by Jane Fitzpatrick AE
ACROSS
1 Awkwardly divulge onscreen excesses … (15)
9 … and burst forth with true version, admitting final screw-up (5)
10 Private members contrive a giant lie (9)
11 Quiet remarks made as welcoming team (6)
12 Teasing ruptured rare lily (8)
14 Turned page moodily, revealing final letter from Greece (5)
15 See 4 down
18 Actress heard to flare up fiercely then drink (9)
20 Stun with extraordinary rates (5)
22 If all aim astray, it’s in the genes (8)
24 Maze runner following route gains a level (6)
26 Managed party by heartless misuse, when arbitrarily select members (9)
27 Gutsy Cuban regularly ignored leading liberal, as you’d expect (5)
28 Now showing a profit, but kill once more to be fickle (2,5,3,5)
*variant spelling
DOWN
1 Exorcist’s subject surrounded by love and a fragrant herb (7)
2 Hard to pin down when, during the previous day, libretto first joined with endless music (7)
3 Where things are likely to come out, he has twin switched (2,3,4)
4D, 15A Constantly chases fat bakers about: it’s a total mess! (4,9)
5 Features battered enamel tins (10)
6 Praise former heads of the occupying legions (5)
7 Typical derailment displays a kind of crater (7)
8 Creepy spy edges around car (5)
13 Wild bear has share of unexpected behaviour (10)
16 Central rock domes with wild sunset shows (4, 5)
17 Sailor and saint in watertight cover (9)
19 Maintain a more ascendant, content nation (7)
21 Fight and flay Mulan with blade (7)
22 Crime drama has long run (5)
23 Used to clean a fool from the bottom up* (5)
25 Offshore efforts to reveal coral (4)
ANSWER
ACROSS
1 OVERINDULGENCES | 9 ERUPT | 10 GENITALIA | 11 ASIDES | 12 RAILLERY | 14 OMEGA | 15 see 4 down | 18 BERNHARDT | 20 TASER | 22 FAMILIAL | 24 STRATA | 26 RANDOMISE | 27 USUAL | 28 ON AGAIN OFF AGAIN
DOWN
1 OREGANO | 2 ELUSIVE | 3 IN THE WASH | 4D, 15A DOG’S BREAKFAST | 5 LINEAMENTS | 6 EXTOL | 7 CALDERA | 8 SCARY | 13 ABERRATION | 16 KATA TJUTA | 17 TARPAULIN | 19 ROMANIA | 21 SPATULA | 22 FARGO | 23 LOOFA | 25 REEF