| Across | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | BASKET | |
| Unsentimental stickybeak changed goal? (6) | Anagram of ST(icky)BEAK | |
| 4 | LAMBASTE | |
| Meat stew mostly containing a roast (8) | [LAMB + (STE)w] outside A | |
| 9 | EXILED | |
| Old friend and I managed in a foreign country not by choice (6) | EX + I + LED | |
| 10 | LAST WORD | |
| Commander moved around as two detailed the final decision? (4,4) | LORD outside [AS + (TW)o] | |
| 12 | TIGHTROPE WALKER | |
| Cryptic Telegraph work – it is being tested on line? (9,6) | Anagram of TELEGRAPH WORK IT | |
| 13 | RAID | |
| Pressure released by speedy attack (4) | RAPID minus P | |
| 15 | STABLEMATE | |
| Companion’s bishop played in no-win situation (10) | B inside STALEMATE | |
| 18 | BEAR IN MIND | |
| Remember drunken marine wearing tie (4,2,4) | Anagram of MARINE inside BIND | |
| 19 | KELP | |
| Substance found in possession of Garfunkel, perhaps, is weed (4) | garfunKEL Perhaps | |
| 22 | STRAIGHTENED OUT | |
| The reading rewritten in bold should be corrected (12,3) | Anagram of THE READING inside STOUT | |
| 25 | AWAITING | |
| A comedian holding it in is expectant (8) | (A + WAG) outside (IT + IN) | |
| 26 | BLOUSE | |
| Top opening to book, a contemptible one (6) | (B)OOK + LOUSE | |
| 27 | DESERTED | |
| Strange structure of dead trees, with a part missing, is empty (8) | Anagram of DEAD TREES minus A | |
| 28 | INVENT | |
| Come up with trendy outlet (6) | IN + VENT | |
| Down | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | BLEATER | |
| Lamb, say, left sitting in kitchen appliance (7) | L inside BEATER | |
| 2 | STING | |
| Deceptive ruse is starting without public hanging (5) | STARTING minus ART | |
| 3 | EVENTS | |
| Recluse finally airs matters (6) | RECLUS(E) + VENTS | |
| 5 | AGATE | |
| Opening found behind a rock (5) | GATE after A | |
| 6 | BETRAYED | |
| Revealed corrected rate put in by top journalist (8) | Anagram of RATE inside BY + ED | |
| 7 | SHOCK WAVE | |
| Blast white workers primarily involved in rescue (5,4) | [HOCK + (W)ORKERS] inside SAVE | |
| 8 | ENDORSE | |
| Finish on horse tossing head back (7) | END + h(ORSE) | |
| 11 | BOTTOM | |
| Foundation is time and time again featured in expansion (6) | (T + T) inside BOOM | |
| 14 | IN ARREARS | |
| Outstanding one ran over closing of ledger with auditors (2,7) | I + (RAN reversed) + LEDGE(R) + EARS | |
| 16 | BONDED | |
| Stuck on last part of crossword in bed (6) | [ON + CROSSWOR(D)] in BED | |
| 17 | MINISTER | |
| Fellow checking in government bigwig (8) | MISTER outside IN | |
| 18 | BASTARD | |
| Name adopted by wicked, despicable person (7) | STAR inside BAD | |
| 20 | PATIENT | |
| Sick person is clear about onset of illness (7) | PATENT outside (I)LLNESS | |
| 21 | BERLIN | |
| Capital city in Switzerland filled with cyclists at the centre (6) | BERN outside CYC(LI)STS | |
| 23 | HINGE | |
| Turning point is part of something extraordinary (5) | sometHING Extraordinary | |
| 24 | OF USE | |
| Ring attached with solder is effective (2,3) | O + FUSE |
