Independent 6499 by Dac

Solving time: 16 mins

< = reversed   * = anagram

ACROSS

1 Tom SHARPE  “Sharp”

4 B (LACK S) E A   be = live   on the borders = outside

9 RISQUE   hidden

10 IN DOLE NT

16 NEHRU   Alternate letters.    Indian leader

17 D EMIT   time<     Easy wordplay for the unfamiliar word.

21 BACK-SEAT DRIVER    Liked this a lot.

22 POISONER    o (old) for r (first of rights) in prisoner

25 TUN DR A    All reversed.

27 UNCOOL    Very good, but I guess people, like me, needed crossing letters.

DOWN

2 A (IS) LE

3 Nicolas PO (US) SIN    sittin’ = posin’

6 CR (OUT) ON   (Corn)*    Out = square (not fashionable)

12 DISINTER EST(ate)

13 BUTTER BALL

15 SUMM A RISE    “Some”

20 TAR (QUI) N    Qui = who in French

23 SPAS   “Spars” = booms