CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 Rub along, even becoming difficult (12) 9 Stress is negligible taking cannabis (9) 10 Trunk ultimately cut roughly (5) 11 Very old can start to guide election (6) 12 Permit secretary’s physical activity (8) 13 Perhaps make short detectives dig endlessly? (6) 15 Pick fruit with each tart oddly filling (8) 18 Artist raves, typically about caricature (8) 19 Sacked left-winger receiving support (6) 21 Intensify and be louder in a frenzy (8) 23 Female consumed by a fine romance (6) 26 Bouquet thrown outside front of church (5) 27 Designated facility rejected housing small retailer? (9) 28 Performing Carmen, tenor’s showing grievance (12)

DOWN

1 Turned vase with nude almost lost (7) 2 Greatest of all time secures large triumph (5) 3 Sweetheart proud about fast time with sweetheart (9) 4 Madness of King over time (4) 5 Turn on United supporter as it happens (8) 6 Car plant (5) 7 Reinforced resistance in French love of revolutionary (8) 8 Behind on the wagon in crash (6) 14 Liverish, and I eschew swallowing drinks (8) 16 Joke about uniform on Parisian street upset driver (9) 17 Knife fight pinching cash box, practically (8) 18 Put forward awkward truths (6) 20 Insanely angered, leading to anger (7) 22 Beeb, lacking leader, is free (5) 24 Male embraced by a male? Capital! (5) 25 Starts to gossip and blather senselessly (4)