No 12498, Saturday 15 Dec 2018, Arden

Across

1. Miss Vivian comes in the way of worker using deception (7,2,4) SLEIGHT OF HAND {S{LEIGH}T} {OF} {HAND}
10. Choice before teacher to return to the roots (5) ORRIS {OR}{SIR<=}
11. Troubling sign? Call later (9) BADEGRING {BADGE}{RING}
12. Criminal transactions not banned for a religious worker (9) SACRISTAN {TRAnSACtIoNS*}
13. Leaders of All Asian League allow Chinese leader, taking the middle path (5) AXIAL {{All}{XI}Asian}{League}{
14. Let go or hire again? (7) RELEASE {RE}{LEASE}
16. Way to check 'no booze remedy' (7) NOSTRUM {NO}{ST}{RUM}
18. Port worker's right to stay in seat reviewed (7) ANTWERP {ANT}+{PEW<=} around {R}
20. He has no more part to play but demands payment (7) EXACTOR {EX}{ACTOR}
22. Offend Musk? That's criminal (5) FELON {ofF}{ELON}
24. A party of workers — time for feeling embarrassed (9) ABASHMENT {A}{BASH}{MEN}{T}
26. Doctor's become mature with losing stature (9) SHRINKAGE {SHRINK}{AGE}
27. Not allowed to shift a footwear from bottom to top (5) TABOO {(+T) A BOO(-t)}
28. Best reticular formation for a man-of-war (6,7) BATTLE CRUISER {BEST+RETICULAR*}

Down

2. Strangely I'll cry over a musical (7) LYRICAL {I'LL+CRY*} around {A}
3. Prompt — indoor it's swallowed up (9) INSTIGATE {IN}{ITS<=}{GATE}
4. One's used to wearing it (5) HABIT (CD or DD?)
5. Choice of ball allowed in law (9) ORDINANCE  {OR}{D{IN}ANCE}
6. One's often spotted — America supports hard currency (5) HYENA {H}{YEN}[A}
7. Louder and keener, takes interest (7) NOISIER {NO{I}SIER}
8. Pet food is in a bit of mess (4,9) DOG'S BREAKFAST {DOG'S}{BREAKFAST}
9. Great! Mongolia works towards collection of sorts (13) AGGLOMERATION {GREAT+MONGOLIA*}
15. Eased traffic allows layout of a walkway (9) ESPLANADE {EASED*} around {PLAN}
17. In the end, something got stuck inside, he spat it out — it was a little twine (9) SPAGHETTI {HE+SPAT+IT*} around {somethinG}
19. A short story followed by song on old footwear (7) TALARIA {TALe}{ARIA}
21. Show trepidation as millions place bet outside (7)  TREMBLE {TRE{M}BLE}
23. Promoting joint composition (5) NONET {TENON<=}
25. Ruler's a cat of sorts (5) AMEER  Anno not clear. Is it from Meerkat?

Reference List

Worker=Ant, Chinese leader=Xi, Way=St, Right=R
America=A, Hard=H, Interest=I, Millions

Colour/Font Scheme

Definition, Solution, Component letters, Embedded links, Theme word,  Anagram Indicator, C/C indicator, Reversal Indicator, Hidden word Indicator, Letter Pick indicator, Deletion Indicator, Homophone Indicator, Movement Indicator, Positional Indicator, Substitution, Indicator, Link/Connector, Extraneous

GRID