Independent 7015 by Phi

A bit tougher than usual from Phi, maybe because of some words that were unfamiliar to me.   But all excellently put together.    Solving time, 31 mins

* = anagram  < = reversed

ACROSS

1 J (A N) ET   A computer system linking US universities, apparently  (Thanks, Colin, for explaining this below – it’s UK universities, not US)

4 ANAGLYPTA   (a gay plant)*   Phi helped us with anagrams for some of the less common words – this was my last answer – a proprietary name for a type of wallpaper.

9 UNDER FELT    A sort of cryptic definition that I liked a lot

10 RE(E)VE   ever<

11 NO GREAT SHAKES

14 L (m)UTE

15 CR (ASHES) OUT  (court)*   The Ashes from cricket

18 S(P)EC TA(C)LES   p = power c = college

19 (c)ANON

21 PENTLAND FIRTH   (planned thrift)*    Not familiar to me, so pleased to work it out when I’d sufficient crossing letters – guessed the second part might be ‘firth’

24 Cliff LEFT

25 BEE TH (OV)EN    first quarter of OVerture

27 WI (SEC RA) CK

28 N IECE    (dECEIt)<

DOWN

1 JOURNALIST    (Major insul)*

2 NO D      feed with no d = fee = cost

3 TURKEY   Double definition

4 ALEATORIC   (locate air)*

5 A ITCH    The letter H

6 L (OR) IKE  ET

7 POETS CORN ER   (Corpse not)*

8 AXE L

12 G (Gran’s top) (UTTER) PRESS

13 ST (ONE HEN) GE   (e.g.)<

16 STE (I) N  BECK     nets<    beck = stream (N England)

17 STENOTIC    (etc is not)*    Another new word I worked out from the anagram – medical term

20 A F (G H) AN    Subtle one that I liked a lot – the clue splits seamlessly at interior/of with “of Asian country” being the definition

22 LIB R A    Strange surface, though I suppose it could happen

23 S (C) OW

26 VI (c)E    c = criminal’s leader (first letter)