CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

8 Good man, initially, had 21 down retrained as a policeman in Paris (8)

9 Secure connection with a line of cable (6) 10 Impress one to join the services (4-2) 11 Practise, at some stage, to try again at the end (8)

12 Extremely light (4)

13 Learn about a Japanese board game. It needs a lot of energy (3-2-3-2)

15 Frank was quite forthright from the beginning (2,5)

17 Object to putting a spin-doctor on trial (7) 20 Half the side with a mission formed a deputation (10)

22 Capital statue was placed in the rose garden (4)

24 To award one a degree could be a disadvantage (8)

26 Strictly speaking, to a certain extent (6) 27 Argue about having an obligation to take a final space (6)

28 Start to run faster, taking out new conveyance (8)

DOWN

1 Self-possessed daughter placed in the chair by the end (6)

2 After first club date, actor got an electronic device for music (2,6)

3 Support a head girl with a disinformation campaign (10)

4 Stay away from a confidential matter, at the end (7)

5 Engrave on glass, etc, in a secret chamber (4)

6 Make an effort to stretch things out under pressure (6)

7 Sitting for a long time with communications about one’s shopping (8)

14 A tap turned itself on to usual position. It’s quite uncanny (10) 16 Reader taking two pages out was about to get ready (8)

18 Deal with one’s last chance to write up a dissertation (8)

19 Take exception to litigation in a war of words (7)

21 May finish audition in order to attract attention (6)

23 To give access to the Queen is key (6) 25 Boasted about team-mates pulling together (4)