No 10968, Saturday 28 Dec 2013, Gridman

ACROSS

1   Graduate gets quartz from hall (8) BASILICA {BA}{SILICA}

5   Cutter provided no publicity to many a fanatic (6) ZEALOT {adZE}{A LOT}

9   Look at no-good Russian player for extended period (4,3) LONG RUN  {LO}{N}{G} {R}{UN} (Correction - {LONG} {RU}{N} - See comments)

10 Exhaust allowed into deep fissures (7) DEPLETE {DEP{LET}E*}

11 Shots certain to figure in exhibitions (9) EXPOSURES {EXPO{SURE}S}

12 Individuals from America will contain criticism (5) UNITS {U{NIT}S}

13 Obsessive about one making ton (4) INTO {1}{TON*}

14 Layers Meg put back into plan (9) STRATAGEM {STRATA}{GEM<=}

17 A vision that is likely to go up in smoke? (4,5) PIPE DREAM [CD]

19 Scheme not completely regular (4) PLAN PLANe

23 The end reached in the home game (5) OMEGA [T]

24 Former partner gripped by terrible tension is drawn out (2,7) IN EXTENSO {IN {EX}TENSO*}

25 Vulgar outfit’s character extremely blameworthy (7) KITSCHY {KITS}{CH}{Y}

26 Serious, all-round stare bestowed around a quarter (7) EARNEST {EAR{NE}ST*}

27 Are these fellows ever nodding their heads? (3-3) YES-MEN [CD]

28 Lawyer at sports competition not acceptable (8) ATTORNEY {AT}{TOuRNEY}

DOWN

1   Lie almost allowed: that’s the report (8) BULLETIN {BULl}{LET IN}

2   Son with stone in a certain excavation hole (7) SANDPIT {S}{AND}{PIT}

3   Song-writer’s unfulfilled year in the directory (6) LYRIST {L{YeaR}IST}

4   Brotherhood makes possible canny retrofit (13) CONFRATERNITY*

6   Advocacy for engagement (8) ESPOUSAL [CD]

7   General reportedly drawn to what flows with the wind (3,4) LEE TIDE {LEE} {TIDE}(~tied)

8   Small youngsters extremely raunchy (6) TEENSY {TEENS}{Y}

10 Speaking slightly of conduct of pedestrian AGM (13) DISPARAGEMENT*

15 Diplomatic move takes a month in the surroundings of river (8) DEMARCHE {DE{MARCH}E} Topical nowadays!

16 Peacekeepers back line taken by your old base (8) UNWORTHY {UN}{WOR<=}{THY}

18 Forms mental pictures of one sedate comic (7) IDEATES {1}{SEDATE*}

20 Light later around northern part of Nellore (7) LANTERN {LA{N}TER}{N}

21 Manoeuvre a rider? (6) JOCKEY [DD]

22 Way before ordinary sound system (6) STEREO {ST}{ERE}{O}