Guardian 26,078 by Rufus

All very pleasant and straightforward from Rufus today. My favourites were 19ac and 3dn.

Across

1 Tyrannise work force (7)
OPPRESS
=”Tyrannise”. OP=”work” plus PRESS=”force”

5 Mature pine lasting many years (3-4)
AGE-LONG
=”lasting many years”. AGE=”Mature” plus LONG=”pine” [for sth]

10 Employed you and me — and another chap (4)
USED
=”Employed”. US=”you and me” plus ED=”another chap”

11 Much improved, so enjoying greater popularity (4,4,2)
MORE LIKE IT
=”Much improved”; =”[it is] enjoying greater popularity”

12 Failure in providing returns as a company (6)
FIASCO
=”Failure”. IF=”providing” reversed [“returns”], plus AS plus CO[mpany]

13 She hurried round to a furniture designer (8)
SHERATON

=”furniture designer”. SHE plus RAN=”hurried” around TO.

14 We shall shortly be having gin cocktail — here’s health! (4-5)
WELL-BEING
=”health”. WE’LL=”We shall shortly” plus BE plus (gin)*

16 Absolute quiet always required (5)
SHEER
=”Absolute”. SH=”quiet” plus E’ER=”always”

17 They’re not striking examples of comradeship (5)
SCABS
SCABS continue to work despite an ongoing strike.

19 Mid-off’s just terrible (9)
FRIGHTFUL
=”terrible”. [o]F[f]=”Mid-off” plus RIGHTFUL=”just”

23 Main swell to begin moving (5,3)
START OFF
=”begin moving”. STAR=”Main” plus TOFF=”swell”

24 People living around pubs (6)
LOCALS
=”People living around”; =”pubs”

26 Not mad about silver? It’s very much in fashion (3,3,4)
ALL THE RAGE
=”very much in fashion”. ALL THERE=”Not mad”, around AG the chemical symbol for silver.

27 Go on green? (4)
PUTT
Cryptic def – one takes a putt when on a golfing green

28 I’d eat no differently, though trying to lose weight (2,1,4)
ON A DIET
=”trying to lose weight”. (I’d eat no)*

29 Chief required in some lawless state (7)
ANARCHY
=”lawless state”. ARCH=”Chief” inside ANY=”some”

Down

2 Leisure activity in father’s day (7)
PASTIME
=”Leisure activity”. PA’S=”father’s” plus TIME=”day”

3 Is taken aback by a fair’s attractions (5)
RIDES
=”Is taken aback”, on the back of e.g. a horse; =”a fair’s attractions” 

4 Unspecified bigwig (7)
SOMEONE
=”Unspecified”; =”bigwig”

6 Path of the swallow? (6)
GULLET
cryptic def – things that are swallowed go down the gullet.

7 Want to try? Only too willing! (4,1,4)
LIKE A SHOT
=”Want to try?”; =”Only too willing”

8 Offensive Moonies dispersed (7)
NOISOME
=”Offensive”. (Moonies)*

9 Man caught fighting (8,2,3)
PRISONER OF WAR
cryptic def

15 Wild bear I’d let free (9)
LIBERATED
=”free”. (bear I’d let)*

18 Tom joins chap of Spanish origin (7)
CATALAN
=”of Spanish origin”. CAT=”Tom” plus ALAN=”chap”

20 Bitterness associated with age-old craft (7)
GALLEON
=”old craft”. GALL=”bitterness” plus EON=”age”

21 Open at lunch break (7)
UNLATCH
=”Open”. (at lunch)*

22 To be consistent, he must be in the middle (6)
COHERE
=”To be consistent”. HE inside CORE=”middle”

25 It may be cut and pickled (5)
CAPER
To cut a CAPER can mean to frolic; CAPERs are a flower bud often pickled