No 12088, Thursday 17 Aug 2017, The Phantom

ACROSS
1   Group engaged in blatant ribaldry (6) TRIBAL [T]
5   Rough old lady’s old man not popular (8) GRANULAR {GRAN}{popULAR}
9   Circumspect about motorists receiving high-octane fuel (7) CAREFUL {CAR}{FUEL*}
10 Release a French crook? (6) UNHOOK {UN}{HOOK}
11 Ate bread, sandwiches very quickly, for example (6) ADVERB {V} in {BREAD}*
12 Long time for tiny tree to mature (8) ETERNITY*
13 Trimmed essentially to get rid of long facial hair (9) MOUSTACHE {triMmed}{OUST}{ACHE}
15 Record breaking act by left winger for Arsenal (5) DEPOT {D{EP}O}{lefT}
17 Leads provided to get contracts (5) DEALS*
19 Air powered pressure unit, came as ordered (9) PNEUMATIC {P+UNIT+CAME}*
22 A leading position in vehicles for travellers’ groups (8) CARAVANS {CAR{A}{VAN}S}
23 Expel gangster disguised as old man (6) EXHALE {EX}{H{AL}E} 'as'?
25 Female's brief version is that man had groped (6) FISHED {F}{IS}{HE'D}
26 Stone, when it breaks is called rock! (7) AGITATE {AG{IT}ATE}
27 School canteen having right of admission? (8) ENTRANCE {R} in {CANTEEN}*
28 Beating both sides best team picked up prize (6) ESTEEM {bESt}{TEEM}(~team)

DOWN
2   Bolted door at back of house after old men depart (5) RACED {dooR}ACED Anno pending (Addendum - {RACE}{Door} - See comments)
3   Locals needing hands to carry last of wine casks (7) BARRELS {BAR{R}{winE}{L}S}
4   Rescue vessel if able to, when shipwrecked (8) LIFEBOAT*
5   Fair to offer jerk costly parting gift? (6,9) GOLDEN HANDSHAKE {GOLDEN} {HAND}{SHAKE}
6   People supporting a copper's judgement (6) ACUMEN {A}{CU}{MEN}
7   Upset when huge inn is dismantled (7) UNHINGE*
8   If orator's incoherent next individual makes stronger argument (1,8) A FORTIORI {IF+ORATOR}*{I}
14 Magic potion requires time to show performance (9) OPERATION {ERA} in {POTION}*
16 See rising trend to go outside university in Christmas season (8) YULETIDE {EL{U}Y<=}{TIDE}
18 Restriction placed round a woman exhibiting skin (7) LEATHER {LE{A}T}{HER}
20 Hat worn with skill transversely (7) ATHWART  {HAT}*{W}{ART}
21 Crime boss slightly unwell gets reprieve (6) PARDON {PAR}{DON} Anno pending See comments
24 Fail in educational institution having little interest in subject (5) LIEGE {I} in {colLEGE} Fail= No pass = No col

GRID

No 12087, Wednesday 16 Aug 2017, Sunnet

007 is back

ACROSS
1   Straightened the thing over and departed (6) TIDIED {IT<=}{DIED}
4   Prick blisters with needles (8) BRISTLES*
10 Edit a resume to fully meet the bar (7,2) MEASURE UP {A+RESUME}* [RA]
11 Some nice cut missing point? Not at all (5) NEVER {Nice}{sEVER}
12 Cheats birds (5) ROOKS [DD]
13 John perhaps sensed some unfinished business (5,4) LOOSE ENDS {LOO}{SENSED*}
14 Jack's former bank (3,4) OLD SALT {OLD} {SALT}
16 Reportedly colours and breaks down (4) DIES (~dyes)
19 Attach a security (4) BOND [DD]
21 Always in favour of woman's right (7) FOREVER {FOR}{EVE}{R}
24 Age matches sanity (9) DAYLIGHTS {DAY}{LIGHTS}
25 Wears green stones (5) JADES [DD]
26 Eliminating a crossing (5) AXING {A}{X'ING}
27 One blast near a poor city (9) ISLAMABAD {1}{SLAM}{A}{BAD}
28 Bacon's points indicate one little way (8) ESSAYIST {E}{S}{SAY}{1}{ST}
29 Advance a court's conclusion (6) ASCEND {A}{SC}{END}

DOWN
1   Little boy to argue about alternative future (8) TOMORROW {TOM}{OR}{ROW}
2   Ice suit (8) DIAMONDS [DD]
3   Perhaps horse matches you for a length (5) EQUUS EQU(-al+u)US
5   Last word and line if this does not open the parachute (7) RIPCORD {RIP}{CORD} Semi&lit
6   Poet's boy to trap topless noble (9) SONNETEER {SON}{NET}{pEER}
7   Four cut fish for bread (6) LIVING {L{IV}ING}
8   Draw attention to second lock (6) STRESS {S}{TRESS}
9   Fanatic's final letter to each group (6) ZEALOT {Z}{EA}{LOT}
15 Lovingly, two rings are slipped into ravishing lady (9) ADORINGLY {O}{RING} in {LADY}*
17 Possible to duck in Nevada bleeds (8) EVADABLE [T]
18 Agitated by America blocking natural delta (8) CRUSADED {CR{USA}DE}{D}
20 Raised canvas held flowers (7) DAHLIAS {SAIL}{HAD}<=

21 Binder covering you and me is easily melted (6) FUSILE {F{US}ILE}
22 I would have energy to imagine (6) IDEATE {I'D}{EAT}{E}
23 Scarily edit out a criminal's words (6) LYRICS SCaRILY*
25 King muddles about Spain (5) JAMES {JAM{E}S}

GRID