Across
1 Excellent English poet capturing hearts (8)
5 Order to strike – caught leaving at top speed (3,3)
10 Left river, in past, slowly (5)
11 Pleased, having stumped one former PM (9)
12 Bird article written in pencil, unwisely (7)
13 See crushed ice does (7)
14 Book different course, following Heath, perhaps (8,6)
18 Mixed up metal dealer with war poet (6,2,2,4)
20 Theatre role about Kit Carson, for example (7)
23 Shakespearean actor, one in musical (7)
24 Mean male, an intermediary (9)
25 Old-fashioned old man penning note (5)
26 Fish seen round mouth of river? It’s a wonder (6)
27 See it run off, hungry (8)
Down
1 Check across a border for a religious leader (6)
2 Sadly I fall, poor hoax victim (5,4)
3 Exile for writer (9)
4 Imagine records involved the Mafia? (9,5)
6 Catch girl with nothing on (5)
7 Ring precinct for gas (5)
8 Temperate? Not half, before daughter wavered (8)
9 Main directions given by all the bridge players? (8,6)
15 Jogger grabbing a rest (9)
16 Struggle in Queer Street? This may give you some protection (9)
17 Pair watch for unfaithful type (3-5)
19 Extremely clever to reword trust (6)
21 Run to avoid large snake (5)
22 Guide the Italian aboard vessel (5)
