ACROSS

1 The final battle needs a weapon–old, like Quixote. (10)

6 Badly need a garden spot? (4)

10 One who is new on the job, with the following having a couple of failing marks. (7)

11 Something pretty in the garden has a point near the end, which is rather uncontrolled in character. (7)

12 A starburst, darn it… (4)

13 … for one who might be used to starbursts! (10)

15 Supported by a bit of stage ware, having a classical foot here. (7)

16 With a certain amount of irony. (7)

17 Inside–sometimes outside–
material. (7)

20 Any vertebrate of the reptile, bird and mammal class, but the main sort has a broken toe. (7)

22 Starts good with those who are hearing things that are the shining type. (10)

23 Things laid down at the track, possibly. (4)

25 Got mad about what they did to the clams? (7)

26 An Indic language, used by Franklin, such as Sal, and myself. (7)

27 A forward movement when the favorites return. (4)

28 What one peels with steady and astute watchfulness. (7,3)

DOWN

1 They think about the origins of man, being people who make excuses about the North, in a way. (15)

2 Intended to show up the first person objectively with a worker type to finish it. (5,2)

3 A thousand to one that it’s disappeared! (4)

4 Being such, has a habit such as a soldier gets right. (This up is spit and polish; down is punishment.) (7)

5 Turns something to show a different surface. (7)

7 Dear me! It’s wrong, yet gets right asleep if you are one– (7)

8 –and little Clara was a 7 in this. (10,5)

9 Suggesting a meaning, and being in such a little state got in wrong to make it. (9)

14 See 24

18 Possibly vain, and a nice season in Paris shows a certain amount of simplicity. (7)

19 How some meetings break up with a bad act having a point to pass on. (4,3)

20 Behave in a way, when about to steal a type that belongs in the circus. (7)

21 A bad poet is all mixed up about age. What a way to run things! (7)

24 and 14 How many stories start, formerly not down–no, up–and a mite different. (4,4,1,4)