| Across | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | TESTBED | |
| Liability set back place equipped to assess new technology (7) | (DEBT + SET) reversed | |
| 5 | REBATES | |
| Spectator returned clutching club discounts (7) | SEER reversed outside BAT | |
| 9 | ACORN | |
| Fruit with a hard skin (5) | A + CORN | |
| 10 | SAMARITAN | |
| Salvation Army and I represented in shop by an admirable fellow (9) | SA + (I inside MART) + AN | |
| 11 | TREE FERN | |
| Underwater development restricted by sea-bird’s growth in a tropical area (4,4) | REEF inside TERN | |
| 12 | DEALER | |
| Merchant types bound to provide ale regularly (6) | proviDE ALE Regularly | |
| 14 | PARTIAL ECLIPSE | |
| It applies clear, treated blockout without full effect (7,7) | Anagram of IT APPLIES CLEAR | |
| 17 | HOLDING PATTERN | |
| Flying course taken by pilot going nowhere? (7,7) | Cryptic Definition | |
| 21 | TRIFLE | |
| Time to shoot child’s play (6) | T + RIFLE | |
| 23 | FEARLESS | |
| Fellow, like a snake, say, is bold (8) | F + EARLESS | |
| 25 | HOSTELLER | |
| Hotel overseas employed cashier, a backpacker (9) | H + OS + TELLER | |
| 26 | FLUTE | |
| Loud instrument, part of the wind section (5) | F + LUTE | |
| 27 | TRESSES | |
| Hair highlights trimmed at the front (7) | (s)TRESSES | |
| 28 | NASCENT | |
| Last part of mountain climb is rising (7) | mountai(N) + ASCENT | |
| Down | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | TRAITS | |
| Gallery display backed its features (6) | ART revrsed + ITS | |
| 2 | STONEWALL | |
| Hold up one working at the front in kiosk (9) | [ONE + (W)orking} inside STALL | |
| 3 | BENEFIT | |
| Speculation about organisation of fine fund-raiser (7) | BET outside anagram of FINE | |
| 4 | DISARRANGE | |
| Untidy Detective Inspector managed in case of local officer (10) | DI + (RAN inside SARGE) | |
| 5 | ROMP | |
| Ace not included in broadcast of pro-am’s easy victory (4) | Anagram of PROAM minus A | |
| 6 | BAR-BELL | |
| Weight lifted by ringer in pub (3-4) | Double Definition | |
| 7 | TOTAL | |
| Get numbers together to say something briefly (5) | TO + TAL(k) | |
| 8 | SENTRIES | |
| Heartless residents manipulated guards? (8) | Anagram of RESI(d)ENTS | |
| 13 | DECAHEDRON | |
| Figure of solid build moved redhead on outside clubs (10) | Anagram of REDHEAD ON outside C | |
| 15 | PERSECUTE | |
| Hound is essentially delightful (9) | PER SE + CUTE | |
| 16 | CHITCHAT | |
| Convener’s primary problem at talk (8) | (C)onvener + HITCH + AT | |
| 18 | ILLNESS | |
| Unlimited pills linked to head cold, for example? (7) | p)ILL(s + NESS | |
| 19 | TARIFFS | |
| Taxes are not finalised in petty disputes (7) | AR(e) inside TIFFS | |
| 20 | ASSERT | |
| Confirm announcement of a sure-fire winner (6) | Sounds like A CERT | |
| 22 | ISSUE | |
| Publication is to instigate litigation (5) | IS + SUE | |
| 24 | ALMS | |
| Charity is part of Palm Sunday (4) | pALM Sunday |
