| Across | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | PUNISHING | |
| Severe current harnessed by gunship at sea (9) | I inside anagram of GUNSHIP | |
| 6 | TORSO | |
| Body’s core temperature approximately (5) | T + OR SO | |
| 9 | ACTED | |
| A court reporter did something (5) | A + CT + ED | |
| 10 | LEADLIGHT | |
| Look after thin, fancy glass panel (9) | LEAD + LIGHT | |
| 11 | CLOUTED | |
| Tradie’s vehicle, covered in dirt, is hit with great force (7) | UTE inside CLOD | |
| 12 | MEASLY | |
| Poor meat, mostly dodgy (6) | (MEA)t + SLY | |
| 14 | ANODISED | |
| An eccentric outside is heading to exit wearing coat (8) | (AN + ODD) outside [IS + (E)xit] | |
| 15 | KEEN | |
| Intense expression of grief (4) | Double Definition | |
| 18 | RUSH | |
| Attack plant developing on shore (4) | Double Definition | |
| 19 | HEAT WAVE | |
| Wheat ruined by hail and hot weather (4,4) | Anagram of WHEAT + AVE | |
| 22 | HARROW | |
| English school and hospital struck by missile (6) | H + ARROW | |
| 23 | RIP INTO | |
| Criticise one horse that’s spotted after start of race (3,4) | (I + PINTO) after (R)ace | |
| 25 | BRIEFCASE | |
| Cheese cafes served strangely with paper bag (9) | BRIE + anagram of CAFES | |
| 26 | ERROR | |
| Time given up by troublesome child could be a mistake (5) | TERROR minus T | |
| 27 | TWEED | |
| Material is pretty hard on the backside? (5) | TWEE + har(D) | |
| 28 | EXTENDERS | |
| They draw out loving in preparation for sex (9) | TENDER inside anagram of SEX | |
| Down | Answers and Clues | Explanations |
| 1 | PLAICE | |
| One in position spotted fish (6) | I inside PLACE | |
| 2 | NATIONAL SERVICE | |
| Nail senator mixed up with failing compulsory duty (8,7) | Anagram of NAIL SENATOR + VICE | |
| 3 | SEDITION | |
| Small publication’s incitement to riot (8) | S + EDITION | |
| 4 | ILL-ADVISED | |
| Foolhardy lad is following five inside new deli (3-7) | [LAD + (IS after V)] inside anagram of DELI | |
| 5 | GOAD | |
| Leave a driver at the front to drive on (4) | GO + A + (D)river | |
| 6 | TILTED | |
| Worked on a roof, securing middle of battens set at an angle (6) | TILED outside bat(T)ens | |
| 7 | REGISTERED NURSE | |
| Trained care-giver greeted insurers out of uniform? (10,5) | Anagram of GREETED INSURERS | |
| 8 | OUTLYING | |
| Peripheral limitations removed from youth telling stories? (8) | y)OUT(h + LYING | |
| 13 | BETTERMENT | |
| Risk-taker men trusted initially with advance (10) | BETTER + MEN + (T)rusted | |
| 16 | PROHIBIT | |
| Professional hit almost penetrated outlaw (8) | PRO + (HI)t + BIT | |
| 17 | RASP FERN | |
| Roughly scrape end of flower growing in marsh plant with fronds (4,4) | RASP + flowe(R) inside FEN | |
| 20 | GOLFED | |
| Played a round with gold-plated iron? (6) | FE inside GOLD | |
| 21 | BOARDS | |
| Gets on rocky roads after heading for Brisbane (6) | Anagram of ROADS after (B)risbane | |
| 24 | BARE | |
| Sound of stomach that’s empty (4) | Sounds like BEAR |
