1. Bandit's other partner appears to possess a lack of viciousness (7,2,6)
8. On this day, ill-regarded emperors lose their hearts (4)
9. An express tariff on carpet fasteners? (5)
10. Allow the prince to be deadly (6)
11. I fuss about these Muslim mystics (5)
12. Smallest state within view of the great bird's perch (5)
13. Michelangelo's childhood gamepiece? (6)
15. Although awake for the conclusion, the little journalist nevertheless had lost his place (7)
17. Gives criminals' counsel (5,2)
19. Decrypt a former Scottish philosopher (6)
20. The fetid espadrille floated amid the currents (5)
22. The Chinese love one in southeast Asia (5)
23. Division affected the quiet among the backward mutes (6)
25. Could Deseret provide an alternative king of England (5)
26. Be against tuba playing (4)
27. Did the captain engage in a contemplative exercise while doing his job? (5, 10)

1. In Elizabethan times they would have aided the eggheaded one (3,3,6,3)
2. Golfer's food processor (6)
3. The river sounded pleasant (6)
4. Expelling the leaderless French, we too can go without nothing (7)
5. A cat's cry emerged from the west, piercing the diseased elm (4)
6. After some intellectuals departed, the German returned and provided instruction (8)
7. Prime place to idolize post offices in a magazine issue (7,8)
13. Waterway of love found within table protector (4)
14. Links master strikes last of the magnificent ones (4)
16. Frankish realm was born in a leaderless former duchy (8)
18. Medieval tribesmen found earliest Hebrew alphabetic limits within a former Armenian city (7)
20. Digit's predecessor makes an entertaining candy? (3-3)
21. Perplexed denial of an Alaskan scenic spot (6)
24. Sudanese land upwind of trail amusements (4)