The Hindu Crossword 8247 Solutions - by Vinod & Rajagopal

Across
1 False friend, literally speaking (4,3) FAUX AMI (Direct)
5 Senior, in short, leaves Punjab city with nectar (6) AMRITA (Senior, in short=SR, Punjab city=AMRITSAR=>Senior, in short, leaves Punjab city = AMRITSAR-SR)
9 Boorish company? (5) YAHOO (Double Defn.)
10 Tailor? One to annoy a valet, apparently (9) NEEDLEMAN (to annoy=NEEDLE, valet=MAN => NEEDLE+MAN)
11 Mantra, among a number, to orient a candidate (7) NOMINEE (Mantra=OM, number=NINE, orient=E=>Mantra, among a number, to orient = N(OM)INE+E)
12 Involve a doctor in Loire refurbishment (7) EMBROIL (doctor=MB, Loire=LOIRE=>
13 Good, in France the Americans provide something free (5) BONUS (Good, in France=BON(the French word for 'Good'), Americans=US => BON+US)
14 Complaint from a sly Parsi (9) PARALYSIS (ana. A+SLY+PARSI => &Lit clue -- Complaint is the ana. ind. as well as the direct meaning)
16 Cashier to pour forth (9) DISCHARGE (Double Defn.)
19 A deserted place of refreshment? (5) OASIS (Cryptic defn.)
21 Clothing size Lord Ted altered (7) TODDLER (Lord Ted altered = ana. LORD+TED)
23 O, certainly talk about the substance that stimulates the sense of smell (7) ODORANT (O=O, certainly=DO, talk about=RANT => O+DO+RANT)
24 A number of spectators circle the jewel (5,4) A_A_E RING
25 "... is no Frigate like a Book" (Emily Dickinson) (5) THERE (Direct)
26 Edicts laid down in taluka sessions (6) UKASES (Container => talUKA SESsions)
27 Exactly! The Spanish head of state releases coins (7) NICKLES (Exactly=NICK, The Spanish=EL, head of state=S => NICK+EL+S)

Down
1 Banged tidy self into VTOL precursor (6,8) FLYING BEDSTEAD (ana. BANGED+TIDY+SELF => is 'into' ana angram indicator??)
2 It is becoming for a beast to be so (7) UNHUMAN (Direct)
3 Plentiful, the sailor doesn't begin an oath (7) ABOUNDS (sailor=AB, an outh=ZOUNDS=>
4 Hotelman dishes out keener nip (9) INNKEEPER (ana. KEENER+NIP)
5 Give extreme unction to some Indian elements (5) ANELE (Container => IndiAN ELEments)
6 Dance around a science room to attach a tag again (7) RELABEL (Dance=REEL, science room=LAB=>Dance around a science room = RE(LAB)EL)
7 Boy upon boy goes to the South to fetch drums (7) TOMTOMS (Boy=TOM, boy=TOM, South=S => TOM+TOM+S)
8 Tess, his gentler handling gets the dogs (7,7) ENGLISH SETTERS (ana. TESS+HIS+GENTER)
15 Edgar and Nero together fix the musical instrument (4-5) REED ORGAN (ana. EDGAR+NERO)
17 Bengali is up to dismiss the inept soldier (3,4) SAD SACK (Bengali=DAS=>Bengali is up=SAD, dismiss=SACK)
18 That woman's embracing a record with the English assistants (7) HELPERS (That woman's=HERS, a record=LP, English=E=>That woman's embracing a record with the English = HE(LP+E)RS)
19 O fellow, the complaint pertains to the teeth (7) ODONTIC (O=O, fellow=DON, complaint=TIC => O+DON+TIC)
20 Kind of figure is the young boy in incident (7) SCALENE (young boy=AL, incident=SCENE=>young boy in incident = SC(AL)ENE)
22 Indian money about to help attacks (5) RAIDS (Indian money=RS, to help=AID=>Indian money about to help = R(AID)S)