Back by popular demand


ACROSS
1 You’re looking at it: the first hybrid of 17 (6)
5 Vroom! Fiat’s uneven heave (5)
9 Time with a batty gnat such as Ann Widdecombe? (9)
10 The way, for instance, a Swede sounds (5)
11 Doc Marten’s get me going (8)
12 Hovering Welshwoman possesses a driving licence (3-3)
13 Throw caution to the wind, try pro with sex appeal (2,3,2)
15 Lining up snooker shot, say (7)
16 Big bird stuck in the mud (3)
17 Mummy’s boy bleeds, has short operation (7)
19 Calming agent? (7)
21 Make a painful noise when scared (6)
22 Cad says “I do” once too often (8)
25 A relative inside: that is daft (5)
26 Criminal rode? (9)
27 Cobwebbed gay icon (5)
28 O, the common element! (6)

DOWN
2 Traffic chaos, remove shirt, spend a penny, get me home! (7)
3 Bitter defeat upset an antelope (5)
4 Was Armstrong’s false modesty utter lunacy? (5,4)
5 Check. No, never! (4)
6 Power-mad clan of borderline psychopaths – and that’s just my lot! (9)
7 I am nuts (New Wave) (7)
8 If great error is corrected it will get cooler (12)
9 Whatsername gets wasted at tacky dance (12)
14 Damage limitation experts see to Three Rs failure (9)
15 Novel French clanger had a hunch (9)
18 Audibly amused by fat old Nonconformist (7)
20 Receive a welcome at last in Rome’s underground network (7)
23 Rangy, mobile and hot-headed (5)
24 Wary deviant? (4)

Answers to dicmortimer@gmail.com. Solution in February. Usual rules apply (Lucy wins and I buy her a large white wine in the Old Arcade).