Financial Times no.14,488 by Artexlen

Another new setter for me (in this guise, at least), and a masterly puzzle, full of originality. It took me a little while to get into and kept me on my toes throughout. Thank-you, Artexlen.

ACROSS

1. SUPPLIER  I [one] in suppler [not so tough]

6. BEHEST  HE [His/Her Excellency, ambassador] within best [elite]

9. UNCLIP  Un [French for ‘a’] + clip [magazine, ammunition]

10. MUG’S GAME  Mugs [lare cups] + game [with spirit]

11. MEWS  Double definition

12. GUESTIMATE  Guest [visitor] + I [one] + mate [couple]

14. STARKERS  Anagram of streakers minus E [Ecstasy]

16. COOT  Reversal of too [very] + C [cold]

18. SIGN  Sounds like sine [mathematical function]

19. INCREASE  In [popular] + as [when] within Cree [Native American]

21. PASS MUSTER  Anagram of Spurs teams

22. MIDI  Reversal of I [one] + dim [dull]

24. PEACENIK  (I)ceni [Boudicca’s people] within peak [culmination] – a wonderful clue

26. HAUNCH  A within hunch [large lump]

27. PENTAD  Anagram of adept n [new]

28. NERVE GAS  N [new] + ER [Elizbeth Regina, monarch] + Vegas [party town]

DOWN

2. ULNAE  Odd (i.e. alternate) letters of dUbLiN bAy Earth

3. PULL STRINGS  Pull [jerk] + strings [rows]

4. IMPUGNED  Pug [dog] within anagram of denim

5. RUMPELSTILTSKIN  Anagram of kitten slurps mil(k)

6. BOGOTA  Reversal of Togo [African country] within BA [Bachelor of Arts, graduate]

7. HUG   Hug(e) [titanic]

8. SUMPTUOUS  Sum [problem] + reversal of out [abroad] within p [piano] + US [American]

13. MICKEY MOUSE  Mic [microphone, computer hardware] + key [as in -board, computer hardware] + mouse [computer hardware]

15. TAIWANESE  Anagram of I saw eaten

17. SCORCHER  Reversal of crocs [reptiles] + her [woman]

20. BURNED  Hidden in reversal of garDEN RUBbish

23. DACHA  A [ace] + CH [Central Heating] within reversal of ad [commercial]

25. CUT  C [circa, about] + U(trech)t