Cryptic Crossword

ACROSS

7 Where one type of varnish may be applied, at once (2, 3, 4) 8 Quick blow, and I had cut (5) 10 Running backwards, easily beat old racehorse (3, 3) 11 Schools etc used a complex (8)

12 Stop! Revolution won’t change that (4, 2)

14 Admitting suffering, cook ruffled (6)

16 Upmarket pound shop! (4) 17 Collection of works ending in attic, author unknown (5) 18 Merited, by a whisker (4) 19 Relative wants us to invest in currency (6)

21 Country in North America embraced by both parents (6) 24 Get on horse at the start, it repeatedly getting away (3, 2, 3) 26 Layered dessert, nothing much (6)

27 Soaked up by escalope, stonking sauce (5)

28 Turn hand, getting fly off the handle (2, 7)

DOWN

1 Join in the main event before over, all ending (5)

2 Comprehensive finished shackling Oxford’s principal (8)

3 Help at the centre, tackling call — tough stuff (6)

4 Get a grip with this immoral activity (4)

5 African country getting endless correspondence, legislation brought in (6)

6 Get girl to imbibe say — from this? (9)

9 Warming thing in cake (6) 13 Glamour model, leg in the air (3-2)

15 Range so old, time for a change (9)

17 Trick required to cross unspecified gorge (6)

18 Caribbean breakfast food: a tin one has opened (8)

20 It’s a religion this, no messing about! (6)

22 Fine, light touch, heavy weight being lifted (3, 3)

23 Amount of money set aside, don’t go under! (5)

25 Sell game that’s on the up (4)