Author name: crosswordanswers

8-across – Strike top and bottom : HEADBUTT

9-across – Bouquet in Rome,as they say there : AROMA

10-across – Gathering for a drink by the sound of it : BEVY

11-across – $500 loan girl’s arranged : DOLLARSIGN

12-across – New edition of Proust causing bewilderment : STUPOR

14-across – So-called Philistine : CLERIHEW

15-across – Radical start of divisive racist movement : DRASTIC

17-across – Weapon kept by those people : THEARMY

20-across – Personal hint : INTIMATE

22-across – In bed,agreed to be most reserved : COYEST

23-across – Standard message returned to nearest vacant house : PARLIAMENT

24-across – Ask cop why not get naked in this part of London : SOHO

25-across – Mope having prepared tea,say? : BROOD

26-across – I got rid of vehicle first and disappeared : VANISHED

1-down – Traitor getting fed up with East End bully : DEFECTOR

2-down – Going through vapid lyrics without enthusiasm : IDLY

3-down – Rising repercussion of crime : MURDER

4-down – It’s about a leaning in characters,primarily : ITALICS

5-down – Tarzan? He abandoned noted birthplace : NAZARETH

6-down – Disadvantages seen with crime plot : CONSPIRACY

7-down – Group of flyers finding something funny with broken leg : GAGGLE

13-down – Horse rider and bike rider’s location: touring the East of Germany : POSTILLION

16-down – Upset as an agricultural worker may be : INAPADDY

18-down – Trouble for spy boss? : MISCHIEF

19-down – Booklet and what follows : RESERVE

21-down – Mounting desire to steal underwear in this neighbourhood : NEARBY

22-down – Alluding to glimpse when caught : CITING

24-down – Therefore very mediocre : SOSO

7-across – Two-thirds of Bath is let out in 13/18 : THISTLE

8-across – Violet Elizabeth’s evergreens not available – or they’re mostly lost in 13/18 : FIRTHOF

9-across – Beggar belief at first,smothered by short cry … : HOBO

10-across – … to ban cheat in writing? : PROSCRIBE

12-across – The state of an Antrim river : MAINE

13-across – Town clears off old wrecks for a song : FLOWEROF

15-across – <i>Monsters,Inc. </i><span>has part for Edge</span> : INCH

16-across – See 8 : FORTH

17-across – Remove from flight: early sign of pregnancy : BUMP

18-across – See 13 : SCOTLAND

20-across – See 24 : LEITH

21-across – After scam,South African party’s in a mess – it was ever thus : CONSTANCY

22-across – Flag cut in return of Irish MP’s bill : DEBT

24-across – 13/18 misrepresented elite – for what? : WATEROF

25-across – Shed tears after empty aquifer found to hold nothing? It’s not like that : AFARCRY

1-down – Southern peninsula – get out of here! : SHOO

2-down – Surprise when century is first hundred : ASTONISH

3-down – Pass – despite online error? : ELAPSE

4-down – Protective layer for fool in grip of Hi-Lo fever : OILCLOTH

5-down – Struggle of five in difficult resit : STRIVE

6-down – Pry? That makes sense : NOSE

11-down – Put your shoe on,professor : OXFORDDON

12-down – Crazy commanding officer? : MANIC

14-down – Low back – acid test of welly? : OOMPH

16-down – Portion made by breaking bread : FRACTION

17-down – Athletic feats keeping horses on track : BLINDERS

19-down – Tired – knackered – embracing unknown number – here? : TINDER

20-down – Mitigate risk of fire : LAYOFF

21-down – Layer Cake : COAT

23-down – 13/18’s bloody start to Ashes? : BURN

8-across – Operation? It’s recalled in entertaining scam : FUNCTION

9-across – Way to contain heartless evil? Prepare to fire again : RELOAD

10-across – Encounter poor horse : BUMPINTO

11-across – Composed piano line that’s sharp : PLACID

12-across – Smart behaviour: vital part needs twist to work : QUICKWITTEDNESS

15-across – That chap’s seizing English ancient monument : HENGE

16-across – Demanding performer stands beside new bed : DIVAN

20-across – Welcomes new ideas – is still producing coal,mostly by day : KEEPSANOPENMIND

21-across – US drink – intend coming back to consume seconds : MIMOSA

23-across – Underwear items about to be removed in clubs : BRASSIES

25-across – Location of setter’s name? Tell joke about it – not half : DOGTAG

26-across – One sea swirling in major event covering large area : EPIDEMIC

1-down – Cloudy burial mound with top hidden in cloud : CUMULUS

2-down – What leads to misplaced refractor? It means extra work : SCOPECREEP

3-down – Pieces encapsulating current attitude : MIEN

4-down – Officer on street blocking large expenditure items : ONCOSTS

5-down – One from larger family,I’m last to dance such as waltz? : TRIPLETIME

6-down – Some fanciful name for bone in wing : ULNA

7-down – Communist leader,guzzling sherries,disposing of Nationalist criminal : MAFIOSO

13-down – Comedian’s good one repeated in Australian city : WAGGAWAGGA

14-down – Trawler’s equipment cut,with ship surrounded by troops – collisions avoided : NEARMISSES

17-down – Vegetarian’s opening no function that’s dished up meat : VENISON

18-down – <span>Broad projection involving </span><i>Times</i><span> beginning to recruit influence in Parliament?</span> : LOBBYER

19-down – International difficulties elevated for now : INTERIM

22-down – Unwilling to forgo large bond : OATH

24-down – Song’s introduction missed in item from West Side Story : ARIA

1-across – Choose a line to read out for villain : PICARO

4-across – Reportedly,army post was combative : FOUGHT

9-across – Meet character in Jack,say : FACE

10-across – Hustler,1 Down nabs fresh bun with tea : MOUNTEBANK

11-across – Delicate material put out on time : TISSUE

12-across – Player in turn penning one article after another : THESPIAN

13-across – Nobody in fact? : STATISTIC

15-across – See 9 : CARD

16-across – Female relative in grandma? Untrue : AUNT

17-across – Old tennis player with effortlessness defending Act of Congress : LENDLEASE

21-across – Archer perhaps with string as tight : STARSIGN

22-across – What I find tender in Indian city? : MYSORE

24-across – 1 Down on back of cow – something afoot? : WELLINGTON

25-across – Native Americans shaving 1 Down : HOPI

26-across – Organ in song amplified : LIFTED

27-across – 1 Down fed a herb : BORAGE

1-down – Part taken by 12 Across is torturous for player : PIANIST

2-down – Musical overture from concert 1 Down : CHESS

3-down – As hat may be when lacking an edge,lacking an edge – lacking an edge! : RIMLESS

5-down – Valve released in reverse? : OUTLET

6-down – Fly open,ably sorted out after last bit of wiggling : GOBYPLANE

7-down – Cheers before drunk drank – pint in that? : TANKARD

8-down – Mark on musical score held,Estonian duets played : SUSTAINEDNOTE

14-down – Retuned,cornet went briefly – would that be symbolic for 1 Down? : TENORCLEF

16-down – 1 Down secures first place in competition – to be a decent player? : ACTWELL

18-down – 1 Down inspiring good singer : DOMINGO

19-down – That man overcome by mood,part of ode sung : STROPHE

20-down – Mouse wee in one’s ear? : MINNIE

23-down – Southern bloke cut short defending wife – ‘e flipped? : SCHWA

9-across – Chance to happen,as you announced in gallery,on drawing : EVENTUATE

10-across – Location for dicey games lacking excitement,we hear : BOARD

11-across – Probability in relating to one sense organ – or another : OPTIC

12-across – Origin of theme in Brendan’s collection – they can be hard to solve : MYSTERIES

13-across – Associated with probability one can tire when wrecked : CERTAIN

14-across – Bet on way of escaping and withdraw : BACKOUT

17-across – Wager I had placed inside – it helps one clean up : BIDET

18-across – Not enough,as cash – toss for it : SHY

19-across – A non-English type in English course that offers better opportunities : ASCOT

21-across – Poet having change of heart is opportunist : CHANCER

23-across – Diplomacy’s about constant plans to reduce risk : TACTICS

24-across – Embezzles or gambles after initial loss : PECULATES

26-across – Player out of luck,perhaps? Not so far losing head : LOSER

28-across – Uncertain news from France I don’t broadcast : ONDIT

29-across – Company losing little time before a week-end? It has some chance of success : GUESSWORK

1-down – Minimum probability one can get out of maze,roughly : ZERO

2-down – Person risking money on form of Edward is beaten : BETTERED

3-down – Calm about players including husband – it’s randomly determined : STOCHASTIC

4-down – Stake a lot – mostly that’s nonprofessional : LAYMAN

5-down – Within bounds of possibility,female having no difficulty ensnaring bachelor : FEASIBLY

6-down – Accomplished what’s likely after 24 down : ABLE

7-down – Place for gambling in which cash is not always endless : CASINO

8-down – Probability of dice delivering six initially : ODDS

13-down – Like simple random number generator,sugar? : CUBIC

15-down – Perfectly played in part of church,with female ending : CHANCELESS

16-down – Betting system’s takes : TOTES

18-down – Contract overturned in random long-term plan : STRATEGY

20-down – Approach counter in gaming club and drink : CHIPSHOT

22-down – A wrong card,bridge player concludes,for game situation : ARCADE

23-down – Decisively raised a little bit of money – wasn’t easy : TOSSED

24-down – A little difficulty? Before 6,it’s to be expected : PROB

25-down – Something drawn using paper a great deal? : LOTS

27-down – Playboy that takes in money at roulette table : RAKE