As Easy As 1ac-2ac-3ac

A simple race to the finish this Friday, with almost every answer being one of the first things you’d think of once you’ve located the definition. FOI 1ac, LOI 3dn. I preferred the slightly more deceptive clues, 9ac and especially 25ac where I didn’t see the cryptic part until after submission; honorable mention too to 19dn for its ever-pleasing use of AN. Thanks to the setter for a gentle one for American residents in the throes of Thanksgiving!

ACROSS
1 Charlie in impasse organised retreat into fantasy (8)
ESCAPISM – C in (IMPASSE*)

5 Adventurous rascal dumping one motor in river (6)
PICARO – I CAR dumped into PO

8 Author is Pound (3)
PEN – double def

9 Scot on hill changes into middle gear (10)
LOINCLOTHS – (SCOT ON HILL*). Gear worn around the middle, that is.

10 Ruler over Laks is initially good, then roguish (8)
OLIGARCHS – O{ver} L{aks} I{s} + G + ARCH

11 Two shorter men someone killed? (6)
VICTIM – VIC and TIM

12 What occurs in tub at home (4)
BATH – hidden in {tu}B AT H{ome}, &littishly

14 Orchestrate popular support to billet troops (10)
INSTRUMENT – IN + STRUT, “billeting” MEN

17 Undecided around environment girl occupies (10)
AMBIVALENT – AMBIENT occupied by VAL

20 Rat on boat one dislodged by duck (4)
SHOP – take SHIP [boat], then dislodge its I [one] with an O [duck]

23 At home, cool temperature delivers baby (6)
INFANT – IN + FAN + T

24 Busy worker eating cold meat left sauce (8)
BECHAMEL – BEE eating C HAM; plus L

25 Policy for those who are moderate or poor (6,4)
GOLDEN MEAN – GOLDEN [or] + MEAN [poor]

26 Ridicule piece Joplin would compose (3)
RAG – double def

27 Ale supplier having bartender empty pitcher (6)
BREWER – B{artende}R + EWER

28 Communication system Number Ten backed (8)
ETHERNET – ETHER [number, as in that which numbs] + TEN reversed

DOWN
1 Transport going around British plant (9)
EUPHORBIA – EUPHORIA going around B

2 Tories, first, are composed (7)
CONSIST – CONS 1ST

3 Level crossing the writer will support (6)
PILLAR – PAR [level] “crossing” I’LL

4 Chaplains at sea making way for sailors (4,5)
SHIP CANAL – (CHAPLAINS*)

5 Commotion in state to China’s south (7)
PALAVER – AVER [state] to the south of PAL [China = China plate = mate]

9 Animals having a search inside underground tunnels (9)
CATACOMBS – CATS having A COMB inside

7 French on about Welshwoman showing tongue (7)
RUSSIAN – reversed SUR [French on] + SIAN

13 Might one succeed with a real burst? (4-2-3)
HEIR-AT-LAW – (WITH A REAL*)

15 Most gentle incline with replanted trees (9)
TENDEREST – TEND [incline] with (TREES*)

16 Champion in Great Escape (3-6)
TOP-FLIGHT – or take the parts separately, TOP [great] + FLIGHT [escape]

18 Staff regularly argue and run for supervisor (7)
MANAGER – MAN + A{r}G{u}E + R

19 Nocturnal creature needs attention after an illness (7)
ANTBEAR – EAR [attention] after AN + TB [illness]

21 Poet, northern one, huge hit for Yankees? (4,3)
HOME RUN – HOMER [poet] + UN [northern “one”]

22 Grouse fly east, retaining height (6)
WHINGE – WING E, “retaining” H