The Hindu Crossword 8339 Solutions

Across
1 Reverse the opinion and support friend about journalist (4-5) BACK PEDAL (support=BACK, friend=PAL, journalist=>friend about journalist=P(ED)AL)
5 In Florida demand a liqueur container (5) FLASK (Florida=FL, demand=ASK)
8 Shed weight to relieve the mind (8) UNBURDEN (Dbl Def)
9 Author who could take a bow? (6) WRITER ??
11 Drum with good French animation (5) BONGO (good French=BON, French animation=GO)
12 How to capture a man on board in passing (2,7) EN PASSANT ??
13 Write music? Not a note (6) NOTATE (not=NOT, a=A, note=TE)
14 Seaside resort in the U.K. said to make one more cheerful (8) BRIGHTON (sounds like BRIGHTEN, meaning 'make cheerful')
16 Remarks made by officer and soldiers way back (8) COMMENTS (officer=COM, soldiers=MEN, way=ST=>way back=TS)
18 Good man with irritation gets spasmodic pain (6) STITCH (Good man=ST, irritation=ITCH)
22 A GI snoops around with deadly weapon (6,3) POISON GAS (A GI snoops around = ana. A+GI+SNOOPS)
23 Daughter's concealed skill in game (5) DARTS (Daughter's=DS, skill=ART=>Daughter's concealed skill = D(ART)S)
24 Identifying badge of Oliver, yellow in part (6) LIVERY (Container => oLIVER Yellow)
25 A dishonourable approach, the limit in tennis (8) BASELINE (dishonourable=BASE, approach=LINE)
26 Under stress, bridge partners break golfer's support (5) TENSE (bridge partners=NS, golfer's support=TEE=>bridge partners break golfer's support = TE(NS)E)
27 Lubricant, good French one in its applicator (6-3) GREASE-GUN (Lubricant=GREASE, good=G, French one=UN)

Down
1 Drink responsible for our smell in the borders of Benin (7) BOURBON (our=OUR, smell=BO(Body Odour), borders of BeninN=>our smell in the borders of Benin = B(OUR+BO)N)
2 Ministers as a whole are different, I can bet (7) CABINET (different, I can bet = ana. I+CAN+BET)
3 What is standard on the links needs a pure sort of reach to be developed (3,3,3,6) PAR FOR THE COURSE (pure sort of reach to be developed = ana. PURE+SORT+OF+APPROACH)
4 Such universities could be so considered (6) DEEMED (Double Def)
5 Being prepared for the future, do fighters sense trouble ... (15) FORESIGHTEDNESS (do fighters sense trouble = ana. DO+FIGHTERS+SENSE)
6 ... in opposition to armed conflict in that confusion? (7) ATHWART (armed conflict=WAR, that confusion=ana. THAT=ATHT=>armed conflict in that confusion = ATH(WAR)T)
7 Protein shown in a beaker at international expo (7) KERATIN (container => beaKER AT INternational)
10 Thin thing on a boat, eastern (5) SPARE (thing on boat=SPAR, eastern=E)
15 Way to mature theatre (5) STAGE (Way=ST, to mature=AGE)
16 One flier assisting another (7) COPILOT (Direct)
17 It carries the post on the forefront (7) MAILVAN (Direct)
19 Giving a new direction to using the lathe (7) TURNING (Dbl Def)
20 Could she be an out-of-date thing? (3-4) HAS BEEN (Could she be an = ana. SHE+BE+AN)
21 What the heir may get, say, after end of case (6) ESTATE (say=STATE, end of casE=E=>say, after end of case = E+STATE)