I think most of the basic 15×15 grids on the frame where odd rows and columns are predominantly white squares can be extended to 17×17 without affecting the clue ordering. This puzzle did lead me to break (or at least bend) one or two precepts – namely, five letter answers with only two letters checked (ameliorated slightly by the implied perimetrical message) and also the use of quite a lot of rarer vocabulary. This makes it a challenging blocked puzzle, but a reasonable stepping-stone to the barred level. Also, Araucaria was fond of perimeter messages in his puzzles, and this seemed a new take on the idea.
ACROSS
1 EISENSTEIN; se(x) in Einstein
6 NILGAI; nil gai(n)
9 GLOIRE; g Loire
10 LETTER-CARD; R in anag.
11 ANTEPENDIUM; an + pen in tedium
12 MONAD; on in mad
14 SPIRITED; I r it in sped
15 TEA-HOUSE; hou(r) in tease
17 SOIL-PIPE; ‘s oil + p in pie (4-4)
19 TREE-FERN; hidden
20 EAVES; (h)eaves
22 AEOLIAN HARP; comp. anag.
25 MONOMANIAC; mo no man 1 Ac
26 DEBONE; Deb One
27 LIBIDO; I bid in lo
28 EL SALVADOR; Elsa + v in lad + OR
DOWN
1 TIGLON; tig lon(g)
2 HEMIHEDRAL; he in anag.
3 ISOELECTRIC; i.e. elect in anag.
4 SECLUDED; SE + D in clued
5 INSTRUCT; curt (rev.) in inst.
6 SNOEK; anag. + k
7 ALECTO; a lecto(r)
8 HAIR-RAISER; hair(y) ‘razor’
13 CAKES AND ALE;
14 PROTANOPIA; anag. – b
16 OFF THE BEAM;
18 EYE-LINER; eye + liner
19 TELECAST; le ca in test
21 EROTIC; (h)ero tic
23 RENVOI; anag. – CE
24 HANOI; H a No. 1
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