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ACROSS

 8 Backward cry of disdain at a longtime Cuban dance (8)

 9 On the radio, happy beat from Scotland (6)

10 Vow loyalty, initially, for false god (4)

11 A tall nurse is cracked up by a comic actor (4,6)

12 In the sound (a body of water), halting to assert a right (3,5)

15 Emergency responder beginning to investigate powerful Italian family (6)

17 Heads of lettuce often appear nice in advance (4)

18 Musical ensemble from Orange County at the lunar New Year (5)

19 Frenchman’s good name in former European capital (4)

20 Takeoff, like one-tenth of 7 (6)

21 Communist leader exploits the thing to take occupancy temporarily (5-3)

23 Pays heed to scrambled laser, outside trial runs (10)

26 Greeting dog out loud (4)

27 Cowardly Lion at first base: “After you!” (6)

28 “Harbingers of the Apocalypse”—wild sermon, eh? (8)

DOWN

 1 In black and white, silver screen originally taking on parade vehicles (10)

 2 Aristocrat and king, top to bottom (4)

 3 It was parted, supposedly (erased, but rearranged) (3,3)

 4 Nothing makes tennis champ lose footing (4)

 5 21 to get a drink (a gooey substance) at one Northeastern university (3,5)

 6 Badly burned leaf is like some deposits (10)

 7 Coin made of dark energy (4)

13 Princess eventually reclined on the rocks north of LA (10)

14 Something that could ignite a contest between, say, two 16—like the ones appearing in the completed diagram—along with their respective 1 (5)

16 Those looking for a seat (honest!) before a setback (10)

18 No longer fitting and no longer fashionable: a dress with red lining (8)

22 Held back by Cerberus, Nubian is doubtful (6)

24 Organs can be found in middle of cathedral, of course (4)

25 Ignoring the odds, Sandy had trouble focusing (4)

26 Performer drawing from ethnic heritage (4)

SOLUTION TO PUZZLE NO. 3394

ACROSS 1 [ad]DRESS 4 CO(PYR)IGHT (pry anag., gothic anag.) 9 FAN + NIEMAE (meanie anag.) 12 P(RES[t])ENCE 14 E-THOS-[e] 21 [g]ANGS + T 24 RH + YTH(M)IC (itchy anag.) 29 A(TONE)MEN + T 30 EL + SEW + HERE 31 “rime”

DOWN 1 DE(FE)NSE 2 [t]-ERNS-T 3 S(KIN + R)ASH 5 PE(ERREVIE)W (reverie anag.) 6 RO(BUS)T 7 anag. 8 T(IDI)EST 13 FLUOR (anag.) + I + DATE 15 HONE + Y + POTS (stop rev.) 18 P(A + PA + B)EAR 19 PA(RAB)LE (bar rev.) 22 anag. 23 SHAD + OW 26 “yew’s buy”