1-across – Fail to comprehend performance that’s sweet : LACTOSE

5-across – Worst possible thing where one deals with a breakdown : THEPITS

10-across – See 24 : CASE

11-across – Last of the rubbish written about vehicle taken back, as claws drawn in : RETRACTILE

12-across – Land bordering a western country : MALAWI

13-across – I’ve no cash, and I threaten all in need of treatment? : NATIONAL

14-across – Direction turned another way : NORTHEAST

16-across – Rapid group at sea : FLEET

17-across – Add ten, providing nothing rejected : AFFIX

19-across – Brexit no deal initially unfolding, potentially volatile situation? : TINDERBOX

23-across – Murder squeezing in boozer — might these get you in? : CROWBARS

24-across – A nasty vice being impudent — lippy here? : VANITY

26-across – Queen, perhaps yet to snub English Oscar winner, cheers : MANYTHANKS

27-across – Imitative behaviour has crossword writer doubled up : MEME

28-across – Soft little things, the English to the Australians, one and all? : POMPOMS

29-across – Naval weapon, flipping scandal, with inclination to waste billions : TRIDENT

2-down – I’m surprised a soldier lifted a Native American : ARAPAHO

3-down – Greek letter something to pick up, briefly : THETA

4-down – See 13 : SERVICE

6-down – See 13 : HEALTH

7-down – Mediocre earner needing sink and kettle, say? : POTBOILER

8-down – Cultivation shown by jailbird in hat : TILLAGE

9-down – Totally perplexed, when all humour has drained away? : ATONESWITSEND

15-down – Message on the box, switch hit and power terminated : THISWAYUP

18-down – Nowhere near end of disorder, back in confusing mess : FARRAGO

20-down – Figure going into another dip shortly, one covering one’s face : DIVISOR

21-down – Excessive land of Suleiman the Magnificent, for example? : OTTOMAN

22-down – Result of lack of planning putting leader on edge : MAYHEM

25-down – Hunter-gatherer possibly missing nuts? : NOMAD

1-across – Spurs letting in header from Newcastle? Nuts! : GONADS

4-across – Abstainer dropping special sort of acid : ACETIC

9-across – Star men assist cast to bag award thus : ASTROPHYSICISTS

10-across – Old Iron Duke leaves one in ground : MASHIE

11-across – One in dance : BALLETIC

12-across – Top down on Volkswagen : POLONECK

14-across – Painter covers books with lines like a Turner? : ROTARY

15-across – Our emperor’s vexed with this creature of habit : MOTHER

18-across – See 15 : SUPERIOR

21-across – Caring, but not up for having fun : SPORTIVE

22-across – Fox to play an inspirational role? : BEMUSE

24-across – Hussy admits climaxing and means to be heard : SPEAKINGTRUMPET

25-across – Asylum’s official uniform for one that’s flipped : REFUGE

26-across – Primate will do for sailor : AYEAYE

1-down – Interrogators try to keep tapes running : GESTAPO

2-down – Lisping Scandinavian makes a point : NORTH

3-down – Run through key prelude’s opening parts : DEPLETE

5-down – German author not beginning scary story : CHILLER

6-down – A period when expecting to prune trees anew : TRIMESTER

7-down – About time row gets more unpleasant : CATTIER

8-down – Demon’s dirty bomb disheartened country : DYBBUK

13-down – Partner of entertaining prince following the king : OTHERHALF

16-down – Figure eating puree, with recipe written down : ONPAPER

17-down – Reading or writing poorly is a barrier : RAILING

18-down – Vehicle in Senegal’s unoccupied border : SLEDGE

19-down – Time of change for local ruler, content to leave timidly : PUBERTY

20-down – Awful stink over public disturbance : OBSCENE

23-down – Two postgraduate degrees potentially a killer : MAMBA

1-across – Demons in head of crying baby breaking most of hearts, say? : SUCCUBI

5-across – Impetus lost, now stop : TIMESUP

9-across – Somewhat distant, a gull returning : ALOOF

10-across – Lizard finding pleasure ultimately in fruit, after drink : CHAMELEON

11-across – Mature, go in for work that’s engaging : PAGETURNER

12-across – One has trouble turning over bones : ILIA

14-across – No centrality and no eccentricity? : CERTAINLYNOT

18-across – Dialogue as yet unmentioned in paper, nurturing quality : MOTHERLINESS

21-across – Odd choice : RARE

22-across – Ladies and gentlemen in Florence possibly missing New York, a US city : TUSCALOOSA

25-across – Hack put on airs as lover of French writing : PROUSTIAN

26-across – Kind politician, on having shifted to the far right : GENRE

27-across – Quietly consider when judge allowed to detain criminal, originally : REFLECT

28-across – Stated floppy storing a digital file : DATASET

1-down – See 20 : SNAPPY

2-down – Hawk gripping tail of mynah bird : CHOUGH

3-down – Free, served without cheese, might you say? : UNFETTERED

4-down – Acquire lead-free metal, sure for shelling : INCUR

5-down – Player was furious, I having taken bronze on the outside : TRAGEDIAN

6-down – Happen upon rabbit and duck etc in conversation? : MEET

7-down – See 19 : STERLING

8-down – Items hanging down, butt appropriately covered? : PENDANTS

13-down – Keeping strike, escape beamer : FLASHLIGHT

15-down – I appreciate that defamatory accusations put in register for student of religious law : TALMUDIST

16-down – Unsuitable one tying up the little devil? : IMPROPER

17-down – Polaris, say, swell for launch : STARTOFF

19-down – Tender thumps magnificent : POUNDS

20-down – Encourage crocodile, please — and quickly! : MAKEIT

23-down – Setter possibly making appearance in public, an idiot : CANID

24-down – Dogs, say, insulted every so often : ISLE

1-across – Blunder made by stepfathers? : FAUXPAS

5-across – Ring road regularly is a monstrous thing : CHIMERA

9-across – Bug recurs in pregnancy : ANGER

10-across – Knowledge makes sense somehow after a conflict : AWARENESS

11-across – Firm changed mind and sent out for flavouring : CONDIMENTS

12-across – Dismal heartless face : DIAL

14-across – Concerning the province, quiet meant avoiding a surprise : ASTONISHMENT

18-across – Is embracing spin in part of symphony refinements : IMPROVEMENTS

21-across – With no flaws in this diplomacy : TACT

22-across – A green revolution in service for the boss : MANAGERESS

25-across – At first sight, youth may be of little importance supporting modern art movement : SYMBOLISM

26-across – Fashionable cube unrelated to global organisation : INDIE

27-across – Melody and noise on the right wavelength : TUNEDIN

28-across – One third of residents accommodated stray : DIGRESS

1-down – Country ragout fragrance : FRANCE

2-down – Pressing under guarantee, not only banks : URGENT

3-down – Each calling for approval : PERMISSION

4-down – Remove growth that could be sown : SHAVE

5-down – Seaside social network : COASTLINE

6-down – See 24 : IDEA

7-down – Look at ship’s make-up : EYELINER

8-down – Inside wash: very pure : ABSOLUTE

13-down – Mad person in custody is not going to start casual conversation : CHATTERING

15-down – Talk about empty pleasure in surgery : OPERATION

16-down – The stiff manoeuvres towards the end of a match? : FIFTHSET

17-down – Half specialist soldiers, for example : SPECIMEN

19-down – Provoke pointer : NEEDLE

20-down – The woman’s supporting the Guardian guides : USHERS

23-down – Equipped in cardiovascular medicine : ARMED

24-down – There’s a thought, briefly put: God of DIY dead! : GOOD

9-across – Possible words on meeting Scottish banker and a retired clerical leader : AYATOLLAH

10-across – One’s time is in the past : EXCON

11-across – Source of milk in powder going to China from Japan, say? : DUEWEST

12-across – See 26 : VOLUMES

13-across – Announcement of fitting ceremony : RITE

14-across – Violation among dissenting group — that’s about right : INFRACTION

16-across – Panacea for a silent guitarist? : NOSTRUM

17-across – Crush hand in trapping ring : PASSION

19-across – Container secured by rushes, these causing extensive damage? : HURRICANES

22-across – One bound to impress seller, if all goes well : ITIS

24-across – Recorded, month one, century back : NOTICED

25-across – China from Japan, an inevitability while going 11 : SATSUMA

26-across – Say it all — as might an audiobook reader? : SPEAK

27-across – Understanding a language for the most part, staff ending in conflict : AGREEMENT

1-down – He has the audacity to keep movin’ slowly over English language : MANDARINCHINESE

2-down – See 23 : MAJESTYS

3-down – See 22 : HOPED

4-down – A metal in purplish element : PLATINUM

5-down – Second winter abroad, feel the cold? : SHIVER

6-down – Aggressive incursion’s beginning, island inspired by vision : BELLICOSE

7-down – Fiddle with just over three prawns : SCAMPI

8-down – Anxious to have those soldiers close to privates? : ANTSINONESPANTS

15-down – Sweet as a nut? : FRUITCAKE

17-down – See 23 : PLEASURE

18-down – Unwelcome guest I book, more offensive : INTRUDER

20-down – Half of roof gone, lift clear off : ROTTEN

21-down – An educational officer in condor territory? : ANDEAN

23-down – A heating unit a joke, apes surely miserable while inside : ATHER