The Hindu Crossword 8157 Solutions

Across
1 Set powerful and most difficult to break like an elephant, maybe (9) STRONGEST (Double meaning)
5 Refuge in a resort (4) NEST (Double meaning)
8 Be back before bachelor will decline (3) EBB (Be back=EB, Bachelor=B => EBB)
9 Feeling strange in running away (7) FLEEING (ana. FEELING)
10 Regret being cruel here (3) RUE (Container => cRUEl)
11 Highly flavoured morsel (5) TASTY (Direct)
12 Hearkened to Greek music and looked radiant (9) GLISTENED (G+LISTENED)
13 Coil of hair at the nape of the neck (7) CHIGNON (Direct)
15 Dark underground hollow of a cave (6) CAVERN (Direct)
17 Extra-small creature found in sections (6) INSECT (Container => found IN SECTions)
18 Offender in a criminal charge (7) ACCUSED (Direct)
21 Let one plate become a spangle (9) PAILLETTE (ana. LET I PLATE)
22 Confuse in thought (3,2) MIX UP (Direct)
24 Run over snow or water (3) SKI (Direct)
25 Cause to be no longer in one's memory (7) UNLEARN (Direct)
26 The answer one wants to hear (3) AYE (Direct)
27 Grows old in a genteel way (4) AGES (Container => in A GEnteel + Way=S)
28 Sword to divide the girls? (9) CUTLASSES (divide=CUT, girls=LASSES)

Down
1 A doubting Thomas (7) SKEPTIC (Direct)
2 Device suggesting name of its bearer (5) REBUS (Direct)
3 Greet men coming out nicely (8) EMERGENT (ana. GREET MEN)
4 Petty unimportant things (6) TRIVIA (Direct)
5 He keeps his eyes open in dark period between day and day (5,8) NIGHT WATCHMAN (Direct)
6 Unknown persons enrage good men rightly (9) STRANGERS (good men=STS, enrage=ANGER, rightly=R)
7 Heavy and dull like grey metal (6) LEADEN (Direct)
9 Striking success for the man who gets his pilot's certificate (6,7) FLYING COLOURS
14 In May I can be found to be exhilarating (9) INSPIRING (In=IN, May I can be found=SP(I)RING)
16 Play some role in dismantling (4,4) TAKE PART (Double meaning)
17 Quietly practise deception on someone (6) IMPOSE
19 Ladles of astronomic importance? (7) DIPPERS (Direct ref. to Great Bear & Little Bear)
20 Character with a leaning to the right (6) ITALIC (Direct)
23 Inside shots (1,4) X RAYS (Direct)