Across:
   1. Spread unequal cost of Ma seeing film (7 2 6)
   9. Best story is read back with joy! (7)
  10. Famous for being a bit useless? (7)
  11. Those against boy going back and taking drug (4)
  12. Story gets in second list (5)
  13. Rubbish found around river (4)
  16. Old island in favour of second strategic airbase initially (7)
  17. Leave old city in the morning with one swimmer (7)
  18. Hot male goes to pieces at home in rat-infested town (7)
  21. In retrospect I madly love the French tiny bags (7)
  23. Small, as well as smooth (4)
  24. Terrible deed around the north is over (5)
  25. Like returning books inside colonnade (4)
  28. Break down when one French king returns claiming victory!... (7)
  29. ...Good French little woman joins six in band (3 4)
  30. Would owl run about like this? (8 7)
Down:
   1. Royalty would have to go up-country to see footballers in Dumfries (5 2 3 5)
   2. On reflection, regret starting trouble with a scholar and a gentleman (7)
   3. Small group start touring city (4)
   4. Guy takes back one boy’s religious symbol (7)
   5. Feeling upset with position in test? (4 3)
   6. Chooses to stop changes (4)
   7. Bar tale is rewritten in this province (7)
   8. Current introduction to organisation of initial force, etc (15)
  14. Global guarantee to accept student (5)
  15. Corner copper about to grab Vince’s head (5)
  19. After short time, whale gets to island (7)
  20. Confuse number working to return record to America (7)
  21. Retorts from poor male writer (7)
  22. View last year’s fashion? (7)
  26. First green car starts looking bad! (4)
  27. Opposed to some pedantic decrees! (4)
Solution:
QUANTUMOFSOLACE
U=M=R=A=I=P=L=L
ELATION=NOTABLE
E=T=O=D=E=S=E=C
NOES=TABLE=GROT
O=U=W=L=E=C=T=R
FORMOSA=GOURAMI
T===R=====R===F
HAMELIN=ALVEOLI
E=I=D=O=L=E=U=C
SAND=ENDED=STOA
O=O=E=P=M=A=L=T
UNRAVEL=BONJOVI
T=C=I=U=I=T=O=O
HEADLESSCHICKEN
Name: Puzzle 416
Author: by Steve Townsend