A nice smooth LR. Some pretty cute clues, and nothing overly controversial. Good way to start a miserable Tuesday!

Across

8

Cross had admin assistant, historically (8)
HANDMAID — anagram (cross) of HAD ADMIN

9

Flaked almond for dad (3,3)
OLD MAN — anagram (flaked) of ALMOND

11

Republican First Lady left party (5)
REVEL — R (republican) EVE (first lady) L (left)

12

Mind controller broadcasts hint to spy (9)
HYPNOTIST — anagram (broadcasts) of HINT TO SPY

13

Mistaking cockney for fish (6)
ERRING — hERRING without first h

14

Fun emoji for golf score that encompassed final play (5,3)
PARTY HAT — PAR (golf score), then Y (final letter of play) inside (encompassed) THAT

16

Listen you... listen stupid tool! (7)
UTENSIL — U (homophone of you), then anagram (stupid) of LISTEN

17

Old cloth in desperate need of steaming (7)
ENRAGED — RAG (old cloth) inside anagram (desperate) of NEED

20

Identify regressive authoritarian region (8)
DISTRICT — reversal (regressive) of ID (identify), STRICT (authoritarian)

23

Lost and disheartened by friendship breakdown (6)
ADRIFT — AD (outside letters of and) RIFT (friendship breakdown)

25

Old-fashioned Arsenal manager brags, said Spooner? (9)
CROSSBOWS — Spoonerism of BOSS (manager) CROWS (brags)

27

Navigation system initially rings.... and warns without any direction (5)
RADAR — R (first letter of rings) AnD wARn (and warn without compass points)

28

Looking at everyone, you eventually insulted new girls' faces (6)
EYEING — first letters (faces) of Everyone You Eventually Insulted New Girls

29

Maintain PowerBook? (8)
PRESERVE — P (power) RESERVE (book)

Down

1

Price of toast and most of egg rolls (6)
CHARGE — CHAR (toast), reversal (rolls) of EGg (most of egg)

2

Serve cocktail after higher education? Is this all there is? (8)
UNIVERSE — anagram (cocktail) of SERVE after UNI (higher education)

3

Limp shift worker's prosthetics (8)
IMPLANTS — anagram (shift) of LIMP, ANTS (worker's)

4

Component of bath circuit turning well off (4)
RICH — reversal (turning) of hidden (component of) batH CIRcuit

5

Palm Post removed pages practically (6)
ALMOST — pALM pOST without either p (pages)

6

Mischievous politician interrupts two independents? Be quiet! (6)
IMPISH — MP (politician) between (interrupts) I, I (two independents), SH (be quiet)

7

Failing a student was never discussed (8)
UNSTATED — anagram (failing) of A STUDENT

10

News-breaking USA dept (7)
UPDATES — anagram (breaking) of USA DEPT

15

She chooses to return carrot/celery chunks (7)
ELECTOR — reversal (to return) of hidden (chunks) carROT/CELEry

16

Fund rocked after chiefs sacked and set adrift (8)
UNDOCKED — fUND rOCKED without first letters

18

Doubly irritated global charity? (3,5)
RED CROSS — RED (irritated) CROSS (irritated)

19

Smiles about recycling wine and coffee machines(8)
GRINDERS — GRINS around reversal (recycling) of RED (wine)

21

Torch doesn't get lit (6)
STONED — anagram (torch* of DOESN'T

22

Posted again? Be annoyed! (6)
RESENT — cryptic def.

24

Nitwit Ruth forgot hotel back door opener (6)
TURKEY — reversal (back) of RUTh without (forgot) h (hotel), KEY (door opener)

26

Tender auditing observed (4)
SORE — homophone of SAW