I found this generally on the easier side. The south east corner took a little longer than the rest.
I liked the simple elegance and good surface reading of 3D. 6A felt a little contrived but it was a good effort to get a darts themed clue into the puzzle.

| ACROSS | ||
| 1 | COCKROACH |
Bug found in chicken served by swimmer (9)
|
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Cock(=chicken) + roach(=type of fish i.e. swimmer) |
||
| 6 | FLEET |
Swift ends of legs? Littler’s bound to be involved! (5)
|
|
Feet(=the ends of the legs) around L[ittler]. I think the bound refers to the upper bound of Littler i.e. the first letter. |
||
| 9 | MANITOBAN |
Canadian chap in boat in a state of distress (9)
|
|
Man(=chap) + (in boat)* |
||
| 10 | TACHE |
Attachés covering up something right under Poirot’s nose? (5)
|
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Hidden in Attaches. Poirot is famous for his moustache. |
||
| 11 | USHER |
It’s a job being American in this place mostly (5)
|
|
US(=American) + her[e](=most of "in this place") |
||
| 12 | INSOLVENT |
Penniless Poles involved in violent rioting (9)
|
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NS(=North/South Poles) in violent* |
||
| 13 | ITCHING |
Impatient moaning bishop needs excommunicating! (7)
|
|
[B]itching(=moaning with B{ishop} removed) |
||
| 15 | PERTURB |
A flipping curt bruiser could cause trouble (7)
|
|
Per(="a" e.g. one per/a person) + brut[e]<(=bruiser) |
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| 18 | TWANGED |
Time pale German with my boss picked a G-string? (7)
|
|
T{ime} + wan(=pale) + G{erman} + ed{itor}(=compiler's boss). The def refers to a G string of a guitar rather than underwear. |
||
| 20 | UNDERGO |
Sustain less than good offspring (at first) (7)
|
|
Under(=less than) + g{ood} + o[ffspring] |
||
| 21 | GERIATRIC |
Old and new Cartier rings one put on gangsta (9)
|
|
G{angsta} + (Cartier* around i). I think G{angsta} is allowed as an abbrev in Gangsta rap, which can also be called G rap. |
||
| 23 | HARDY |
Enduring author? (5)
|
|
DD referring to Thomas Hardy |
||
| 25 | USAGE |
Employment you and me found by centre of Hagen (5)
|
|
Us(=you and me) + [H]age[n] |
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| 26 | ARGENTINA |
Spy screening king visiting a foreign country (9)
|
|
(Agent(=spy) around R{ex}(=king)) + in(=visiting) + a |
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| 27 | TOKER |
Batman villain making judge tense is a drug-taker (5)
|
|
Joker(=Batman villain) with j{udge} changed to t{ense} |
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| 28 | TUSK SHELL |
Animal skulls he set out on centre of altar (4,5)
|
|
(Skulls he)* on [al]t[ar]. A tusk or tooth shell is type of marine mollusc. |
||
| DOWN | ||
| 1 | COMMUNIST |
Red cumin? Most unusual! (9)
|
|
(Cumin most)* |
||
| 2 | CONCH |
Shell of blue; skin of Cheetah (5)
|
|
Con(=blue in the sense of Conservative) + C[heeta]h |
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| 3 | RETURNING |
English performer in band making a comeback (9)
|
|
(E{nglish} + turn(=performer)) in ring(=band) |
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| 4 | AMBLING |
Walking slowly being better? Good to be discharged! (7)
|
|
[G]ambling (=being someone who bets with g[ood] removed) |
||
| 5 | HANDS UP |
Heroin plus drink? Show me who’d like some of this? (5,2)
|
|
H{eroin} + and(=plus) + sup(=drink) |
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| 6 | FATAL |
A trawler at front entering river terminal (5)
|
|
(A t[rawler]) in Fal(=a river in Cornwall) |
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| 7 | EXCHEQUER |
Old auditor perhaps on call in Treasury department (9)
|
|
Ex(=old) + hom of checker(=auditor) |
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| 8 | TREAT |
Surprise gift: upside-down pastry laced with MDMA (5)
|
|
Tart< around E{cstasy}(=MDMA) |
||
| 14 | CHAIRBACK |
Part of a SEAT a chick smashed up with bar (9)
|
|
(A chick bar)* |
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| 16 | REDSHANKS |
Those wading by shore send shark into a frenzy (9)
|
|
(Send shark)* |
||
| 17 | BOOTY CALL |
IT meeting arranged by phone? (5,4)
|
|
CD. A booty call is call to arrange to have sex ("it") with someone. |
||
| 19 | DORMANT |
Torpid bouncer? One ball not delivered by Trueman primarily! (7)
|
|
Do[o]rman(=bouncer with one O removed) + T[rueman] |
||
| 20 | UNCAGES |
A French composer and soprano’s releases (7)
|
|
Un(=French "a") + Cage(=John Cage, a composer best known for the "work" 4'33'', which doesn't actually have any music) + s{oprano} |
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| 21 | GAUNT |
Head to Goa with relative to get wasted (5)
|
|
G[oa] + aunt(=relative) |
||
| 22 | AMEER |
Old Afghan leader always after a maiden (5)
|
|
E'er(=poetic spelling of ever) after a m{aiden}(abbrev used in cricket for maiden over) |
||
| 24 | RAISE |
Increase level of sound (5)
|
|
Hom of raze, as in raze something to the ground. |
||
This was mostly good fun but with a couple of what seemed to me to be dodgy clues.
Using Littler’s bound to signify an L, and G for gangsta were both a bit of a stretch, and, according to Collins, “booty call” is an American expression.
RETURNING was my favourite with special mentions for ITCHING and RAISE.
Thanks to Hoskins and to Neal.