By Mark Taylor
Across
1 Not right, desiring bard over novel, but it’s not the whole story (8,7)
9 Amperage jolted leeching energy to storm (7)
10 Spoil 1 down: clue better endings for Boatman (7)
11 Softly at home and secure (3)
12 Band set as 10 punishing beats to the feet (11)
13 Brief, sweet liaison, favor a life’s folly (4,6)
15 Announce that I will arrive at Tasmania, say (4)
18 Done for, US stinker doesn’t get Kamala at first (4)
20 See? I’m cast a sour puss (7,3)
23 Petty boss to engage in detailed supervision? (11)
25 Coral for one deep (3)
26 Computer peripherals made by the French in Vietnamese capital (7)
27 Girls scouting movement showing the way (7)
28 Angry when manure piled on what was a fruitful exchange (15)
Down
1 Cairo’s police half-baked at this ancient site (9)
2 ‘Memory, a winter month’ an old Russian line (7)
3 Passe hit’s worn out (4-4)
4 Equal chance prime opener slips to last (5)
5 Hopes for those late turning up after 5 am with theory that Stoker’s work is real (9)
6 Go over text about concerning promo (6)
7 Rock group I front headlines gigs, new events over America (7)
8 Smart but bumbling, these folk regularly need redos (5)
14 Dish of flathead roe entrees, followed by crushed sea ices (9)
16 Parted ways with eccentric, in the end cleaned out (9)
17 Spice ale drunk was particularly noteworthy (8)
19 Party without tins? Not possible! (2,3,2)
21 Caesar’s attackers stabbed, striking in union, senators starting: he was one (7)
22 Heaps of smooches, but not able (6)
23 Doctor cider, mixed up trade recipe for maiden (5)
24 Thieves cant get back in to Gracelands (5)