(Please click here for this same blog but with a picture quiz added. Please do NOT post hereinbelow any comment relating to the picture quiz. Thank you.) I recall this was straightforward solving, apart from a couple of clues at the end. Thanks to Kariros. Definitions are underlined in the clues.
Across
1 Tiger seen unusually in area of Tanzania (9)
SERENGETI : Anagram of(… unusually) TIGER SEEN. It’s more like “never” rather “seen unusually”
6 Difficult material you reportedly disposed of for the setter (5)
STIFF : “stuff”(material;things collectively) with homophone of(… reportedly) “you ” replaced by(… disposed of for …) “I”(the self-referential pronoun for the setter of this puzzle).
9 The stars briefly meet bird in Swiss city (7)
LUCERNE : “luck”(the stars;fate) minus its last letter(briefly) plus(meet) ERNE(any of several sea eagles).
10 Personal effect of gossip changing hands (7)
CHATTEL : “chatter”(gossip) with “r”(abbrev. for the right hand) replaced by “l”(abbrev. for the left hand)( changing hands).
11 Mastic maybe transported around Alabama (7)
SEALANT : SENT(transported, literally or figuratively) containing(around) ALA(abbrev. for the US state of Alabama).
Defn: Any of several sticky puttly-like substances that may be used as a sealant.
12 Support what a East End knacker may do! (7)
ENDORSE : END ‘ORSE – how a Cockney(from the East End) knacker(one who buys worn-out or old livestock and slaughters them to sell the meat or hides) might express slaughtering a horse.
13 Tower in main place rebuilt (9)
CAMPANILE : Anagram of(… rebuilt) MAIN PLACE.
Defn: A bell tower, especially one not attached to another building.
15 A follower gets into car in an uncertain state (5)
LIMBO : B(the letter that follows “A” in the English alphabet) contained in(gets into) LIMO(short for a limousine;a large and luxurious car).
16 Three animals seen in Castle Ashby (5)
LEASH : Hidden in(seen in) “Castle Ashby “.
Defn: … of the same kind, eg. hounds, a hunting term.
19 What a prospective guardian may be next (9)
AFTERWARD : Cryptic defn: A prospective guardian may be looking for a ward;someone to be put under his/her guardianship.
22 Graduates’ note includes section for some rice (7)
BASMATI : { [ BA, MA](abbrevs. respectively for two graduates, a Bachelor of Arts and a Master of Arts respectively) + TI(the syllable used for the 7th note in the diatonic musical scale) } containing(includes) S(abbrev. for “section”).
Defn: A type of long-grained rice with a fragrance.
23 The very best drug contains a hint of temazepam cut with a trace of methadone (7)
OPTIMUM : [ OPIUM(a drug from poppy pods) containing(contains) the 1st letter of(a hint of) “temazepam ” ] containing(cut with) the 1st letter of(a trace of) “methadone “.
25 Breakdown in amines seen before a medical condition (7)
AMNESIA : Anagram of(Breakdown in) AMINES plus(seen before) A.
26 Be the recipient of hot lady’s sex appeal (7)
INHERIT : IN(hot;fashionable;currently in demand) + HER(possessive pronoun for a female;lady’s) IT(sex appeal).
27 Wield authority dismissing Penny (5)
EXERT : “expert”(an authority on a particular subject) minus(dismissing) “p”(abbrev. for the currency unit, the penny).
28 Elite examination in this college (9)
ELECTORAL : ELECT(the elite;the chosen exclusive group) + ORAL(a form of non-written test;examination).
Defn: … is the body of electors chosen by the voters who formally elect a candidate to a particular office, say, the President of the United States.
Down
1 Reportedly leaves auctions (5)
SALES : Hidden in(Reportedly) “sails”(leaves aboard a ship).
2 Get back sappers’ mining rights (7)
RECLAIM : RE(abbrev. for the Royal Engineers in the British military, aka the Sappers) + CLAIM(formal demand for the right to mine a specified area).
3 Terrible man in North America hosts Queen and this band (7)
NIRVANA : [ IVAN(the Terrible, nickname for the oppressive 1st czar of Russia) contained in(in) NA(abbrev. for North America) ] containing(hosts) R(abbrev. for “Regina”, Latin for the Queen).
4 Result of opening on-line first (5)
EVENT : VENT(an opening, usually for the outflow of gases) placed below( … first, in a down clue) E-(the prefix denoting on-line items, from the abbrev. for “electronic”).
Answer: Outcome, as in “in the event”.
5 Horrible Republican obscures liberal growth (9)
INCREMENT : “inclement”(horrible;merciless) with “R”(abbrev. for one belonging to the Republican political party) replacing(obscures) “L”(abbrev. for one belonging to the Liberal political party).
6 Outrage of backsliding boys put in prison … (7)
SCANDAL : Reversal of(backsliding) LADS(boys) containing(put in …) CAN(slang for a prison).
7 … meanwhile I am supporting abrupt inmate (7)
INTERIM : I’M(contraction of “I am”) placed below(supporting, in a down clue) “intern”(an inmate;one who is confined) minus its last letter(… abrupt).
8 Fictional account of river area around Kent (9)
FALSEHOOD : [ FAL(the river flowing through Cornwall, England) + ‘HOOD(short for “neighbourhood”;the area around one) ] containing(around) S.E.(abbrev. for South East England, including Kent).
Defn: … aka a “lie”.
13 Observe judge squashed by bigwig (9)
CELEBRATE : RATE(to judge;to compare against a standard) placed below(squashed by, in a down clue) CELEB(short for “celebrity”;a bigwig;a star).
Defn: … as with a festival, eg. Christmas.
14 Bizarrely maintain Earth is lifeless (9)
INANIMATE : Anagram of(Bizarrely) MAINTAIN + E(abbrev. for “Earth”).
17 Need self-denial to give up money (7)
ABSENCE : “abstinence”(self-denial;refraining from indulging an appetite or desire) minus(to give up) “tin”(slang for money).
Defn: …, or a lack of.
18 Lead attached to radio equipment for telephonist (7)
HEADSET : HEAD(to lead;to be in charge of) plus(attached to) SET(a radio;a receiver of radio signals).
Old tech and new tech:
20 Make steady progress to incriminate man in court (7)
RATCHET : RAT(to incriminate;to tell on someone) + [ HE(pronoun for a man) contained in(in) CT(abbrev. for “court”) ].
Defn: … in increments.
21 Butcher married girlfriend? (7)
ADMIRER : Anagram of(Butcher) MARRIED.
Defn: …, possibly.
23 Give a view on poetic description of tree? (5)
OPINE : Cryptic defn: How a poet might address a pine tree, similar to “O my Luve’s like a red, red rose…” by Robert Burns.
24 Allow order to return in traveller’s accommodation (5)
MOTEL : Reversal of(… to return) [LET(to allow) + OM(abbrev. for the Order of Merit, a British title) ].
(Please do NOT post hereinbelow any comment relating to the picture quiz. Thank you.)
A good puzzle, and I had to give a lot more thought to the clues in the NE than the rest of them. STIFF was my LOI after FALSEHOOD.
Many thanks to Scchua for the excellent blog and to Andy B for taking the time to comment.
Thanks for commenting, Kairos. It’s always a bonus when a setter drops by!
Another win for me, finally completed after a long hard struggle with a little help from my electronic friend. Well done Kairos.