The Brain Teaser

No. 8,597

ACROSS

1. Everything one could wish to know about rowing? (3,3,3,4)

8. Gather it's part of the service (7)

9. Brown's the salesman going in for surgical instruments (7)

11. Circulates, as one says (6)

13. Think the son is reeling through drink (8)

15. Return it, angry and fed up (5)

16. Put back the fur with the crimped felt edging: it's expensive (7)

18. The maid could be a transvestite, to start with (7)

19. With which to attack during a war, perhaps, or retreat (5)

21. Playing his trump, wins (8)

23. The time after, a viper was found crawling in the hedge (6)

25. Again pales, collapsing, in another attack (7)

26. Turns up in cold regions and is quite a favourite (7)

28. Outwear? (6,7)

DOWN

2. Lost, having been packed in the lady's case (7)

3. Decorate one with chrome edging (3)

4. The position is different the time I'm laid off (4)

5. All right: cleaner looking (3,2,5)

6. Made out the half-sovereigns were delivered (5)

7. The weight has gone up? Rot! Rubbish! (7)

8. A joker among the kings and queens (5,6)

10. It's well-drawn (6,5)

12. In addition, getting a spin-drier (5)

14. Love, or is it a fixation? (10)

17. “Just a novice,” you interpose, “but with a bent for it” (5)

18. Prepared to wipe out the interior of the cooking utensil (7)

20. Go round again at five, about, love (7)

22. A gentle-man holding a tree (5)

24. Turning, see pop in the stone (4)

27. Shoot to get the drug (3)