| Across | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | RECESSED | |
| Leader of sect, bound by decrees, reformed and broke up (8) | (S)ect inside anagram of DECREES | |
| 5 | ADONIS | |
| A mafia boss is a handsome young man (6) | A + DON + IS | |
| 9 | PROVE | |
| Test experienced vet short on time (5) | PRO + (VET minus T) | |
| 10 | PARENTING | |
| Father, paying money for accommodation, is taking care of children (9) | PA + RENTING | |
| 12 | NAIL POLISH | |
| Protective coating sprayed on a pill is hard (4,6) | Anagram of ON A PILL + IS + H | |
| 13 | SHOE | |
| Ring concealed by the woman’s trainer, for example (4) | O inside SHE | |
| 15 | DO-GOODER | |
| Well-intentioned person relocated rodeo at end of trail (2-6) | Anagram of RODEO after DOG | |
| 16 | IMPOST | |
| Supporting member’s duty (6) | Double Definition | |
| 18 | CLERKS | |
| Stickler taking on development without IT office workers (6) | Anagram of STICKLER minus IT | |
| 19 | BALLARAT | |
| Victorian city’s social event attended by a person with a bad reputation (8) | BALL + A + RAT | |
| 22 | TEES | |
| Guy heard golfers use them (4) | Sounds like TEASE | |
| 23 | NEUTRALITY | |
| One drafted into an utterly devastated detachment (10) | I inside anagram of AN UTTERLY | |
| 25 | PIONEERED | |
| Established individual tucked into pie and wine (9) | ONE inside PIE + RED | |
| 26 | AREAS | |
| Pieces of ground are grassy in the middle (5) | ARE + gr(AS)sy | |
| 27 | WAY OUT | |
| Excellent course needed when taking leave (3,3) | Double Definition | |
| 28 | IN PERSON | |
| Sniper manipulated operative face to face (2,6) | Anagram of SNIPER + ON | |
| Down | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | RIPENED | |
| Seasoned one, escorted by writer, dressed in a vibrant colour (7) | (I + PEN) inside RED | |
| 2 | CLOSING CEREMONY | |
| Rider’s first in cycling – someone prepared for Olympic event (7,8) | (R)ider inside anagram of CYCLING SOMEONE | |
| 3 | SHEEP COCKY | |
| Cheeky cops messed with small farmer (5,5) | Anagram of CHEEKY COPS | |
| 4 | ESPALIER | |
| Slip up that is fixed by right training method for plants (8) | LAPSE reversed + IE + R | |
| 6 | DENT | |
| Press in study time (4) | DEN + T | |
| 7 | NEIGHBOURLINESS | |
| Telephone connections in bush region transformed hospitality (15) | LINES inside anagram of BUSH REGION | |
| 8 | SUGGEST | |
| Intimate guests sorted out time (7) * | * | |
| 11 | REST | |
| Employees of welfare state take a break? (4) | welfaRE STate | |
| 14 | AMALGAMATE | |
| Combine seaweed harvested by a male friend (10) | ALGA inside (A + M + MATE) | |
| 17 | WAITED ON | |
| Served a prepared diet in South Korean capital (6,2) | (A + anagram of DIET) inside WON | |
| 18 | CATS-PAW | |
| Light breeze’s power harnessed by vessel, a cutter (4-3) | P inside (CAT + SAW) | |
| 20 | TRYPSIN | |
| Test stick carrying stomach’s primary enzyme (7) | TRY + [PIN outside (S)tomach] | |
| 21 | JEER | |
| Laugh at jeweller dropping spring (4) | JEWELLER minus WELL | |
| 24 | BEAU | |
| Sweetheart, outspoken, tied knot (4) | Sounds like BOW |
* Erroneous clue. My apologies.
I have the Weekend AFR dated 27/28 April. Love doing the crossword. Why are there no clue hints for 27 April?? I can only see hints for 20 April.
Sorry about that. They should be there now.
David
Thank you