ACROSS
1 Distance I ran into outskirts of Rome at end of last month (9)
DECIMETRE – I MET R{om}E, at end of DEC [last month (of the year)]
6 Unwanted, like returning drip (5)
SADDO – reversed ODD AS [unwanted | like]
9 Learner driver’s support when bad weather intervenes (7)
TRAINEE – TEE [driver’s support] when RAIN “intervenes”. FOI.
10 Prize article for one returning bird’s coat (7)
PLUMAGE – PLUM A [prize | article] + reversed E.G.
11 A particular chap, fifty-nine in spring (5)
HELIX – HE [a particular chap] + LIX [59 (in Roman numerals)]
12 Engage in an attack, but don’t take it seriously? (4,5)
PLAY ABOUT – PLAY [engage in] + A BOUT
13 Remaining one in residence made for two (8)
RESIDUAL – I in RES DUAL [residence | made for two]
14 Charlatan tailed 1 down in Berlin (4)
FRAU – FRAU{d}. German for “missus”.
17 Change tack at any time, driving leader back (4)
VEER – EVER, its first letter (“leader”) being driven back to later in the word
18 Dined in local, coming back the worse for wear (6,2)
BEATEN UP – EATEN [dined] in reversed PUB [local]
21 Poseur from Germany boarding small punt (9)
SWAGGERER – GER “boarding” S WAGER
22 To find ancient city in this province could be expected (5)
NATAL – if you found the ancient city of UR in it, it’d be NAT{UR}AL. A rare type of clue with the definition part neither at the beginning or the end.
24 Town’s first boozers screened entertainment many years ago (7)
TALKIES – T{own} + ALKIES
25 Hold back burden (7)
REFRAIN – double def
26 Imagine troops breaching barrier (5)
DREAM – R.E. “breaching” DAM
27 Main task that’s easy comes as a blow on the coast (3,6)
SEA BREEZE – SEA [main] + BREEZE [task that’s easy]
DOWN
1 National church supporting reduction in tax (5)
DUTCH – CH supporting DUT{y}
2 Airport‘s gear all scheduled shortly for replacement (7,2,6)
CHARLES DE GAULLE – (GEAR ALL SCHEDULE{d}*)
3 Chemical process involving small number on team (8)
MONOXIDE – MODE “involving” NO on XI
4 One taking part pains the jockeys (8)
THESPIAN – (PAINS THE*)
5 I must stop careless lapse being spotted (6)
ESPIAL – I “stops” (LAPSE*)
6 Shrill cry of ecstasy in brief storm (6)
SQUEAL – E in SQUAL{l}
7 Take loads of money and be laughing? (2,1,7,5)
DO A ROARING TRADE – cryptic def, playing on the suggestion given by “roaring”.
8 Make aggressive move at cards and clear what’s left (9)
OVERTRUMP – OVERT [clear] + RUMP [what’s left]
13 Went back to centre of city with altered housing (9)
REVISITED – {c}IT{y} “housed” by REVISED [altered]
15 Blunder admitted by volunteers turning up gas tanks for reptiles (8)
TERRARIA – ERR [blunder] “admitted” by T.A. + reversed AIR
16 Represent bear (5,3)
STAND FOR – double def
19 During meeting, start to employ one’s discrimination (6)
AGEISM – during A.G.M., E{mploy} I’S
20 After a struggle, takes naps on air (6)
WRESTS – homophone of RESTS
23 Quick butcher’s severing grand knight’s arm (5)
LANCE – A butcher’s (hook), in Cockney rhyming slang, is a look, a quick look is a GLANCE, “sever” the G.
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