Tough one! Much nicer cluing than last week, but that made it more satisfying to get the harder words that were there.

Across

1

Feed newspaper's cleaner (4-3)
DISH-RAG — DISH (feed) RAG (newspaper)

5

The Italian copper has no Scottish blanks (7)
LACUNAE — LA (the Italian) CU (copper) NAE (no Scottish)

9

Violation of the rules by one in a state of difficulty (5)
AFOUL — FOUL (violation of the rules) by A (one)

10

Turn around time indicator (9)
ALTIMETER — ALTER (turn) around TIME

11

A good time, and French take steps with right artist (6,6)
BALLET DANCER — BALL (a good time) ET (and French) DANCE (take steps) R (right)

14

Burst in when devil learns first poem (7)
IMPLODE — IMP (devil) L (first letter of learns) ODE (poem)

15

Decorative art is like fruit without sodium, but not initially (7)
IKEBANA — lIKE (without first letter) BANAna without na (nodium)

16

Most must return a quantity (3)
SUM — reversal (return) of most of MUSt

17

Service stations take pledges about artist (7)
GARAGES — GAGES (pledges) around RA (artist)

19

Cup put back with a murmur ... no dye (7)
PUCCOON — reversal (put back) of CUP, COO (a murmur) N (no)

21

Secret study, suitable to include study on iodine and alcohol (12)
CONFIDENTIAL — CON (study), FIT (suitable) around DEN (study), I (iodine) AL (alcohol)

25

An attractive thing, and not averse to an electron deflector (9)
MAGNETRON — MAGNET (an attractive thing) NOR (and not)

26

None left held back, with hesitation more advanced (5)
OLDER — O (none) L (left) D (last letter of held) ER (hesitation)

27

A wandering tale ... headless body's at early opener in Sydney's outskirts (7)
ODYSSEY — bODY'S (without first letter), E (first letter of early) inside SY (outside letters of Sydney)

28

High-class stayer turned into inlet (7)
ESTUARY — anagram (turned) of U (high-class) STAYER

Down

1

Pull contract game with access to castle (10)
DRAWBRIDGE — DRAW (pull) BRIDGE (contract game)

2

Prize wine brings misery (10)
SPOILSPORT — SPOILS (prize) PORT (wine)

3

One learner mixed liver oil. Outstanding work! (7)
RILIEVO — anagram (mixed) of LIVER OIl with only one L (learner)

4

Nobility? Bighead! (9)
GRANDNESS — GRAND (big) NESS (head)

5

Gelatinous content of tongue (5)
LATIN — hidden in geLATINous

6

Come without favourite to try for the prize (7)
COMPETE — COME outside PET (favourite)

7

Sent wrong traps (4)
NETS — anagram (wrong) of SENT

8

Look about right for Jane? (4)
EYRE — EYE (look) outside R (right)

12

Still in an automobile at a NSW country town? (10)
CANOWINDRA — NO WIND (still) inside CAR (automobile) A

13

Little lord and lion run in around female relative (10)
FAUNTLEROY — LEO (lion) with R (run) inside F (female) AUNTY (relative)

15

Current opposition of mischief-maker at English hop (9)
IMPEDANCE — IMP (mischief-maker) E (English) DANCE (hop)

18

Crawls in fear in some trees by lake at the start of spring (7)
GROVELS — GROVE (some trees) L (lake) S (first letter of spring)

20

Study one kind of accompanying ship (7)
CONSORT — CON (study) SORT (one kind)

22

Venture with no energy in year of upheaval (5)
FORAY — anagram (upheaval) of YeAR OF without e (energy)

23

Raised pulpit with aluminium and bamboo about (4)
AMBO — hidden in bAMBOo

24

University channel, oddly, not good to look at (4)
UGLY — U (university) GLY (odd letters of gully, channel)