Enjoyable puzzle, that I found easier than usual, solving time 15 mins.

* = anagram < = reversed

ACROSS

1 RUM PUS sup<

5 SABO TAG E (ASBO)*

9 FORTUNE COOKIE (I reckon out of e - end of Chinese)*

10 HOWARD’S END Last two Tory leaders

11 (j)IFFY

12 STANDIN(g) S

14 HA (SS) LE(y) Bill Haley, I think, who started rock and roll.

15 ACCRUE a “crew”

17 IN THE CAN can = prison. With effectively a three-letter word with just one letter known, while I was confident about it, welcomed the availability of ‘reveal’ to reassure.

19 SU FI (if US)< A poem title well-known to solvers

20 AL L (THE RA) GE (leg)* (heart)* Good definition in the context (’hip’)

22 SISTINE CHAPEL c h in (I see paints)* L (Latin) In the Vatican

23 Peter C (R) USHING

24 YV(ON)NE Fave clue, very subtle, I thought. on (cricket) in envy (green feature)<

DOWN

2 UP FRONT

3 P (ARK) A

4 SOUND BIT E

5 S TEVEN SPIEL BERG (event)*

6 BLOOD cf brood

7 TAKE ISSUE

8 G (LEEF) U L (feel)<

13 NARCISSUS Fell in love with his own reflection.

14 HIT T (HE H) AY

16 Tom CRUISE R

18 AN (GOL A)N (a log)<

20 AL (I) BI Albi’s a town in France.

24 REPRO Hidden

My usual convention
* = anagram
“” = homophone
cd = cryptic definition
dd = double definition
ha = hidden answer
rha = reversed hidden answer

Contrary to expectation, Rufus managed to stump me twice today when he used two words that I have never seen before. Only a desperate and frantic plunge into Chambers saved the day.    So who says Rufus is a pushover?

Across
1 TOUCHES A clever dd
5 FINE LEG Charade of FINE (accomplished) LEG (cricket side)
see Chambers ” the legside of a cricket field”
10 FETE Homophone for FATE (lot)
11 PRIME MOVER cd
12 TSE TSE 2 x *(set)
13 HALLOWED Charade of HALL (Public building) OWED (due to)
14 FANTASTIC Insertion of ANT (Worker) in FAST (firm as in colour) IC (in charge)
16 BITTS cd of a rare word which I have never heard of before. It is a post around which cables are fastened
17 BRASS A dd but brass is a metal which is definitely not steel
19 STATUTORY Insertion of TUTOR (Coach) in STAY (remain)
23 STOCK CAR Charade of ST (saint or good man) OCK CAR (*a crock)
24 BECOME dd
26 MAISONETTE *(No estimate)
27 VEND Charade of V (five) END (close)
28 WELSHED A most deceptive cd. This is vintage Rufus
Chambers “to run off from a racecourse without settling or paying one’s bets”
29 QUARTER of a year is ‘Three months’ and Judge Jeffreys (1645-1689) ,known as “The Hanging Judge” because mercy was never his strong suit.

Down
2 OPEN SEA Daft definition?
3 CHEAT Insertion of HE in CAT(*act) Another Rufus gem of an &lit
4 EXPRESS Charade of EX (former wife) PRESS (Push)
6 IDEALS Insertion of DEAL (trade) in IS (one’s)
7 ECONOMIST *(to incomes) another fine &lit
8 ELEMENT dd
9 HIGH BIRTHRATE Charade of High birth (nobility) rate (rank as in judge) with big issue as a cd
15 TEST CASES Charade of TEST (Experiment) CASES (patients)
18 RAT RACE Charade of RA (Royal Artillery or soldiers) TRACE (a bit)
20 TABLEAU Charade of TABLE (furniture) AU (gold)
21 ROMANCE Charade of ROMAN (Catholic) CE (Church of England)
22 SCONCE dd and I had to dig deep into Chambers to get sconce3    n (at Oxford University) a fine imposed for some breach of university rules or etiquette (paid in ale or in attempting to drink a large amount of ale without taking a breath, or otherwise); sconce4  n the head; the crown of the head; brains, wits.
25 COVER dd