No 11959, Monday 20 Mar 2017, KrisKross

Welcome to our new setter KrisKross.

ACROSS
1   Unnamed criminal captures South Pole's explorer (8) AMUNDSEN {polE} in {UNNAMED}* (Correction - {AMUND{S}EN*} - See comments)
5   Girl pays for jars (6) GRATES {G}{RATES}
9   Maid dons tailored suit (8) DIAMONDS*
10 Rama perhaps is a sailor, winning Ravana’s heart (6) AVATAR {raVAna} in {A}{TAR}
12 Instant tests for the audience (5) TRICE (~tries)
13 To start with, Napoleon enters to receive the French soldier — a well mannered person (9) GENTLEMAN {GE{Na...n}T}{LE}{MAN}
14 Short visit from John's relatives (4-2) LOOK-IN {LOO}{K-IN}
16 Worker crosses river from the east — it’s the shortest way (7) BEELINE {BE{NILE<=}E}
19 Excellent fellow who never gets the bride (4,3) BEST MAN {BEST} {MAN}
21 Encourage to start translating Urdu — it is spoken in Afghanistan (6) PUSHTU {PUSH}{Tr...g}{Urdu}
23 Fresh air, sun, sea for persons of a certain race (9) EURASIANS*
25 Ray catches red fish (5) BREAM {B{R}EAM}

26 Originally valuable article — it’s the source of your pride (6) VANITY {Va...e}{AN}{IT}{Your}
27 Order drinks for Peter (8) ?E?R?A?E (Addendum - DECREASE - {DECRE{AS}E} - See comments)
28 Notice saying: “Change direction” (3-3) SEE-SAW {SEE}-{SAW}
29 Retro songs about Long Island (3,5) SRI LANKA {SRI {LANK}A<=}

DOWN
1   Inspects collapsed stadium after many died (6) AUDITS STADIUm*
2   A French bird (cowardly person), mostly in agreement (9) UNANIMOUS {UN}ANI{MOUSe}
3   Controlled cattle (5) DROVE [DD]
4   Plant’s tip gone off (7) ENDOGEN {END}{GONE}*
6   Guns raised on supporters chucking egg (9) REVOLVERS {OVER<=}{LoVERS}
7   Sign found in Shinto temples (5) TOTEM [T]
8   More determined to trade nothing with a foreigner (8) STRANGER STR(-o+a)ANGER
11 Rolls over in shame (4) SNUB <=
15 Characters from Lockhart, USA, make up a book of Congress (4,5) KAMA SUTRA [T<=]
17 Mostly at sea (2,3,4) IN THE MAIN [DD]
18 Sees doctor and helps (8) OBSERVES {OB}{SERVES}
20 Clean without water (4) NEAT [DD]
21 Scientist from ancient continent, half-destroyed (7) PASTEUR {PAST}{EURope}
22 A crowd surrounds leader of extremists — a spineless creature (6) AMOEBA {A}{MO{Ex...s}B}{A}
24 Compass to begin navigating in storm (5) RANGE {RA{Na...g}GE}
25 Barely managed to sell a precious stone (5) BERYL BaRELY*

GRID