CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

▶ Across 1. Small, roundish stone lens (6)

4. Keep one short of credit when among imps cavorting (6)

9. The French boy-children go to school for them (7)

10. Mistook a pigeon for another animal being held (5)

11. A promise one will acknowledge (4) 12. Drag a leg like one politician following Labour leader (4)

13. Before it enters register, erase it (3) 15. To be an informer, render it in music (4) 16. Softly played finale will be about to happen (4)

19. Funny line may render one speechless (3) 21. Rating to lay, after a loss, in a skilled manner (4)

22. Times leaders are generally edited scrupulously (4)

24. Being solitary, there's no comeback in drink (5)

25. It wasn't hard for Richard once to mould it round ceiling (7)

26. Pexeso shuffled to reveal images (6) 27. Cuts the plate one brings with one, headless (6) ▶ Down 1. Haul along to café somehow and appear dismal (4,1,4,4)

2. They wear aprons as they move along the diagonals (7)

3. Have the appearance of regard (4) 5. Man at the wheel might affect our price (8)

6. Throwing a nine could prove senseless (5)

7. Press licenses it out as being beyond value (13)

8. Just about up to the atmosphere around the street (5)

14. They may be on a raid, as driven wild (8)

17. Shark will faithfully follow one of Pisces (7)

18. Fire about fifty for being inattentive (5) 20. Some players grow up without women (5)

23. Shakespearean crone was one to favour world revolution (4)