An enjoyable challenge
Across
1 STEADIED made stable (I SEDATED)*
6 SCREAM funny man S (old shilling) CREAM (very best)
9 DIRECT order (CREDIT)*
10 FANCY MAN lover FANCY (decorated) MAN (soldier)
11 NEAT clever A (one) in NET (catch)
12 GUESTIMATE assessment GUEST (visitor) I (current) MATE (partner)
14 SHORTAGE famine SHORT (brief) AGE (period)
16 SHED dd
18 CAIN murderer I in CAN (jail)
19 TRAVESTY burlesque A VEST (underwear) in TRY (go)
21 ASSEVERATE declare ASS (fool) EVER (always) ATE (scoffed)
22 PUFF dd (smoke and advert)
24 PAGANINI Niccolo Italian violinist PAGAN (heathen) IN I (Italy)
26 DREARY tedious EAR (attention) in DRY (wine type)
27 HEALTH constitution L (hand) in HEATH (former PM)
28 NORSEMEN Scandinavians N (name) HORSEMEN (equestrians) minus H (aspiration)
Down
2 THINE yours THIN (feeble) E (echo)
3 AGENT ORANGE herbicide used by US military
A (one) GEN (information) TO RANGE (classify)
4 INTEGRAL whole (TRIANGLE)*
5 DIFFERENTIATION maths process (AFTER I FIND ONE IT)*
6 SANITY reason NIT (louse) in SAY (speak)
7 RAY fish R (rector) A Y (yen)
8 APARTMENT quarters PART (some) MEN (people) in A T (time)
13 MASTERPIECE tour de force (MEET PRICE AS)*
15 HEADSHAKE negative response HEADS (leader’s) HAKE (fish)
17 LAVENDER perfume LA (the French) VENDER (merchant)
20 FETISH obsession ET (Egypt) in FISH
23 FARCE joke C (cold) in FARE (traveller)
25 AIL trouble [h]AIL (‘orrible weather)
( )* = anagram dd = double definition [ ] = omit