CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 Ground Force applied to get coveted position (5,2,5) 9 Wheelwright’s

representative? (9) 10 Items for auction will

include universal plant (5) 11 Part of agreement is a

necessary medical infusion (6) 12 Look like dropping soldiers

for a small rally (8) 13 Day’s beginning sooner than

expected, at great cost (6) 15 Court women in bedroom finding problem with furniture (8) 18 Youth is naked and prone to be distant (8) 19 I do one chapter that’s much admired (6) 21 Struggle, seeing Tory beaten

soundly by female (8) 23 There’s nothing in the outskirts

of Pinner for this flier (6) 26 Things put back

in cosmetics? (5) 27 Free beer on site, but no

seconds, is an anathema (4,5) 28 Quarter European,

say newspapers (6,6)

DOWN

1 Submitted, being sent

across island (7) 2 Presses son to

support club (5) 3 Oriental that’s abandoned as partner for ever (9) 4 Celebrity footballers appearing on covers of magazine (4) 5 Outsider pants, feeling

effects of exertion (4,4) 6 Deliver brief US state

victory over East (5) 7 Persistent objections must

be raised and initiated (8) 8 English encounters rising regard (6) 14 Turned up, being inclined to follow a team’s leader (8) 16 City area that’s part of court estates (9) 17 Fast food ban here? Never! (5,3) 18 Soldiers on charge initially concealed bloomer (6) 20 My supporter must incorporate grand retinue (7) 22 Idiot has look around for rope (5) 24 Behold — there’s black gold in Virginia! (5) 25 Carve a design in sailing vessel when king’s disembarked (4)