No 2743, Sunday 16 Jun 13

ACROSS
1   Way to pay for course (8) FOOTPATH {FOOT}{PATH}
5   Sickness in China? Use antibiotics (6) NAUSEA [T]
10 Leading elected group of people with a common goal (2,5) IN FRONT {IN} {FRONT}
11 Check on a dazzling display in carriage (7) CHARIOT {CH}{A}{RIOT}
12 Own about fifty in Split? (5) HALVE {HA{L}VE}
13 Who lacquers long hair, brushed back? Bank employee, heading off (9) ENAMELLER {ENAM<=}{tELLER}
14 In a procession classes notice? (8,6) MARCHING ORDERS {MARCHING} {ORDERS}
18 Girl with apple shortly to make dessert (9,5) CHARLOTTE RUSSE {CHARLOTTE} {RUSSEt}

20 Powerful older woman seen in troika, briefly, during parade (9) MATRIARCH {M{A}{TRIo}ARCH}
22 Funny turn after onset of dizziness (5) DROLL {D}{ROLL}
24 A crime such as this may give one little time to think rationally (7) TREASON {T}{REASON}
25 Vase containing ornate icon showing fabulous creature (7) UNICORN {U{ICON*}RN}

26 An ordinary seaman, sailor capsized in front of gondola (6) RATING {RAT<=}{IN}{G}
27 Person supporting that woman through a depression (8) ADHERENT {A}{D{HER}ENT}

 DOWN
1   King entering fray causes a shock (6) FRIGHT {F{R}IGHT}
2   Waste year away from Irish county (5) OFFAL OFFALy
3   Show clan misinterpreted a form of Langue d'oc (9) PROVENCAL {PROVE}{CLAN*}
4   For as long as it takes, he'd better not, if worried about it (2,3,6,3) TO THE BITTER END* {TO THE B{IT}TER END*}
6   Mindful of a conflict over Ecstasy (5)  AWARE {A}{WAR}{E}
7   Tranquil silence, in spite of that on Scottish loch (9)  STILLNESS {STILL}{NESS}
8   Star in East, twinkling, seen by chance (8)  ASTERISK {EAST*}{RISK}
9   Sea dog's steamer (5-9) OCEAN GREYHOUND {OCEAN}{GREYHOUND}
15 Set of rooms beside Thames originally housing soldiers (9) APARTMENT {APART}{MEN}{T}
16 Circular and folder in wastepaper basket (5,4) ROUND FILE {ROUND} {FILE}
17 Sign of wound across one hand cut by this? (8) SCIMITAR {SC{1}{MITt}AR}Cut on  Double duty.
19 Earth flat? Most original of theories (6) PLANET {PLANE}{T}
21 Children's author almost upset dramatist (5) IBSEN {tIBSEN<=}
23 Invigorating air in heart of blowy region (5) OZONE {blOwy}{ZONE}

LINK TO SOLUTION