| Across | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | DISCONSOLATE | |
| Recording on really late is low (12) | DISC + ON + SO LATE | |
| 9 | VAPID | |
| Dead against new version of iPad (5) | V + anagram of IPAD | |
| 10 | ANCHORITE | |
| Loner in IT consumed by an unpleasant task (9) | IT inside (AN + CHORE) | |
| 11 | STRAIN | |
| Direction given by coach to make an intensive effort (6) | S + TRAIN | |
| 12 | FALSETTO | |
| Singer’s group carried by loud singer (8) | SET inside (F + ALTO) | |
| 13 | RANKED | |
| Complete education determined by grades (6) | RANK + ED | |
| 15 | DEDICATE | |
| Set apart edict not finalised in time (8) | (EDIC)t inside DATE | |
| 18 | BIRDSEED | |
| Food prepared for animals dries somehow in garden plot (8) | Anagram of DRIES inside BED | |
| 19 | NEXT TO | |
| Leader taken out of context badly – almost (4,2) | Anagram of C(ONTEXT) | |
| 21 | OVERTOOK | |
| Drove around public circuit without any problem (8) | OVERT + O + OK | |
| 23 | GAMBLE | |
| Walk past opening of gate to punt (6) | AMBLE after (G)ate | |
| 26 | CRAB-APPLE | |
| Sour fruit roll included in ordered parcel (4-5) | BAP inside anagram of PARCEL | |
| 27 | TONER | |
| Some pigment one replenishes in a photocopier? (5) | pigmenT ONE Replenishes | |
| 28 | REPRODUCTION | |
| Breeding decline probed by expert (12) | REDUCTION outside PRO | |
| Down | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | DIVISOR | |
| I had picked up visitor lacking the “It” factor (7) | ID reversed + (VISITOR minus IT) | |
| 2 | SAPOR | |
| A person who lacks good judgement or taste (5) | SAP + OR | |
| 3 | OLD-TIMERS | |
| Issue raised in House of Lords agitated experienced people (3-6) | EMIT reversed inside anagram of LORDS | |
| 4 | SOAR | |
| The sound made by annoyed fly (4) | Sounds like SORE | |
| 5 | LACTATED | |
| Youngster sitting outside court consumed supplied milk (8) | LAD outside (CT + ATE) | |
| 6 | TOOTS | |
| American sweetheart delivers a blast (5) | Double Definition | |
| 7 | DISTRACT | |
| Is religious information filed under “D” to create confusion? (8) | (IS + TRACT) after D | |
| 8 | REDONE | |
| Embarrassed individual should be given a makeover (6) | RED + ONE | |
| 14 | NORSEMAN | |
| Someone from Scandinavia and not retired people of note (8) | NOR + (NAMES reversed) | |
| 16 | INELASTIC | |
| Remain with one engaged by dodgy characters of nice firm (9) | (LAST + I) inside anagram of NICE | |
| 17 | BELOW PAR | |
| Elbow broken by sharp blow, on reflection, is off colour (5,3) | Anagram of ELBOW + (RAP reversed) | |
| 18 | BLOTCH | |
| Patchy area left in badly finished work (6) | L inside BOTCH | |
| 20 | OVERRAN | |
| Deviate, in back of turbo vehicle, went too far (7) | ERR inside [turb(O) + VAN] | |
| 22 | TEASE | |
| Guy shortened service (5) | (tea se)T | |
| 24 | BONDI | |
| Members of club on dinkum Aussie beach (5) | cluB ON DInkum | |
| 25 | WEED | |
| Pot with small diameter (4) | WEE + D |
