Clues

1-across – Animal research facility upset about mating period : BRUTAL

5-across – ‘Empty’ chap wanting helping, that’s Twist : GYRATION

9-across – To be established, turn up with Vernon : UNPROVEN

10-across – Tense, out of practice – but reliable : TRUSTY

11-across – Maybe New Zealand native dancing is as natural as giving up sex at first! : AUSTRALASIAN

13-across – See 18 : PULL

14-across – Rock movement: country music, essentially, with edge : LANDSLIP

17-across – Cutlery, unless it’s ground? : UTENSILS

18-across – Circus feature draw: access to drink : RING

20-across – Working on research into Old English? The others don’t stand a chance! : ONEHORSERACE

23-across – Road constructed by one-time expert : ADROIT

24-across – Round off Fed double cryptic puzzle : BEFUDDLE

25-across – Elected politician recruits man on paper : INTHEORY

26-across – Time to import grass bloomers : ERRATA

2-down – Gross author, not popular : RANK

3-down – Urinal fitted with tap cover : TARPAULIN

4-down – Liberal whip, very independent at heart : LAVISH

5-down – Military leader on rig forms part of UN : GENERALASSEMBLY

6-down – Strikingly good non-stop chatter : RATTLING

7-down – In effect, Russia’s ex-leader : TRUSS

8-down – One not in need of a bed is not to be considered long-suffering : OUTPATIENT

12-down – English town chasing crime boss : HUNTINGDON

15-down – County almost meets terrible end – right to give up : SURRENDER

16-down – New title has nothing about British book : LIBRETTO

19-down – Package covering very loud sound restrictor : BAFFLE

21-down – I’m surprised about church procuring prohibited drink : HOOCH

22-down – Small parcel opening : SLOT

1-across – Fine weather that came from Berlin : BLUESKIES

6-across – Hoist weight a tiny distance : WINCH

9-across – I’m not prepared to come out with this : ADLIB

10-across – Fact: crook sports a very formal garment : FROCKCOAT

11-across – At halt, a railway is stuck? : STATIONARY

12-across – Power to reject spoiled vote : VETO

14-across – In card game, is Daisy able to speak perhaps? : CANASTA

15-across – Allow to go and be rude to teacher : DISMISS

17-across – Body of potholer a daughter buried : CADAVER

19-across – Inquisitive scoundrel is casing university : CURIOUS

20-across – Wax and massage at end of play : RUBY

22-across – Hungry and sleepy girl who found her comfort zone? : GOLDILOCKS

25-across – Circle Line train cat disturbed, finally caught : ANTARCTIC

26-across – Good landlord offers spirit : GHOST

27-across – Funny rhyme for a term of endearment : HONEY

28-across – The Northern Star edition sharply divided opinion : POLARISED

1-down – Pulses that sound like roots : BEATS

2-down – Ignorant, or deliberately forgotten? : UNLEARNED

3-down – Deferential communication from Captain Nemo? : SUBMISSIVE

4-down – Popular soft drink for princess : INFANTA

5-down – Went off to capture carbon: thoroughly cleaned! : SCOURED

6-down – Come to late party : WAKE

7-down – Is 4 minus 3 two? Not a person answers : NOONE

8-down – You once put in pipes for orangeries, for example : HOTHOUSES

13-down – One predicts you a starry future : ASTROLOGER

14-down – Pest chewed rock in bus : COCKROACH

16-down – Smooth illiterate’s “signature” for military decoration : IRONCROSS

18-down – Exposed position of troop destroyed : ROOFTOP

19-down – Formal new instructions here for leaving : CODICIL

21-down – A stick and a bit of carrot? : BATON

23-down – In place, observed to speak : SITED

24-down – Old city Des goes on to devastate : TROY

1-across – Cash : RAGSTO

4-across – Body, jeepers, exuded fluid! : CORPUS

9-across – Sun with dawn briefly seen : STAR

10-across – Mechanism on bike all rider has used, oddly, when changing : DERAILLEUR

11-across – See 1 : RICHES

12-across – Take a seat in restaurant, perhaps, not beyond solver? : GETTABLE

13-across – Llama and ape scrapping, in goes hard chest-beating primate : ALPHAMALE

15-across – See 8 Down : WITH

16-across – Wait, POTU? : BIDE

17-across – A sign of the swine being completed by cruciverbalist, finally – eureka! : AHAMOMENT

21-across – Ears ain’t in need of treatment – so well? : ARTESIAN

22-across – Exposure of song just written for the radio? : NUDITY

24-across – Flirt cut by villain with end of weapon – as slash seen? : DIAGONALLY

25-across – See 8 Down : CARE

26-across – Boring thing, jacketed male? : GIMLET

27-across – Veep unfamiliar with King Edward, game for the reporter? : QUAYLE

1-down – Another hearing it, rare rare owl’s back : RETRIAL

2-down – Measure of corporation in hindsight, rightfully upset : GIRTH

3-down – Killing in order, not everyone for the dictator? : TIDYSUM

5-down – Number one in head after zero : OPIATE

6-down – Game of cards, simple game where hand thrown in : PELMANISM

7-down – Shriek having lost a companion – it sounds like it sucks : SQUELCH

8-down – Whitehall greed with African trips, that cargo needs protection! : FRAGILEHANDLE

14-down – Wonder if not immediately apparent in fridge magnet? : HIDDENGEM

16-down – Action that brings up taste in food? : BURPING

18-down – Bomb owed, declared however : MINDYOU

19-down – Turn to specious note – that’s what it is? : NOTTRUE

20-down – Intended to give tips on cabriole after simple lifts : FIANCE

23-down – Ailing – like a detective? : DICKY

9-across – Line sauna roughly and make like winter? : ANNUALISE

10-across – Dress up puritanical Priest : PRIMP

11-across – Relevant article in support of stance being curtailed : APROPOS

12-across – More than one player is captivated by redesigned boots : OBOISTS

13-across – Sporting challenge has advertised keen attitude at first : HAKA

14-across – Outcast ditching husband – possibly means to block that, failing to recall meaningful things : PARAMNESIA

16-across – Worry boarding attitude will do for ship’s capacity : TONNAGE

17-across – Firm line taken aboard competition boat : CORACLE

19-across – Kid sailor with answer about parrot : JACKANAPES

22-across – Old Emperor and old King leaving cave : OTTO

24-across – A lot of fog and wet weather leading to cattle disease : MURRAIN

25-across – A small detective seen in pub, confused : INASPIN

26-across – Surplus, no longer a soldier? Tense inside : EXTRA

27-across – What’s dear in France? Alien cooking : CHOUENLAI

1-down – Standard to have a piece of clothing under sloping channel – one aspires to a soft landing : PARACHUTEJUMPER

2-down – Nun moved to go around without money, without respite : UNBROKEN

3-down – Greek character, one in Kipling swallowing up pages : KAPPA

4-down – Tells everyone about speed where planes fly : AIRSPACE

5-down – School body retaining chess expert for game : PELOTA

6-down – Posh joke over attempt to secure senior officer further inland : UPCOUNTRY

7-down – King and unmarried girls – here’s some amorous activity : KISSES

8-down – Posit Asia agenda presented in novel form here? : APASSAGETOINDIA

15-down – Articles about bloke turning up in excellent headgear : PANAMAHAT

17-down – Someone expecting payback about social media user dismissing a Democrat : CREDITOR

18-down – A strike blocking fashionable project : CATAPULT

20-down – Minister’s signal to collar scoundrel : CURATE

21-down – Fine to leave continent having seized new medicinal plant : ARNICA

23-down – Indication of agreement accepted by potential energy recipient : PAYEE

9-across – Penny wears fake Rolexes to impress Romeo, Cook and Drake? : EXPLORERS

10-across – Demo initially lost 950 in wood : LARCH

11-across – Soldiers detain king over communist supporters : GIRDERS

12-across – Engineers uranium inside remains? : RESIDUE

13-across – You ignoramus! Her reckless budget ends in disaster : TRUSS

14-across – Thinks about fireman’s red – is no Chippendale revealed? : CONSIDERS

16-across – Joining record set to be broken following European investment opportunities : EMERGINGMARKETS

19-across – Trial by fire axed to protect independent witness : TESTIFIER

21-across – College fellow left out of story in telegram : CABLE

22-across – I don’t know the answer to strikes – make void? : BEATSME

23-across – Stained fabrics in draw starting to discolour, of course : TIEDYES

24-across – Change the last word down : AMEND

25-across – Language earns poet bucks : ESPERANTO

1-down – It’s most important you and I gain 81 stone : WEIGHTIEST

2-down – During fitting, queen’s certain to lose small opening : APERTURE

3-down – Settlers kennel 10 dogs : BOXERS

4-down – Where to find roses in county : BEDS

5-down – One reviewing moon, star and limits of double quasar : ASTRONOMER

6-down – More glamorous bird, perhaps circling tree : FLASHIER

7-down – Game of golf described by newly-wed : BRIDGE

8-down – Pastry delivered for loafer? : SHOE

14-down – Social worker first punches intelligent support : CANTILEVER

15-down – Deferral of South American allowance : SUSPENSION

17-down – One’s unhappy breaking leg outside in dance movement : GLISSADE

18-down – Shutting in criminal, maybe in top of gaol : EMBAYING

20-down – Remained sober as instructed : STAYED

21-down – Bishop leaves drinks after church in good health : CHEERS

22-down – West starting to break up broadcast : BEAM

23-down – Katy Perry showing character : TYPE