 Sculpted near Loire, previously (7,2) EARLER ON*
26 Popular Bellini opera opening in London (6) NORMAL {NORMA}{L}
27 Sloth, perhaps, attendee suffered (8) EDENTATE*

DOWN
1   Ingenious device, specially tagged (6) GADGET*
2   Flag officer in the US navy (6) ENSIGN [DD]
3   Sporting event at Hilton arranged to include foremost of runners (9) TRIATHLON {AT+HILTON+R}*
4   Following surgery, worker goes after job (4-9) POST-OPERATIVE {POST}-{OPERATIVE}
6   Element causing trouble in the Navy (5) RADON {R{ADO}N}
7   Send on first of mail put into carriage (8) TRANSMIT {TRANS{M}IT}
8   Gesture involving sailors in house (4,4) STAR SIGN {S{TAR S}IGN}
10 Blonde felt inclined to steal (5-8) LIGHT-FINGERED {LIGHT}-{FINGERED}
15 Standard chapter on interior design (9) CRITERION {C}{INTERIOR*}
16 Work out drive required with club (4,4) PUMP IRON {PUMP} {IRON}
17 Clergyman, one entering cathedral (8) MINISTER {MIN{1}STER}
19 Cheers after Rome's broken conspiracy of silence (6) OMERTA {ROME*}{TA}
20 Rim of bell cast in iron (6) FRINGE {F{RING}E}
22 Monster in lengthy 11 (5) HYDRA [T] (From lengtHY DRAma DERAMA comes from 11A)