DAILY BRAIN TEASERS

Across

1 Very legitimate request (7) 5 Meat starter in vegetarian function returned – concerning! (7)

9 Routine Groucho humorously displays (2-3)

10 Brilliant new information welcomed by one with debts (9) 11 Dealing with trade in lace, term that’s unusual (10) 12 Couple accompanying piano with song (4)

14 After I’d retired, quietly admitted to feeling relief (12) 18 Hangover cure that’s taken from best friend’s coat (4,2,3,3) 21 Understood novel to be in audio version (4) 22 Nothing against landlord’s romantic reading material (4,6) 25 Specify page should wear tailored teal suit (9) 26 Partner-swapping in the dark is something to behold (5) 27 Go before end of game, give up on promotion (7) 28 American vessel in Tilbury to empty somewhere in Italy (7)

Down

1 School team met regularly for project (6)

2 Needing no introduction, cholera devastated Asian city (6)

3 Contrast second century uprising with Trojan one, briefly (10)

4 Unexpected event in second part of Dickens novel (5)

5 Crime-fighter mutilated evil giant (9)

6 Reportedly, German’s negative figure (4)

7 Occasional police operations set up with armed soldiers involved (8)

8 Moving gingerly to pinch the Queen’s jewellery (4-4)

13 Except individual, content to assess peers (10)

15 Sponsorship a pro agent sorted out (9)

16 Becomes emotional entering hotel to drink with another (6,2)

17 Vital safeguard with large cat south of island (8)

19 Blot last bit of text in Greek letter (6)

20 Cave with base becoming variable and rough (6)

23 Standing straight before court (5)

24 Jack put on feminine Parisian article for some time (4)