An enjoyable IoS crossword that presented no difficulties. Thanks to Hypnos. Definitions are underlined in the clues.
Across
1 Ascot, say, in which new race unfolded around back of paddock (8)
NECKWEAR : Anagram of(… unfolded) NEW RACE containing(around) the last letter of(back of) “paddock“.
Defn: An example of which;say, is the Ascot tie.
5 Conflict kept us sleepless essentially (6)
TUSSLE : Hidden in(… essentially) “kept us sleepless“.
10 Pressure put on a newspaper concerning model (7)
PARAGON : P(symbol for “pressure” in physics) plus(put on) A + RAG(a newspaper) + ON(concerning;about, as in “the lecture was on science”).
11 Weapon smuggled in dodgy deal making one this? (7)
ALARMED : ARM(a weapon) contained in(smuggled in) anagram of(dodgy) DEAL.
12 Old school punishment is a reflection of age (5)
LINES : Double defn: 1st: What schoolboys used to have to write many of, as punishment; and 2nd: Wrinkles on one’s skin, as a sign of old age.
13 A lot of young brats initially favoured place for rejects? (6,3)
LITTER BIN : LITTER(collective term for the many young delivered by an animal at one birth) + the 1st letter of(… initially) “brats” + IN(favoured;popular).
14 Journalist observed part of ship without leader in war film (7,5)
HACKSAW RIDGE : HACK(a derogatory word for “journalist”) + SAW(observed) + “bridge”(part of a ship from where its operations are directed) minus its 1st letter(without leader).
Defn: … set in WW II, released in 2016.
19 I face shrieks becoming wild for musical group (6,6)
KAISER CHIEFS : Anagram of(… becoming wild) I FACE SHRIEKS.
Defn: … from England, playing indie rock.
22 No good English graduate wearing scowl in part of pub (6,3)
LOUNGE BAR : [ NG(abbrev. for “no good”) + E(abbrev. for “English”) + BA(abbrev. for for “Bachelor of Arts”, a graduate) ] contained in(wearing, on the outside like a coat) LOUR(a scowl).
25 Sport reduced by a third with introduction of this gym exercise (5)
SQUAT : “squash”(a racket sport) minus its last 2 letters(reduced by a third) plus(with) the 1st letter of(introduction of) “this“.
26 Kelly and Morecambe, perhaps, overlapping of a kind? (7)
GENERIC : Gene (Kelly, American dancer and actor) plus(and) Eric(Morecambe, English comedian) minus one of the 2 “e”s in the middle(overlapping).
27 Meat cooked in ovens (7)
VENISON : Anagram of(cooked) IN OVENS.
28 Gadget to follow diminutive pet (3,3)
TOY DOG : TOY(a gadget;a small novel or ingenious device) + DOG(to follow;to tail).
29 Accessory found in enclosure, retired English rogue (8)
PENKNIFE : PEN(an enclosure) + reversal of(retired) [E(abbrev. for “English”) + FINK(a rogue;an unpleasant or contemptible person) ].
Down
1 Online friend entering part of the UK, Asian national (6)
NEPALI : [ E-(prefix to indicate that something is in an electronic form;online) + PAL(friend) ] contained in(entering) NI(abbrev. for Northern Ireland, part of the UK).
2 A circle supporting clubs to do with welfare (6)
CARING : [ A + RING(a circle) ] placed below(supporting, in a down clue) C(abbrev. for the suit of clubs in a card game).
3 Wit leaves deranged modern worker? (4,5)
WAGE SLAVE : WAG(a wit;a humorous or jocular person) + anagram of(… deranged) LEAVES.
Defn: A person dependent on a wage or salary.
4 Deny validity to a Greek character in the Netherlands (5)
ANNUL : A + [ NU(13th letter of the Greek alphabet) contained in(in) NL(abbrev. for the Netherlands)].
6 Custom in Prohibition? (5)
USAGE : US(of the USA) + AGE(a characteristic period of time, one of which in American history was the Prohibition era from 1920 to 1933).
7 Director interrupting a certain young man is weighty figure (8)
SOMEBODY : D(abbrev. for “director”) contained in(interrupting) [ SOME(a certain unknown or unspecified person or thing, as in “some person did this to her”) + BOY(a young man) ].
8 Risk in marriage counsellor’s suggestion? (8)
ENDANGER : [END ANGER] (a suggestion that might be given by a marriage counsellor to wife and/or husband).
9 Intimate in Paris exotic parts first in seasoned food (8)
PASTRAMI : AMI(French for a male friend or lover, as might be found in Paris) placed below(… first, in a down clue) anagram of(exotic) PARTS.
15 Illegal practice in pass to a goalkeeper? (8)
KICKBACK : [KICK BACK](to pass the ball back to a goalkeeper by one of his/her team-mates).
Defn: … of making covert payments to someone in return for facilitating a transaction.
16 Dissident free to move round America raised family (9)
REFUSENIK : Anagram of(… to move) FREE containing(round) US(describing things American) + reversal of(raised, in a down clue) KIN(family relations).
17 Broadcaster lacking gravity is opening in building (8)
SKYLIGHT : SKY(UK Ltd., TV broadcasting company in the UK) + LIGHT(lacking gravity;not serious).
18 Stimulating attribute in queen entering good French city first off (8)
PIQUANCY : QU(abbrev. for “queen”) contained in(entering) [PI(short for “pious”;good) + Nancy(a French city) minus its 1st letter(first off) ].
20 Use a lot of milk sloppily as breakfast fare (6)
MUESLI : Anagram of(… sloppily) [USE + the 1st 3 letters of(a lot of) “milk“].
21 Remoteness inspector denied in attitude (6)
STANCE : “distance”(remoteness) minus(… denied) DI(abbrev. for “detective inspector”).
23 Nothing to trumpet on reflection for screen icon (5)
GARBO : Reversal of(… on reflection) [ O(letter signifying 0;nothing) + BRAG(to trumpet;to boast)].
Answer: Greta, Swedish-born iconic film actress in the 1920s and 1930s.
24 Show survey in hearing (5)
REVUE : Homophone of(… in hearing) “review”(a survey;an evaluation of a topic).
I presented my own difficulty by misspelling MUESLI, rendering 25ac insoluble until I turned on ‘show errors’.
My favourite was GENERIC, once it clicked. Being Australian, I of course wanted to fit Ned in, but apparently ‘nederic’ isn’t a word.
Thanks Hypnos and scchua.
I enjoyed this, though struggled more than I should have, I think. Like swatty@2, I had my own SID [self-imposed difficulty] by writing ‘venison’ in 26a rather than 27a. That then meant I was trying to work out why goalkeeper Gordon Banks had lost his ‘s’ and what a ‘kickbank’ was when it was at home anyway. Still, despite my idiocy I got there in the end. No particular fave today, just lots of nice stuff so thanks to Hypnos for the puzzle and to Scchua for the blog.