1-across – Why it’s hard to open where a gap is unclosed : WHATFOR

5-across – Kid pushed over,veteran shut up : GARAGED

9-across – For example,brain that’s stopped : ORGAN

10-across – Neither profit nor gain from holiday flat : BREAKEVEN

11-across – 18 needs to be anything but neanderthal : PRESENTDAY

12-across – Defended by Cuba,Kuwaiti capital : BAKU

14-across – Sponge back in shower with a bar of soap,having created one earlier : MADEIRACAKE

18-across – Concerned with supporting Leave : REFORMPARTY

21-across – Ergo ready for liquid lunch? : SOUP

22-across – Flier with orbital course,a measure of speed and spirit : WATERNYMPH

25-across – Flying weight non-negotiable? : ONTHEWING

26-across – European river runs where white castle initially located? : RHONE

27-across – Scientist’s spirit broken by school of players : FARADAY

28-across – 18 and he gets counselling : THERAPY

1-down – Doctor oversees surgical procedures that went a bit wrong : WHOOPS

2-down – Riverside waiter,earring perhaps,with shaved head? : ANGLER

3-down – Smear bit of fish with virus onto vessel : FINGERMARK

4-down – See 19 : ROBOT

5-down – Guard on visits reading novel : GRENADIER

6-down – Romeo in drag? : RAKE

7-down – See 24 : GIVEAWAY

8-down – A victory proving elusive in daring feats – trap set? : DENTURES

13-down – Nearby supply cut by carpenter,say,European and Asian wood : BANYANTREE

15-down – Absence of moral rectitude with which 18 vied : DEPRAVITY

16-down – Slight boo-boo at first,skedaddle : BRUSHOFF

17-down – Nervous say after a fall,stuffing knocked out : AFLUTTER

19-down – It really is me in motorboat at sea! : IMNOTA

20-down – Forward – as one’s behind? : CHEEKY

23-down – Cube,elevation skimmed : EIGHT

24-down – Easy clue: ‘Funeral director’s special offer?’ : DEAD

1-across – Quins getting slaughtered reportedly in this game format : FIVEASIDE

6-across – Take apart resistance with very little money raised : RIPUP

9-across – Transport doctor secures undertaking to show damaging output : CARBONEMISSIONS

10-across – Muck about in street : SCAT

11-across – Casting chum bait overboard? : ABITMUCH

14-across – Examine current wealth declaration that’s provided in court : TESTIMONY

15-across – Resolved to return short communications : NOTES

16-across – Traditional name dropped – it’s a matter of principle : ETHIC

18-across – Made clear: hero moved improperly : DROVEHOME

20-across – Enquiry identifies food included in sample : TRIBUNAL

21-across – Retaliation involves the others : ETAL

25-across – Terribly fat York bachelor the source of hot stuff : THEBACKOFALORRY

26-across – Defence is useless to hold back this woman : SUSIE

27-across – Extended conflict has grafter almost completely apprehensive : TROJANWAR

1-down – Aim is to shrink Fort Custer by half : FOCUS

2-down – Block clergyman over argument : VERBALS

3-down – Common direction of travel after they open border fronts : ATOB

4-down – Thing that makes loving couple … : ITEM

5-down – … irritated by indolent author : ENIDBLYTON

6-down – Got up coloured with optimism : ROSETINTED

7-down – One paid on channel to provide content : PRODUCT

8-down – Issue dispatch ASAP : POSTHASTE

12-down – Put off recording what we’re living though : DISCOURAGE

13-down – British agent satisfied capturing vessel – something that intimidates governments! : BONDMARKET

14-down – America sticks poor material in papers : THESTATES

17-down – They’ll come into estate carrying 50% of feed for livestock : HEIFERS

19-down – Beat in a gunfight with banned move? : OUTDRAW

22-down – Sort of early film : LAYER

23-down – Occasional infusion is required on that basis : IFSO

24-down – Simple form of life spotted in spiral galaxy : ALGA

1-across – Relaxing,interval nearly complete : RESTFUL

5-across – Workman is good but not so hard-working : GLAZIER

9-across – Fish kingfisher finally caught in beak : BRILL

10-across – Shrank,offered another freebie? : RETREATED

11-across – Here’s the state of play: having small heart,pig died : SCOREBOARD

12-across – Incline to be thin : LEAN

14-across – Free cabs sent out for patron : BENEFACTRESS

18-across – Device held by police,the barrel say trembling : BREATHALYSER

21-across – Mass of people in lorry,the first to leave : RUCK

22-across – One in line to become queen was accepted,with knight on hand : PASSEDPAWN

25-across – Time is all wrong for this marketing tool : EMAILLIST

26-across – For one,count boxing as such an art? : NOBLE

27-across – Be keen to fetch range round,for here? : KITCHEN

28-across – Horse meat baked in pastry,plain : PIEBALD

1-down – Strong or,when knocked over,broken : ROBUST

2-down – Miss this musical : SAIGON

3-down – Irregular force that may be out at night : FALSETEETH

4-down – Piece of music popular gospeller introduces : LARGO

5-down – Greets day for moving and prepares : GETSREADY

6-down – A sigh of relief heard,not many : AFEW

7-down – Being so placed is nothing to your credit : INTHERED

8-down – Bad manners of English in undress,playing : RUDENESS

13-down – Towards end of evening,jig around gate : ATTENDANCE

15-down – Effusion from armies regularly upset people : EMANATION

16-down – Taxi from Greece not realistic initially for computer obsessive : UBERGEEK

17-down – Liking to write a melody : PENCHANT

19-down – Letter from prosecutor supporting one simply innocent : LAMBDA

20-down – Definitely denied being replaced : INDEED

23-down – An exercise for you – don’t go to bed : SITUP

24-down – Balderdash,lies and hooey from the start : BLAH

9-across – Old fighter happy I reversed schedule : GLADIATOR

10-across – The writer’s penning line as children’s author : MILNE

11-across – Blind faith in a male deity? Just the opposite : DOGMA

12-across – Trying afresh,male gets absorbed in parental task : REHEARING

13-across – Prior to game of cards,a cut : ABRIDGE

14-across – Author named in expression of surprise : DICKENS

17-across – Republican in charge producing offensive poster : TROLL

18-across – Backed team’s long shot : SIX

19-across – Celia’s name-change? : ALICE

21-across – Lewis,Oxford don and writer : CARROLL

23-across – Befuddled brain taking in article after article from part of Asia : ARABIAN

24-across – Short piece of text in suitable American structure : APPARATUS

26-across – Squeeze using spades in dummy : TWIST

28-across – Robust half of comic duo : HARDY

29-across – Test data? Assesses excessively : OVERRATES

1-down – Old or modern artist endlessly showing up : AGED

2-down – Kind of court that proceeds by leaps and bounds : KANGAROO

3-down – Italian playwright’s storyline mostly about Ireland,oddly : PIRANDELLO

4-down – Serious English or Irish novelist : STERNE

5-down – Dorothy’s largely wrong steer,as usual : ORTHODOX

6-down – Novel part of proof putting off learner at first : EMMA

7-down – A large tree or plant : ALPINE

8-down – Floating object waterbird’s almost turned over : BERG

13-down – Like part of ancient Greece that’s accessible by flights? : ATTIC

15-down – People as created initially in books : CHARACTERS

16-down – Author’s a mug,used to drink a lot : STEIN

18-down – Process yielding mixed results is what you seek : SOLUTION

20-down – Launch minimal review of restaurant : INITIATE

22-down – Write for newspaper about position of left wing : REPORT

23-down – English author sharing pronouncement with state capital : AUSTEN

24-down – A pale cast? Just the opposite : ASHY

25-down – Fish farm,so to speak : RAYS

27-down – Tragic heroine,as Dickinson,say,quaintly concludes : TESS

9-across – Car men possibly needing welding ring AA : OPERA

10-across – Hardcore fans frequently very forgiving? : ULTRASOFT

11-across – Misuse of tacky tape in Yankees’ game : PATTYCAKE

12-across – Stuffed thing in underwear : TEDDY

13-across – Explorer brought back oddly cool plant : TOBACCO

15-across – Dynasty’s leading male produces puzzle : TANGRAM

17-across – 1-0 by the end for Manchester City : LUXOR

18-across – <span>Comeback of </span><i>Twilight</i><span> mostly a bit of froth</span> : SUD

20-across – Sinner’s broken by Norrie at the start and quits : EVENS

22-across – Father working in old juvenile training pants : YFRONTS

25-across – Spooner’s cash balance when things may be on the line? : WASHDAY

26-across – Nothing stops fair contest : JOUST

27-across – Expelled inspectors embarrassed outside pub : DISBARRED

30-across – Dorothy’s aunt and British drunk get involved : EMBROILED

31-across – Main movements of Mendelssohn’s 4th introduced by strings : TIDES

1-down – Block essentially tackled by drain cleaner : SOAP

2-down – Packed lunch from dodgy old Spar : BENTOBOX

3-down – Honey bee swallowed by horse : BABY

4-down – Aussie groundsmen stuck up schedule to feed dogs : CURATORS

5-down – <span>Where you might see </span><i>Neighbours </i><span>actress not finishing on time</span> : STREET

6-down – 1 tip to stop festival succeeded : EASTENDERS

7-down – Snow leopard finally cutting teeth : POWDER

8-down – <span>Supporter beginning to sing </span><i>Flower of Scotland</i> : STAY

13-down – Giveaway on the back of Monopoly set : TELLY

14-down – Businessmen making a return on people’s investment : CORONATION

16-down – Confused footballer on the radio : MESSY

19-down – Negative director upset Sid Owen : DOWNSIDE

21-down – Jackie Corkhill finishes fish in fabulous place : ELDORADO

23-down – Hamburg’s endless winding steps : RHUMBA

24-down – Seat deals flying with Delta : SADDLE

26-down – Young Australian’s delight catching English opener : JOEY

28-down – Defaced information book : ACTS

29-down – Prepared food for heart-throb : DISH