| Across | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | GRUB | |
| Bug, right, in a different form? (4) | Anagram of (BUG + R) | |
| 4 | DABBLED | |
| Retired criminal, left in bed, played around (7) | BAD reversed + (L inside BED) | |
| 10 | ISINGLASS | |
| A setting agent is in drinking vessel (9) | IS + IN + GLASS | |
| 11 | OFFAL | |
| Removed a large liver for one (5) | OFF + A + L | |
| 12 | RIDGED | |
| Corrugated moulding of grid bends evenly (6) | Anagram of GRID + B(E)N(D)S | |
| 13 | MINI-GOLF | |
| Putting experience and energy, captured by film, in broadcast (4-4) | GO inside anagram of FILM IN | |
| 15 | DENT | |
| Press in study time (4) | DEN + T | |
| 16 | ORNAMENTAL | |
| Fancy title not abbreviated in exam (10) | (NAME + NT) inside ORAL | |
| 18 | TATTERSALL | |
| Lace makers all checked material (10) | TATTERS + ALL | |
| 19 | BEEF | |
| Fine imposed after honey maker’s complaint (4) | F after BEE | |
| 22 | BOUFFANT | |
| Expert six-footer, inhaling oxygen, is puffed out (8) | (BUFF + ANT) outside O | |
| 23 | MANAGE | |
| Look after back of chihuahua covered in skin disease (6) | CHIHUAHU(A) inside MANGE | |
| 25 | SMEAR | |
| Malign listener after brief text message (5) | EAR after (SM)S | |
| 26 | ELONGATED | |
| Happy about song lacking an introduction being lengthened (9) | ELATED outside S(ONG) | |
| 27 | OATMEAL | |
| A meat goulash served in middle of cold, coarsely ground foodstuff (7) | (A + anagram of MEAT) inside C(OL)D | |
| 28 | SORE | |
| Cut by mouth is painful (4) | Sounds like SAW | |
| Down | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 2 | RUGGED | |
| Uneven covering aged without alteration initially (6) | RUG + [AGED minus (A)LTERATION] | |
| 3 | BEAD | |
| Layer soaking up a drop of liquid (4) | BED outside A | |
| 4 | DESPICABLE | |
| Half of nude picture painted in black is shameful (10) | NU(DE) + (PIC inside SABLE) | |
| 5 | BROMIDES | |
| Newly-weds carried around ring and minute photographic prints (8) | BRIDES outside (O + M) | |
| 6 | LIFE OF THE PARTY | |
| What entertaining person came to do? (4,2,3,5) | Cryptic Definition | |
| 7 | DOLEFUL | |
| Carry out large blend of fuel that’s blue (7) | DO + anagram of FUEL | |
| 8 | TIERED | |
| Draw colour in rows (6) | TIE + RED | |
| 9 | WIND INSTRUMENT | |
| Went outside during commotion to play guitar and didgeridoo, say (4,10) | WENT outside (IN + DIN + STRUM) | |
| 14 | PRISON CELL | |
| Image management starting to sweat once inside diseased ward section (6,4) | PR + [(S)WEAT + ONCE] inside ILL | |
| 17 | PERFORCE | |
| Salesman stood up for gutless coupe inevitably? (8) | REP reversed + FOR + C(OUP)E | |
| 18 | TABASCO | |
| Bill company stocking, for instance, hot stuff (7) | (TAB + CO) outside AS | |
| 20 | FIELDS | |
| Retrieves primary piece of data in corrupted files (6) | (D)ATA inside anagram of FILES | |
| 21 | HANGER | |
| One dressing, say, missing original wardrobe item (6) | C(HANGER) | |
| 24 | MOSS | |
| He took two tablets, dropping ecstasy and stuff in bog (4) | MOSES minus E |
6-dn. I got the answer but didn’t completely understand why. I now think I have it, but just to check, the clue is to be read as meaning “Which entertaining person came to (the) party?” Or am I missing something?
Thanks in advance,
Steve = : ^ )
Spot-on Steve. Just a cryptic definition.