1-across – Found behind its initial: lion, perhaps, in dictionary : LOCATED

5-across – See 8 : WITHOUT

9-across – Vacant, the number one place to sleep on reservation : TEPEE

10-across – Ridiculous entertainment, nothing short in Hindu festival : MELODRAMA

11-across – Fine before shrapnel wound protecting the front in close range of Chamonix? : FRENCHALPS

12-across – One might be beaten in the ring, losing always in the end : EGG

14-across – Very modern jail wants cunning type put away : BANGUPTODATE

18-across – Dutch playing away, Northern Ireland’s cleverest attacker starts in defence : FORNICATRESS

21-across – A papal line : ARC

22-across – Run to fill golden pancake — in Italy, it’s the quickest way : AUTOSTRADA

25-across – Same thing, party whip involved in deception : DUPLICATE

26-across – So PM I return, pal? : AMIGO

27-across – See 2 : NITRATE

28-across – Seen in temper, case of volatile nemesis : AVENGER

1-down – If removed from existence, swell excuse : LETOFF

2-down – Blue substance — is this what officers get paid after dark, did you say? : COPPER

3-down – Architect built outstanding oratory primarily run by clerics : THEOCRATIC

4-down – Help? Never! : DOMEA

5-down – Fats hampering dad, soft rolls of that? : WALLPAPER

6-down – Considerable mess gone? : TIDY

7-down – Scholar of art and law in chairman up for test : ORALEXAM

8-down – So voice activation system unnecessary, obviously : THATGOES

13-down – Bargain — exchange rates in large company : HORSETRADE

15-down – Still waiting for nanny to collect you, go to bits : GRANULATE

16-down – Not always concerned with cool river : OFFANDON

17-down – Brilliant container for nut : CRACKPOT

19-down – See 8 : SAYING

20-down – See 4 : FAVOUR

23-down – Conclusion of some gastronome : OMEGA

24-down – Pass beautiful view, taking time out : VISA

1-across – Dance clubs serially introducing followers of Paddy Clarke? : CHACHACHA

6-across – Poor clue’s back to front : THIN

8-across – Refined tincture into which is dipped a second pen : COAUTHOR

9-across – It could go off with a bang in Hollywood this evening : TONITE

10-across – Chapel in Dumfriesshire bearing name of Roman city : LINDUM

11-across – Out of true love, lady finally managed hugs : BOSSEYED

12-across – Pasta rings: line in new Alien : ANELLI

15-across – Regret turning over like one reaching North Pole, say : EUROPEAN

16-across – Allowed bill to add up, so this wine sent back : MUSCATEL

19-across – The way to work round Emerald Isle sheep : MERINO

21-across – Rabbit initially trapped by African, then catching a dim-witted friend of his : BRERBEAR

22-across – Loveless woman of some allure to set about Valentine’s rival : THURIO

24-across – Strong liquor street bar had in short supply : STINGO

25-across – A prominent hole — the suspect … : ELEPHANT

26-across – … how should we respond? Not at all : DONT

27-across – See 26 : MENTIONIT

1-down – Something Indian women wear during public holidays : CHOLI

2-down – Someone for young athletes to look up to? Mo’s leaving town : ARUNDEL

3-down – Water, perhaps, let me think it’s deadly boring : HOHUM

4-down – Butler cracks enigmatic clue — so not hopeless! : CURABLE

5-down – Net is cast in a suspicious part of a defensive system : ANTISERUM

6-down – Rebellious set cuffing suspect seen to get nervous : TENSEUP

7-down – Commonly used as Frankfurter dips? : INTHEMAIN

13-down – Tutee not excited about nucleus of charged or, possibly, uncharged particle : NEUTRETTO

14-down – See 25 : INTHEROOM

17-down – Great disappointment for ice cream lover? Topping embellishment : CORONET

18-down – Queen’s name included in list for Swampy? : LERNEAN

20-down – Chap last in Tour: I don’t want any more cycling! : ROUGHEN

22-down – Personal training rep : TREVI

23-down – I’d find out which items are odd, perhaps even : IFNOT

9-across – Reason one is entertained by beer-swilling vermin? : RATIONALE

10-across – Singer of serenade, Lennon : ADELE

11-across – Extremity of foot on swine? : TROTTER

12-across – See 16 : AFFAIRS

13-across – Attractive person shaved for public display : EXPO

14-across – Sleeping around, breed regularly like rabbits? : BEDHOPPING

16-across – Possible shocker, business news : CURRENT

17-across – Reason Trump needs bottom wiped, incompetent US politician : SENATOR

19-across – Phrase, fast one working : EXPRESSION

22-across – Brandy, stuff knocked back : MARC

24-across – Very many in dish with 24 blackbirds, say? Then bird finally flew : PILOTED

25-across – Those in the pit not entirely fearful about God : TIMPANI

26-across – Thread referring to the night before : REEVE

27-across – Noble Swedish retailer, tucking into terribly poor stew, right to curse privately? : SWEARLIKE

1-down – The Spanish worm has filled comrades’ shoes : BROTHELCREEPERS

2-down – See 27 : ATROOPER

3-down – Training target absurd : POTTY

4-down – Most dangerous horse finally caught by girl in Kentucky Derby, perhaps? : HAIRIEST

5-down – God rises over local angel : SERAPH

6-down – Clue about a drink describing strong little tipple : HALFAPINT

7-down – Body removed from grave? Little sign : GEMINI

8-down – I’ve got your communication, as by some modem or nanotechnology? : MESSAGERECEIVED

15-down – Figure gathering spotted coats : SEVENTEEN

17-down – Why the limp position? : SHORTLEG

18-down – Tiny boy penning a song for a drink : TIAMARIA

20-down – Cut off old thumb : POLLEX

21-down – Pious type caging a wicked god, the brute : SADIST

23-down – Stylish sting : SMART

1-across – Dire Straits appearing in Cairo, Lichtenstein and Monaco, among others : ARTISTS

5-across – Ultimately, the swollen thyroid may be in a state : ENGLAND

9-across – Erotica in a little drama you finally produced : ADULT

10-across – Anger about half-cousin getting boost : ENCOURAGE

11-across – An Arab sultan, ignoring northern borders, turns a clean slate : TABULARASA

12-across – Viewers at last safe and all right : EYES

14-across – Disk tribute in one endless spread : DISTRIBUTION

18-across – Even a chemist falsified results : ACHIEVEMENTS

21-across – Woman right at all times : EVER

22-across – Skipping the introduction, brief look into past rewritten manuscript : PALIMPSEST

25-across – Get involved with gross revenue unit? Not us! : INTERVENE

26-across – Perfect trader declaration : IDEAL

27-across – Soft option, finally, that is stopping fast : LENIENT

28-across – Barber and clerk stripped youngster : TODDLER

1-down – Makes adjustments to suitable cutting plugs : ADAPTS

2-down – Tom’s hitches, when all clumsy : THUMBS

3-down – They go round the globe finding little trouble in rising oceans : SATELLITES

4-down – Cattle drive : STEER

5-down – Too much sex service right away is wrong : EXCESSIVE

6-down – Bitterness expressed in France once : GAUL

7-down – Obsessive on why they say relative having breakdown : ANALYSIS

8-down – Putting on clothes — something saucy? : DRESSING

13-down – Cross, nearly deceived over clue that’s reproduced : MULTIPLIED

15-down – News of athletes running around junction : THELATEST

16-down – See 9 : MATERIAL

17-down – Use intimidation in theatre with rising right national leader : THREATEN

19-down – Once again, ring to cancel : REPEAL

20-down – Winter’s Tale remake’s not as fresh : STALER

23-down – Awkward patient not at fault : INEPT

24-down – With nothing to do for love : FREE

8-across – Leaning back, a boy exercises a part of the 10 : AMYGDALA

9-across – Part of the 10 where heavyweight author files page : HIPPO

10-across – Critical moment on coming to this floating toilet : HEAD

11-across – Sexes, perhaps, mate in Germany’s capital city : PALINDROME

12-across – First of month welcomed by priests, old feast day : LAMMAS

14-across – Intensively study part of the 10 for spiked plates : CRAMPONS

15-across – Consider clamping journalist on a part of the 10 : MEDULLA

17-across – Paul coming backwards, couple come together : EMBRACE

20-across – Part of the 10 the norm, that is unlikely to be scalped : PARIETAL

22-across – Cake gone — and most of whiskey : PASTRY

23-across – Drunk ignores pub, feeling better for it? : SOBERINGUP

24-across – See 20 : LOBE

25-across – Foul eating starter of turkey, cover meat with fat : BASTE

26-across – Part of the 10, like that cushioning a blow : THALAMUS

1-down – Current measure, degree up with furious exercising? : AMPERAGE

2-down – Curse once wrapped up in bandages : EGAD

3-down – See 9 : CAMPUS

4-down – Unsound notion, as a member reported? : FALLACY

5-down – In May, county transfixed by a spirit : PHANTASM

6-down – Extra bits in box, belt and buckle finally hauled up : SPAREPARTS

7-down – Beastly lot has little time to get a closer look : ZOOMIN

13-down – Apparently tough poser is never really understood, maybe initially impossible? : MRUNIVERSE

16-down – Rubbish is learnt going places? : LATRINES

18-down – Church concerned with familiar city in part of the 10 : CEREBRUM

19-down – Brilliance breaking through for Britain at war? : BLIGHTY

21-down – A private’s ending in the army, a simple form of life : AMOEBA

22-down – Wood in, heart out : POPLAR

24-down – Bread 10 : LOAF