No 10418, Friday 23 Mar 12, Gridman

ACROSS

1   - It may be rotten and can't be eaten, chum (3,5) - OLD FRUIT [DD]

5   - Person of interest, though not quite popular (6) - USURER [CD]

9   - I seem to be tossed among Poles in retributive justice (7) - NEMESIS {N}{EMESI*}{S}

10 - Everything else with cover — a great quantity returned (4,3) - WHAT NOT {W}{HAT} {NOT<-}

11 - Signalling flare, absolutely insubstantial (4,5) - VERY LIGHT {VERY} {LIGHT}

12 - “Mr. Bean” portrayer's fight with a fourth of channels (5) - ROWAN {ROW}{A}{N}

13 - Sacred ceremony's correct, we hear (4) - RITE (~right)

14 - Oriental bird's with mate — always (9) - ETERNALLY {E}{TERN}{ALLY}

17 - Punishment at great cost — not light, not coarse (5,4) - HEAVY FINE {HEAVY} {FINE}

19 - Still one creature (4) - YETI {YET}{I}

23 - Mimic follows a large number in prank (5) - CAPER {C}{APER}

24 - A Tamil leader here now (2,7) - AT PRESENT {A}{T} {PRESENT}

25 - Tom and woman get a type of seat (7) - CATBIRD {CAT}{BIRD}

26 - Fruit for old freedom fighter among abstainers' party (7) - AVOCADO {A{VOC}A}{DO}

27 - A New York individual — no matter who (6) - ANYONE {A}{NY}{ONE}

28 - Capital for deli when restructuring is needed (3,5) - NEW DELHI*

DOWN

1   - Consumer who takes everything in (8) - OMNIVORE [E]

2   - Blot in holding up short fix — one's tense (7) - DEMERIT {yDEMER<-}{I}{T}

3   - Ulster disintegrates? Take stock! (6) - RUSTLE*

4   - Perception of network by a great many — when a stranded sailor will be happy (2,5,2,4) - IN SIGHT OF LAND {IN SIGHT} {OF} {LAN}{D}

6   - Flighty section in a building? (8) - STAIRWAY [CD]

7   - Frenchman recalling regulation on contract extension (7) - RENEWAL {RENE}{WAL<-}

8   - Scolding a sailor (6) - RATING [DD]

10 - Where one goes for liquid refreshment (8,5) - WATERING PLACE [CD]

15 - Hate expressed in one rendering (8) - AVERSION {A}{VERSION}

16 - Visit our eccentric experts (8) - VIRTUOSI*

18 - Understanding for Gridman going up on route that's unknown (7) - EMPATHY {EM<-}{PATH}{Y}

20 - Reportedly, I cry for watch (7) - EYEBALL (~i bawl){EYE}{BALL}

21 - Bill a USA spy organisation for a plant (6) - ACACIA {AC}{A}{CIA}

22 - Go here to surpass (6) - BEYOND [CD]

LINK TO GRID