Send your entry by post with your NAME/ADDRESS and TIME TAKEN, and £15 entry fee to: The Times National Crossword Championship, P.O. Box 59229, London NW3 9FT, to be postmarked by Thursday, May 29. The solution will be live on Friday, May 30. Full entry details

ACROSS
1 Temptress called back, holding line (7)
5 What Observer did with journalist, cutting article (7)
9 Game with a hand, perhaps, that could make one get very excited (2,7)
10 Punter initially interested by horse with white patches (5)
11 Temperature (approximately) of part of body (5)
12 Philosophical perspective only astronauts have had (5,4)
14 Expert improving appearance of salon pictures distributed round front of gallery (7,7)
17 Arrangements of golden boxes holding one’s food (14)
21 He precedes one in position — that’s what leads to his loss (9)
23 Piece of land in beauty spot (5)
24 Approving way to address monarch (5)
25 Use “raptor” incorrectly for this flying creature? (9)
26 Genuine behaviour in which one’s typically revealed (7)
27 Put back rich cheese in fabric (7)

DOWN
1 Parts of body in which it is lodged? (6)
2 Be derogatory about artist being free-thinking (7)
3 Seafood gourmet’s first put out, in specific course (9)
4 Fashion trend in what is done with style, possibly (11)
5 That guy’s greetings (3)
6 Armed youth on trial, surrounded by detectives (5)
7 Foolishly insures star’s first appearance (7)
8 Orchestral section of moving air, led by conductor (8)
13 Spiritual teaching on New Testament, Revised Version (11)
15 Painter at home beginning to paint top of house — to make it this? (9)
16 Ridicule repeatedly upset band (4-4)
18 Side of potters’ table that’s placed between two seats (7)
19 Hard cover for The Idiot (7)
20 Highlander throwing some woman in spring (6)
22 One’s boasting, so to speak, of old-fashioned robes (5)
25 Poet’s always under pressure to make amends (3)

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