No 12450, Thursday 18 Oct 2018, Arden

ACROSS
1   Unusual? No matter — has to cover one's head (3-1-7) TAM-O-SHANTER*

7   Pixie on the ledge, won't keep quiet (3) ELF shELF
9   Lashes spy agency over exposed film (5) CILIA {CI{fILm}A}

10 Flag — colour will fade gradually (4,5) BLUE PETER {BLUE} {PETER}

11 Followed very closely to get laid at random (9) TAILGATED*
12 Lied about writing gear (5) IDLER {LIED*}{R}
13 Animal egg kept over pot (3,4) ROE DEER {ROE} {REED<=}

15 It isn't counterfeit money (4) REAL [DD]
18 Call to attention — doubles break point (4) PSST {P{SS}T}
20 Films he makes in a European language (7) FLEMISH*
23 Host said to stash money (5) HORDE (~hoard)
24 Avoids work as mother waits (9) MALINGERS {MA}{LINGERS}
26 It's hot onion, but not on sausage (9) PEPPERONI {PEPPER}{ONIon}
27 Some return by taxi cab available at counters (5) ABACI [T<=]
28 Place for a song (3) LAY [DD]
29 Grime spread on land, it's just the beginning (11) GERMINATION {GRIME*}{NATION}

DOWN
1   It's understood — one who retains Ashes will remain silent (8) TACITURN {TACIT}{URN}
2   Countrymen accept 50% share (8) MALDIVES {MAL{DIVide}ES}

3   Abuse and drink — depends on which one gets in the centre (5) SLANG SL(-i+a)ANG
4   Resolve tiebreakers, seek out the referee (7) ARBITER TIeBReAkERs*
5   Bolt from the blue? (7) THUNDER [CD]
6   Copy — copy those on either side (9) REPLICATE {REPLICA}{ThosE}
7   Praises the old place (6) EXTOLS {EX}{SLOT<=?} Slot up?
8   Beaver or sable? At last there's commotion (6) FURORE {FUR}{OR}{s..lE}
14 Segregate boiled candy (6,3) EASTER EGG*

16 Perhaps high time it is upheld for the intelligentsia (8) LITERATI {LIT}{ERA}{IT<=}
17 The turnaround American actor (8) THESPIAN {THE}{SPI{A}N}
19 Drum shifted to Burma (7) TAMBOUR*

20 Hide in Italy, behind film maker... (7) FELLINI {FELL}{IN}{I}
21 …himself exposed to church (6) CHAPEL {CHAP}{sELf}
22 Works in air, gets swelling (6) DROPSY {DR{OPS}Y}
25 One allows air lift to a city in Sudan (5) NYALA {A{LAY}N}<=

GRID