No 9785, Tuesday 09 Mar 10, Gridman

ACROSS
1 - Spiritless Victor on moving upfront would gain respect (8) - (+v)VENER(-v)ATE Nice clue (Correction (-v)ENER(+v)VATE)
5 - Her cue spoilt card game (6) - EUCHRE*
9 - He replaces raw beginner with headmaster in West Asian country (7) - IS(-r+hm)HMAEL
10 - Rishi has dog for guardian (7) - SE{CUR}ER
11 - Of tears the first of homemakers noticed in Lycra tattered by Mala endlessly (9) - {LAC{H}RY*}{MAL(-a)}
12 - Open angry Nu's last letter I placed first (5) - {UN*}{Z}{I}{P}
13 - Unsettled, a couple of learners are ineffectual (4) - {NU*}{LL}
14 - Persistently follows Tonga gals on the move (4,5) - TAGS ALONG*
17 - Explosively grown communities that may also go “bust”? (4,5) - {BOOM} {TOWNS}
19 - King is open in retrospect (4) - RAJA <- )
23 - Last stanza children voiced partially (5) - ENVOI [T]
24 - Ma charier about a men's grooming item (4,5) - HAIR CREAM*
25 - Jacky to remain in a frenzy about the crest of rollers (7) - MA{R}INER*
26 - Inscription in a grave setting (7) - EPITAPH [CD]
27 - Following a motif is the male editor (6) - {THE}{M}{ED}
28 - Old Indian statesman's mantra we will follow for film (8) - {CR}{OM}{WE'LL}
DOWN
1 - As said by a character on the way out (4,4) - EXIT LINE [CD]
2 - Just hit Alec if troublesome (7) - ETHICAL*
3 - Six come to tourist city for sex therapist's suggestion (6) - {VI}{AGRA}
4 - Child's plea at story time: “It's a lie” (4,2,7) - TELL ME ANOTHER [DD]
6 - Detach peacekeepers' vehicle crossing topmost of limits (8) - {UN}{COUP{L}E}
7 - Lost _: James Hilton novel (7) - HORIZON [E]
8 - Pole position? (6) - EUROPE [CD]
10 - Factory employee seen releasing buckles (5,8) - SALES ENGINEER*
15 - Excitedly came, absorbing good French atmosphere (8) - AM{BIEN}CE*
16 - Hurried halt to take in a major construction without alternative in northern India (3,5) - TAJ MAHAL(-or)*

18 - Old boy to serve cracked-up opposite side (7) - {OB}VERSE*
20 - Mean to declare over time (7) - {AVER}{AGE}
21 - That woman and the man on the rise meet rishi (6) - {HER}{MIT<-} )
22 - Religious division is found in second church meeting as it opens (6) - {S}{CH}{IS}{M}

GRID