| Across | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | STRIPPED | |
| Cleared head of security set off (8) | (S)ECURITY + TRIPPED | |
| 5 | PASS UP | |
| Ignore small dog biting American’s backside (4,2) | PUP outside ASS | |
| 9 | REMAINED | |
| Wine produced around northern US state didn’t go anywhere (8) | RED outside MAINE | |
| 10 | FORMER | |
| Old shaping tool (6) | Double Definition | |
| 12 | PUNCTUATION MARK | |
| Mountain track up for restoration say ? (11,4) | Anagram of MOUNTAIN TRACK UP | |
| 13 | ROTATE | |
| Go round bull at opening of exhibition (6) | ROT + AT + (E)XHIBITION | |
| 15 | SOILAGE | |
| Greasy liquid detected in herbaceous plant fodder given to livestock (7) | OIL inside SAGE | |
| 18 | SPENCER | |
| Sail south on river leaving English capital (7) | S + (R after PENCE) | |
| 20 | DUG OUT | |
| Producer’s heart disease is unearthed (3,3) | PRO(DU)CER + GOUT | |
| 22 | ANTEPENULTIMATE | |
| Line up a tent shifted by companion third from the end (15) | Anagram of LINE UP A TENT + MATE | |
| 25 | ACIDIC | |
| Sharp one played twice in Australian rock band (6) | I twice inside ACDC | |
| 26 | EMULSION | |
| Paint crested Australian animal with wild lions? (8) | EMU + anagram of LIONS | |
| 27 | ENSIGN | |
| Standard elements of tradesmen’s ignorance (6) | tradesmENS IGNorance | |
| 28 | TASMANIA | |
| Island continent harbouring soldier with time at the front (8) | (ASIA outside MAN) after T | |
| Down | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | STRIPY | |
| Tabby’s claw found in animal enclosure (6) | RIP inside STY | |
| 2 | ROMAN NOSE | |
| Prominent sensor man switched on in plant known for making perfume (5,4) | [MAN + (ON reversed)] inside ROSE | |
| 3 | PAINT | |
| Describe one wearing short trousers (5) | I inside (PANT)S | |
| 4 | ELEVATE | |
| Bring up 11 – 2 + 8 as suggested by auditor? (7) | (ELEV)EN + sounds like EIGHT | |
| 6 | ABOUNDING | |
| Rich one making great leaps forward (9) | A + BOUNDING | |
| 7 | SAMOA | |
| Small NZ bird once spread around a Pacific island group (5) | (S + MOA) outside A | |
| 8 | PARAKEET | |
| A gardening tool swallowed by pet bird (8) | (A + RAKE) inside PET | |
| 11 | KISS | |
| Peck is seen, in some respect, as a sign of affection (4) | pecK IS Seen | |
| 14 | ACCEPTING | |
| Compliant substitute containing mushroom (9) | ACTING outside CEP | |
| 16 | ADULATION | |
| Praise mature person keeping a leader of industry on (9) | ADULT outside A + (I)NDUSTRY + ON | |
| 17 | ESCALATE | |
| Escape a recent increase in intensity (8) | ESC + A + LATE | |
| 19 | RING | |
| Phone’s digital attachment (4) | Double Definition | |
| 20 | DILEMMA | |
| Two million invested in repackaging of ideal puzzle (7) | M+M inside anagram of IDEAL | |
| 21 | HERNIA | |
| The girl turned in with a muscular problem (6) | HER + (IN reversed) + A | |
| 23 | TRIES | |
| Goes with English politicians giving nothing away (5) | TORIES minus O | |
| 24 | ISLAM | |
| Religion is liturgy, primarily, and a mass (5) | IS + (L)ITURGY + A + M |
12ac was my clue of the week. It’s worth explicitly pointing out that in this clue, the definition is “say ?” – meaning “for example, a question mark”.
See David’s Weekly Insights 193 for a more detailed explanation:
http://www.australiancrosswords.com.au/WPblog/the-stickler-weekly-insights-193/
Probably quite some time since a space had so much relevance!!!