Eight of the answers must have the same prefix removed before they are entered in the grid. The clues relate to both the full and the shortened form, all of which are complete English words. Otherwise the usual rules apply: answers may be in English or French and all accents are ignored.

ACROSS
1 Round and about one’s eyes (6)
5 Suede not affected by this French cutter (8)
9 Roman’s dirt distributed to prevent flood (5,5)
10 Marks spoken of with an accent may lead to 25 (4)
11 Round trip for steer (8)
12 Aired but evaded (6)
13 Manufactured on the way back from Holland (4)
15 Rickety old organ reputedly cannot be turned off (4,4)
18 To reallocate can make ears sing! (8)
19 Feel the lack of a girl (4)
21 Position taken in situation (6)
23 Evasive expression (8)
25 Pour about what might blow (4)
26 Meeting not disturbed by flower (10)
27 French delicacy for which cart goes astray (8)
28 Limit the scope of a writer (6)

DOWN
2 Coat seen in Ascot tailor’s shop (5)
3 Being playful breaks sir’s ankle (9)
4 Kind of tyre laid back painter first (6)
5 A torch, appropriate for long journeys (10,5)
6 Unexciting occurrence, even with no books about (3-5)
7 Broken fingernails holding at last in France (5)
8 Steel cars crashed by French scoundrels (9)
14 Naughtily stole a run in the neighbourhood of France (9)
16 French remittance man? (9)
17 Silly Eric died with chewed gum in his drinking vessel (5,3)
20 Not this kind of a clue! (6)
22 Concept originated in Greece (5)
24 Where to press to indent – on the slate (2,3)