The Sunday Crossword No 3304, Sunday 28 Apr 2024

ACROSS

1   Jocose friend trashed United (6,6) JOINED FORCES*

10 Somewhere in Bolivia, personal assistant coming back with illuminating insights (7) APERCUS {SUCRE}{PA}<=

11 One that'll take a drink, or one that's had too many? (7) TUMBLER {DD}

12 Joint enterprise finally getting large yield (5) ELBOW {e...sE}{L}{BOW}

13 A nasty aquatic creature. One's nature? Drowning animals, primarily! (8) ANACONDA Acrostic &lit

15 Underlying – put another way, having long-term effect (10) ENDURINGLY*

16 Ribbons arranged, we're told, for fancy man (4) BEAU (~bow)

18 Most common Scrabble tiles gathered, bringing comfort (4) EASE (~ e's)

20 Tries to get a ride from ship's company: it's torturous! (10) THUMBSCREW {THUMBS}{CREW}

22 Displays gluttony having consumed tea before end of cricketing encounters (8) OVEREATS {OVER{TEA*}S}

24 Fraudulent old girl taking public transport? (5) BOGUS {B{O}{G}US}

26 Ecstasy tablets and C illegally acquired at source in Baltic state (7) ESTONIA {E'S}{TON}{Il...y}{Ac...d}

27 Uranium record held by source of wine: cunning! (7) VULPINE {V{U}{LP}INE}

28 Proved highly amusing? (6,1,5) RAISED A LAUGH [CD]

DOWN

2   Taking some cover, Biden poorly estimated risk (7) OVERBID [T]

3   Wine – cork removed – bravo! (4,4) NICE WORK*

4   Tear and shatter (4) DASH [DD]

5   Where a nest egg may be found to be at risk (3,2,1,4) OUT ON A LIMB [DD] Semi&lit

6   Initially chatty, Everyman's accepted by company that's put up with one trying to amuse (5) COMIC {Ch...y} and {C{I'M}O}<=

7   Quiet, because around the French (7) SILENCE {SI{LE}NCE}

8   One-time occupier of dark room who's been relatively immature? (4,9) LATE DEVELOPER {LATE}{DEVELOPER}

9   When graduates trained hoi polloi (5,8) GREAT UNWASHED*

14 Then where might I have packed those items? (2,4,4) IN THAT CASE [DD] Semi&lit

17 Being twisted, I'll abase Catholic monarch (8) ISABELLA*

19 Armpit often seen in leisurewear (7) SWEATER [DD]

21 Arranging – in a bad way – support for masts and sails (7) RIGGING [DD]

23 Feeling fed up with starters of escargots nightly, night in Paris cut short (5) ENNUI {Es...s}{Ni...y}{NUIt}

25 Somewhat nouveau – that includes Iris (4) UVEA [T]

Reference List

Personal Assistant = PA, Large = L, Old = O, Girl = G, C = 100(Ton), Ecstasy = E, Record = LP, The in French = LE