Cryptic Crossword - The Scotsman 12/09/13

Across

1 Small number at ancient city is hard to support (7)

5 Loving a party with a wedding band (7)

9 Did leading man have a second time to carry sail, in the main? (7)

10 Larva with very little to 9 across (7)

11 Mounts a garden tool as a lucky charm (9)

12 Landmark broadcast in empty cavern (5)

13 A little 27 across got a long piece of fibre (5)

15 Was he barring development of pioneer? (9)

16 Buries little girl in the middle of lunch breaks (9)

18 Run out of a staple foodstuff in Italy (5)

21 Weed out with clean hands going over top garden (5)

22 Peers display some craft in cricket venue (9)

24 Saw over small island with some apprehension (7)

26 Make progress, at short notice, taking wagon to engineer (7)

27 Stress used by one to keep them in order (7)

28 Feel misery having to send associate back into a ship (7)

DOWN

1 Scores in no time at board game, cut short (7)

2 Judges turn to politician, taking one 16 across time-out (7)

3 It’s daft to be in pain, a new doctor says (5)

4 Criticise the rector over rows that get a lot of publicity (3,3,9)

5 A major decision is needed here, in some ways (2,3,10)

6 Getting on when in the doldrums (3)

7 Pressing one to run on, in good order (7)

8 Learn, for example, about harvester (7)

12 Give little credit to one spelling brittle (5)

14 Great old Roman god, say, on the way back (5)

16 Is quick to abandon Open University, gaining momentum (7)

17 It’s hard to upset strong packs (7)

19 Learning academic discipline with finesse (7)

20 Makes amends for return to sobriety, initially (7)

23 Carried over when rescued, except for final deckhand (5)

25 Cross through the Ayrshire countryside (3)

Wednesday’s solution

Across: 1 Do a mischief, 9 Roman, 10 Porterhouse, 11 Scrub, 12 Hellhole, 14 Rummager, 15 Digests, 17 Canvass, 20 Rag trade, 21 Dislodge, 24 Thrum, 25 Penalty spot, 26 Nacre, 27 Typesetting.

Down: 2 Ozone, 3 Metal, 4 Surmount, 5 Hooters, 6 Freshmen, 7 Impregnated, 8 Unobtrusive, 12 Handwriting, 13 Luggage rack, 16 Strumpet, 18 Anisette, 19 Mediate, 22 Onset, 23 Groan.