SUPER CRYPTIC CROSSWORD

ACROSS

1 Set off to cycle round and get support (8)

5 He’s a drawback to the boss (6)

10 Be dying to collect the winnings? (4,2,4,5)

11 The bird, with a paw, flicked to fish round (7)

12 Speak with skill (7)

13 A uniformed man put the new range in (8)

15 Not the whole number found in the river (5)

18 She has returned, sir, to the party (5)

20 Music in the desert for a denizen thereof (8)

23 Increase for a bunch of tug-men (7)

25 As a cop, I ran the idiot in: an artist (7)

26 The qualities necessary to become a pope? (8,7)

27 Knock and out comes the German shopkeeper (6)

28 Says “That’s m-me among the celebrities”? (8)

DOWN

1 Trouble to provide a condiment (6)

2 Said worriedly, “The paper-cutter can’t be seen anywhere” (9)

3 Obviously pleased I’m back, though shy about it (7)

4 A desire to be with one (5)

6 A cold month outside clinches it (7)

7 Girl who will figure in a romance (5)

8 Tired out, the silly ass crashed into it; an awful accident (8)

9 Cannot get the animals out from the vessel (8)

14 As it performs, the man holds the dog (8)

16 Not including the funny clue for “tiny” (9)

17 Got ahead, though it’s not easy (8)

19 At the outset, annoy one by being unproductive (7)

21 The two beasts at the draper’s (7)

22 Accommodates a horseshoe among the various shoes (6)

24 She’s off, dear, to a grand start (5)

25 Turn back to get the bigwig (5)