Across
1 Cave deposit, old — work on it inside (10) STALACTITE
6 Cheerful on a trip (4) HIGH
10 Excuse a crack about bishop (7) ABSOLVE
11 Pilot coming from Ottawa, via Toronto (7) AVIATOR
12 Writer, King, with terribly fine whittling tool (8)
13 Perry’s Della in the way? (6)
15 Honour beloved heroine (5,7)
18 Yearns to meet rider dropping off son, a docker (12)
21 Pair left in four-seater car (6)
22 Pop out during present sit-in (8)
24 Sieve, small, lost in coach (7)
25Worker settled in sound city in New Mexico (5,2)
26Uniform happening to be short (4)
27 Prince not returning for a dance (10)
Down
1 Rogue, one providing seafood (6)
2 Nod when ordered to go (6)
3 Tired out, girls went swimming, freestyle (3-2,9)
4 Article on vote cast for act in talent show (3,1,6)
5 A drop in drink, drop of rum? (4)
7 Fearless, I printed anyhow (8)
8 Male must leave retreat to claim birthright (8)
9 Cake covering — top is a spread (8,6)
14 Part of a newspaper’s title? Readers initially voted it changed (10)
16 Formal or unofficial relationship (5,3)
17 Brood at home on Caribbean island, extremely tactile (8)
19 Empty tin inside large container (6)
20 River cut off any number (6)
23 Leading procession miles away (4)