Solving time: 26 mins
* = anagram < = reversed
ACROSS
1 TRI FACIAL “Try” Trifacial nerve
11 YORK Hidden
12 FELT TIP PEN
14/15 SMOKEY ROBINSON (Bono risks money)*
18/19 INTERNAL ORGANS (A ring o’ lanterns)* Has to be right, I think, but do not quite understand what seems a cryptic definition (lights) to go with the anagram.
23 BEA M (millions)
27 I (womaN) CHING
28 DOLLY Basil D’Oliveira
DOWN
3 A LAS(s)
4 ILKLEY (likely)*
6 CENT (1 LIT) RE
7 CHIMP Hidden
8 A PENNI (N)ES
13 F (EARLESS) LY
14 SAINTHOOD
16 STATES ID E
17 W (AR L) ORDS RA< = artillery l = length
20 (MINI-M)E From Austin Powers
22 (o)NE PAL pal = mate = china
24 MO GUL(f)
25 SCAD Dac’s<
Re: 18/19 INTERNAL ORGANS – I think the “lights” refers to the archaic term for lungs
6D: I can’t understand this. Why is “1 LIT” = “One books”? And anyway, is a centilitre really a drop to drink? It’s a drop of liquid, but does that make it something you should drink?
Otherwise (and no doubt I’ve missed something and this is the best clue of the lot) the usual excellent fare from Dac. I think he’s not far short of Virgilius in his clue-writing.
CENTILITRE This was one of the last I solved. I think the wordplay is fine lit = literature = books one = 1 = I in accord with crossword convention.
Thought a bit about definition, but, while it is very small (one-hundredth of a litre), you could drink it as you could any quantity of liquid, I guess.
Agree with you re Dac.
PS re CENTILITRE ‘drop’ may be intended to indicate the smallness of the amount.