1-across – 4 plus 9 minus 1 could give this number : NUROFEN

5-across – Female with useless fellow, flipping tool : FRETSAW

9-across – Run away from lovely Mickey Mouse : PETTY

10-across – Shaking cups in triumph, after eliminating clubs : VIBRATORY

11-across – Catching in net at sea, seeking fish : ENTANGLING

12-across – President has answer for specialists in assembly : IKEA

14-across – Call on General de Gaulle, for one : FRANCOPHONE

18-across – Console Victoria, say, after large cuts in income : PLAYSTATION

21-across – Tablet yours truly had to swallow every year : IPAD

22-across – Shocked look is what Betty and Scott have, stripped naked : DOUBLETAKE

25-across – Choreographed a sexed-up Boxing Day dance : PASDEDEUX

26-across – Piece of trout, rotten piece at the end : OUTRO

27-across – V & A acquires ultimate piece of art : AGAINST

28-across – Dressed football team like Liverpool : MANURED

1-down – Innovator with logs raised an outstanding platform : NAPIER

2-down – Charge around, returning to participate in revolution : ROTATE

3-down – Main high jumper prone to interrupt fellows roughly : FLYINGFISH

4-down – Fresh head of lettuce after fifteen days? : NOVEL

5-down – Deceit cut cocaine supply for mathematician : FIBONACCI

6-down – Where to flog horse mounted by earl : EBAY

7-down – What drug dealer may do in kitchen vessel : STOCKPOT

8-down – Traveller much easier on the eye, we hear : WAYFARER

13-down – Clean bumfluff? : SPONGEDOWN

15-down – Puzzled man at home when the penny drops : AHAMOMENT

16-down – Green food: the thing in cooked apples : SPLITPEA

17-down – It’s close to Vietnam, place in eastern region : MALAYSIA

19-down – Perhaps one’s taken in drink : WAITER

20-down – See what’s in thus? : BEHOLD

23-down – Steer north through curvy region with big curves : BUXOM

24-down – Area covered by Scottish hill runner, perhaps : BEAN

9-across – Odd aura about song, evergreen : ARAUCARIA

10-across – Romantic novelist, the writer embraced by a couple, contrarily : OUIDA

11-across – Movie director’s challenge, after initial and final cuts : ALLEN

12-across – Respond to warning, perhaps, for member of literary trio : ACTONBELL

13-across – See 6 : LECARRE

14-across – American author from a city in US returned foreign currency : AYNRAND

17-across – A voyage back as result of making a name for oneself : ALIAS

19-across – MI6 man sounded signal : CUE

20-across – 15 muddles men up with this poser : MODEL

21-across – Lacking leaders in war, it lists talented people like David and 6 : ARTISTS

22-across – I tear into outlaw : BRENDAN

24-across – American author or two added to religious book : MARKTWAIN

26-across – Real name, last but not first, of Oxford don : LEWIS

28-across – Present and original name for Hugh, but not Cary : GRANT

29-across – Free from material constraints, doctor sided with boy hiding spy : DISEMBODY

1-down – Crazy as singing lady a joke upset : GAGA

2-down – Like Voltaire, for instance, showing annoyance over one chapter : GALLIC

3-down – Including name actress is changing for movie writers : SCENARISTS

4-down – Author using 15, finally, in case : CREATE

5-down – Endure English fellow turning over something inherited from father : LASTNAME

6-down – This was frequently used by secret agent for cover : JOHN

7-down – It’s generally associated with appellation in ad, very oddly : VINEYARD

8-down – Name assumed by religious leader — less frequently following 6 : PAUL

13-down – In so-called City of Angels owns capital : LHASA

15-down – Molière, for example, in his own language : NOMDEPLUME

16-down – First name of composer of verses used by another for 5 : DYLAN

18-down – Two names I later falsified, under cover? : INTERNAL

19-down – Eg Astaire and Rogers often consuming last of tinned fruit : COSTARDS

22-down – Relies on unknown artist who wants to remain unknown : BANKSY

23-down – Name of poet thus shown in this kind of clue : DOWSON

24-down – Huge upset for one of the Stones? : MEGA

25-down – It’s up to old European statesman : TITO

27-down – Eg Brendan finishes off tricky puzzle that’s irritating to face : STYE

1-across – Learner occupying seat, virtually sozzled : BLOTTO

4-across – Jack behind Mark, crawler : SCARAB

9-across – Donkey jackets heading for inciner­ator in present condition : ASIS

10-across – Poet composing myth or saga : THOMASGRAY

11-across – Fruity thing like that wearing knickers : DAMSON

12-across – Inside balaclava, say, ever messy — cleaned up : HOOVERED

13-across – A victory in terpsichorean activity is making progress : ADVANCING

15-across – Short trousers beginning to unsettle solicitor : TOUT

16-across – Jersey, say, dressing hot dog : CHOW

17-across – Legal support protecting teacher : STATUTORY

21-across – Fine wearing jumper, effervescent : FROTHING

22-across – Island where corset abandoned : TRESCO

24-across – Reject overpaid playboys after vacation abroad : DISAPPROVE

25-across – Something furry around old garment : COAT

26-across – Where long-term partners are going, yet sad to break up : STEADY

27-across – Value English sporting events on reflection : ESTEEM

1-down – Scumbag, bigwig wearing pants : BASTARD

2-down – A sibling beyond obnoxious originally in band : OASIS

3-down – Giant bird, wild, heading off : TITANIC

5-down – Boy wearing fleece in child’s drawer : CRAYON

6-down – Wearing special clothes, I’d got urge to change : RIGGEDOUT

7-down – Clothing combo, most adventurous : BRAVEST

8-down – Clueless without clothes? : NOTHINGTOGOON

14-down – American change of direction requires nerve after a fight : ABOUTFACE

16-down – Clothing where vehicle conks out : CARDIES

18-down – Start working round hems in those torn rags : TATTERS

19-down – Take back embroidered lace in skirt : RECLAIM

20-down – Little devil wearing top, transparent : LIMPID

23-down – Church in Arabian republic out of bounds for host : EMCEE

1-across – Gems on person’s garment ripped in rumpy pumpy? : BODICE

4-across – We’re told one like Daniel returns : PROFIT

9-across – Ring with news in current term : BUZZ

10-across – It’s again demonstrable to be worthy of censure : REPROVABLE

11-across – How to generate no reason to get excited : TURNON

12-across – What detains Dickens hero before every realisation : EPIPHANY

13-across – Where some journalists work briefly, then : ATTHETIME

15-across – See 16 : CATS

16-across – Police seizing unknown pet apes : COPY

17-across – Serious measure of drink after fun in Ireland : CRACKDOWN

21-across – School clothing always very hot : FEVERISH

22-across – Fruit boxes drip in this case : DATIVE

24-across – Way to get caned in funky performance : BREAKDANCE

25-across – See 9 : WORD

26-across – Boycott, say, Frenchman rejected after work : OPENER

27-across – Stone remains, article clutched in both hands : ASHLAR

1-down – Nose in fight broken by that Parisian : BOUQUET

2-down – Number gathering on the way to enlightenment? : DOZEN

3-down – Regal item soldiers put on individual in court : CORONET

5-down – Fine: yours truly cuts eggs for a starter : ROOKIE

6-down – Learner’s aid in Ferrari, say, beginning to drive : FLASHCARD

7-down – Storybooks and special gifts : TALENTS

8-down – Driver inclined to career as drug trafficker : SPEEDMERCHANT

14-down – Put in dash of neat rum husband found in promotion at first : HYPHENATE

16-down – Toast, one round with topping of egg on : CHEERIO

18-down – Scroungers and rotters holding what’s on plate up : CADGERS

19-down – Western state ruler, one like Hamlet? : WAVERER

20-down – Porridge that is part of course done well : BIRDIE

23-down – Pull on earl’s coat, which is drier : TOWEL

8-across – In this dish, a warm and meaty food : SHAWARMA

9-across – Furious attack to secure bridgehead : RABID

10-across – Steer clear of street assembly: anyhow, apparently all vacated : STAY

11-across – President Assad’s first revolution is nothing special : PEDESTRIAN

12-across – Wretched ends to hike up Alps or Fuji? : APPLES

14-across – New designer is gender fluid and passive : RESIGNED

15-across – Special care package for the man’s delusion : CHIMERA

17-across – American 25 sent back containing 22 down, say — these are different : WALNUTS

20-across – Tracey and Jean regularly before church cardinal : EMINENCE

22-across – Stalks no bit parts celebrity : CELERY

23-across – Type of plum pudding finish is involved once more : GREENGAGES

24-across – Two fifths of Chardonnay, a half of coke and a quarter of alcopops needed for barbecue : CHAR

25-across – See 4 : SALAD

26-across – Lift to reveal pants : ELEVATOR

1-down – Hatch up plan to go round zone, one leaving with great confidence : CHUTZPAH

2-down – See 10 : AWAY

3-down – Fruit fruitless fruits : GRAPES

4-down – FA world may be a combination of 22 across, 12, 17 and 3 : WALDORF

5-down – As he redesigned first flower border here? : IRISHSEA

6-down – Australian girl in a muddle following blood groups : ABORIGINAL

7-down – Form a view that’s about death, mostly : IDEATE

13-down – Liqueur served by car fitted with working battery : LIMONCELLO

16-down – Dissident Frenchman taking oath : RENEGADE

18-down – Leaves in arrogant fashion : TARRAGON

19-down – Vet ruled out mixed vegetables for dogs : BEAGLES

21-down – Romeo on the outside is one that’s horny and miserable : MOROSE

22-down – The Guardian turning up after money? Must be nuts! : CASHEW

24-down – See 24 across : COAL