Clever, witty and enjoyable
Across
1 SHIPPING transport – sounds like SIPPING (after a few)
5 SPLASH much rain ALPS< (mountains to the west) SH[owers]
10 EVADE skirt round A D[erriere] in EVE temptress
11 WHOLEMEAL bread MOLE spy HEEL end of loaf (Spoonered)
12 GUINEVERE King Arthur’s wife IN (at home) EVER (always) in GUE[sts]
13 COMBO band COMB (skiffle item with paper) O (old)
14 WAIVER surrender I in WAVER (tremble)
15 POT LUCK taken in hope OT (scripture) in PLUCK (courage)
18 CHESTER see – diocese ST (saint) in CHEER (acclaim)
20 MAENAD frenzied woman (&lit) ENA woman in MAD frenzied
22 TEMPO speed TEMP (stand-in employee) O[ffice]
24 SALOON BAR drinking area SAL girl O ON (nothing on) BAR ban
25 REPLICATE copy REP corded cloth CAT (animal) in LIE (story)
26 PATCH mend C[inema] in PATH pavement
27 EVENTS competitions E electronic VENTS outlets
28 DECLARED asserted E eastern CLARE girl in D[a]D (heartless father)
Down
1 SLEIGH vehicle SLEIGH[t] (dexterity for the most part)
2 INANIMATE lacking in spirit ANI (ego) in INMATE (prisoner)
3 PRESERVATIONIST environmentalist (PROTESTOR IS VAIN)*
4 NEW YEAR when revellers turn out WYE (river) in NEAR (close)
6 PREACH THE GOSPEL evangelise (PERTH CHAPEL GOES)*
7 ABEAM across ship AB (sailor) E (energy) AM (morning0
8 HILLOCKS raised lumps ILL bad in HOCKS joints
9 BO-PEEP agricultural girl PEE (accident) in BOP (dance)
16 ULAN BATOR capital of Mongolia (URBAN LOT A)*
17 SCOT FREE totally exempt (COST)* (could be)
19 RASCAL no-good person hidden in [sand]RAS CAL[lous]
20 MALTESE islander MALT whisky E[xport] S[ome] E[verywhere]
21 ORCHID plant ORC monster HID concealed
23 MAPLE tree AMPLE (wide) with M (maiden) moving to the top
( )* = anagram [ ] = omit < = reverse
Thanks Bradman for an enjoyable puzzle and Jed for the blog.
12ac: I am not sure I would spell this confidently without help – the precise wordplay left no doubt.
19dn: Not just hidden, but hidden centrally (in terms of letter count), as precisely indicated by “at heart”.
Enjoyed this crossword very much.
There is so much right about it.
As always great surfaces, wit (1ac, 9d), cleverness (20ac).
And above all, it’s very precise.
Perhaps, I will vote for this crossword to be my FT CoM.
Only one serious comment so far, which I find quite out of proportion compared to what is happening at “other places”.
This puzzle is, in my opinion, sheer quality.
Thanks Jed for blogging and Don for another well-appreciated puzzle.