Clues

7-across – Parts of hierarchical structure close when wanting week off : ECHELONS

9-across – Text written about everyone’s underwear : SMALLS

10-across – Chance meeting of Liberal and Conservative in country : LUCK

11-across – Derestricted final agreement leads to collapse : CONCERTINA

12-across – Ingenious description of gallery? : ARTFUL

14-across – What makes dreams come true repels me in a way? : REMSLEEP

15-across – Study tense journalist suffering from depression? : DENTED

17-across – Striking man lives next door to a crime boss : ADONIS

20-across – Supporter impedes talkshow hosts : PEDESTAL

22-across – Seed mainly spread by South American plant : SESAME

23-across – Quickly read ‘Joins in matrimony’ aloud in shock : SCANDALISE

24-across – Knockout left Henry lying about cause of black eyes : KOHL

25-across – Member of school ignoring head and going wrong : ERRING

26-across – Chilling effect on being in vulnerable position financially : EXPOSURE

1-down – Received caller’s first question mid-broadcast : ACQUIRED

2-down – Try to find person with faith in hearing : SEEK

3-down – Depressed US state good for corporation? : LOWCAL

4-down – Greatly respected guide meets explorer returning from the interior : ESTEEMED

5-down – Stewed rat eaten by mad English people like us : EARTHLINGS

6-down – Games lesson introducing breathing apparatus for diving activity : PLUNGE

8-down – Ordered to go with railway guard : SENTRY

13-down – Digital protection that’s reduced by using certain files? : FINGERNAIL

16-down – Separate established area where animal is found : ESTRANGE

18-down – County welcomes measure of current growth in coastal regions : SAMPHIRE

19-down – Almost every tree is growing at high altitudes : ALPINE

21-down – Intrusion prevention mechanism in key address resolution protocols originally : ESCARP

22-down – Member of high society who’s no social climber : SHERPA

24-down – Briefly meet notorious band : KISS

1-across – Releasing gas including hydrogen : FARTHING

5-across – Almost devoured some bananas nearby : ATHAND

9-across – Diagram of dessert with mostly poorly mixed filling : FLOORPLAN

11-across – What remains of a public speaking platform : STUMP

12-across – Cryptic clue: ‘Moocher’s artistic feature’ : COLOURSCHEME

15-across – A piece, when put together, found in tea chest : EACH

16-across – Current – energy + time, figuratively and in symbols : AMPERSANDS

18-across – Veg and fruit nutcase takes in the wrong way : PEARLONION

19-across – Saint engaged in bowel movement : ELMO

21-across – Break up fog with a green concoction : SPLITPEASOUP

24-across – Titled person’s bad mood after losing head : OWNER

25-across – On camera, I whipped up a drink : AMERICANO

26-across – By and large, Oscars host Ellen comes back calm and restful : SERENE

27-across – Bawdy record, what a jazz musician may produce : BLUENOTE

1-down – Instrument composed of elements 9, 53 and 26 : FIFE

2-down – Bird seen in a corner? : ROOK

3-down – Dessert, for the most part, is tart : HARLOT

4-down – In no man’s land, Lee shot world leader : NELSONMANDELA

6-down – TT’s precedent-setter? : TESTCASE

7-down – A smart-alecky fish? That ain’t right : ACUTEANGLE

8-down – Electronic news media captivated by Céline’s economic woes : DEPRESSION

10-down – Calmness : NERVESOFSTEEL

13-down – Rotten bunch’s drunken exploits on board ship : SEXPISTOLS

14-down – ER’s namesake’s one sadly unrecognisable after bugs removed : OCEANLINER

17-down – Force on trial wrongfully, but this straightens things out : FLATIRON

20-down – It’s rough to turn up with a blind trio : PUMICE

22-down – Yoga instructor bends over backwards to accommodate Shakespearean : IAGO

23-down – Form of oxygen, oxygen absent in space : ZONE

1-across – Bat around wicket heading glances away from cover : WANDER

5-across – Drying-room pipe that’s 25.4 microns internally : HOTHOUSE

9-across – American workforce embracing impressive US dog : LABRADOR

10-across – Procrastinator shuns Germany in high-level 13 : ELAYER

11-across – Innately study info linked to large country houses : CONGENITALLY

13-across – Working after turning north, back from Bible belt : ZONE

14-across – Bundling, say, Roy and Heather together : HUDDLING

17-across – Bound to incorporate map for rapid transport : JETPLANE

18-across – I’ve been stupid about beginning to save money : DOSH

20-across – Right – not, vice versa, wrong : CONSERVATIVE

23-across – Songs of Praise in España translated : PAEANS

24-across – Book half a hotel on 3rd and 4th of June : NEHEMIAH

25-across – Most obvious nuisance, note, among cuts : PLAINEST

26-across – Arbitrary number checked by sharp staff includes one small digit : PINKIE

2-down – Hero’s cross, mostly open up-front : AJAX

3-down – Budget papers boosted feverish chapter : DIRTCHEAP

4-down – Maybe rat’s lair beset by decay : RODENT

5-down – What attracts sick hatemongers outside Oxford? : HORSESHOEMAGNET

6-down – Article on Charlie Parker’s film : THEBIRDS

7-down – D-Day objective that’s now clear following order : OMAHA

8-down – It’ll emerge from sulphur left in furrow overwhelmed by poo : SMELLINESS

12-down – Closely pursuing dodgy exploits at No.1 after release of fake pix : NOSETOTAIL

15-down – Liberal ideas shocked mum’s new Lothario : LADIESMAN

16-down – Design fine publicity I will shortly read out : FAIRISLE

19-down – He’s committed to see AC/DC on grass : BISHOP

21-down – Flower stems, section of Turk’s Cap, identified : SCAPI

22-down – Judge’s first question covering promotion : QADI

7-across – Kid after shave primarily, one using scissors : SNIPPER

8-across – A tinker spattered substance in hair : KERATIN

9-across – Spot trimmed by the ears : OTIC

10-across – Massaging of pate with blue rinse initially respected : REPUTABLE

12-across – Step by step in Cuba, taking little bits of moustache and my beard off : MAMBO

13-across – Host has caught male 5 down? : CHAIRMAN

15-across – Do not cope with right jerks! : ETON

16-across – Scorer, hairy lips and bust : HAYDN

17-across – See 15 : CROP

18-across – Skinhead has issue, I note : SEMITONE

20-across – Trim off goatee finally, one of those worn by bishop : MITRE

21-across – Christening baby after rear wiped, bun on it combed back first : BAPTISMAL

22-across – Organ in doll originally shaved off : INDY

24-across – Whinge about this Latin style : MOHICAN

25-across – Style of workers’ accommodation? : BEEHIVE

1-down – Tangle of hair by no means under discussion? : KNOT

2-down – Pieces with mane oddly plaited, for example : SPECIMEN

3-down – Eccentric hairstyle on which barrier placed : WEIRDO

4-down – Stop and check locks in tsar when unruly : RESTRAIN

5-down – Cutter and scorer : BARBER

6-down – Get food stuck in beard, in eating : DINE

11-down – Jumbo, say, tender daughter has filled in style : PACHYDERM

12-down – Length of some tress? : METRE

14-down – Love fringes on amigo with red waves : ADORE

16-down – Thug knocking over John and Henry, one with crew cut : HOOLIGAN

17-down – In which fur sent flying with Spooner’s big bird? : CATFIGHT

19-down – Rascal with mop going bald, hurt : IMPAIR

20-down – Swimming style? : MULLET

21-down – Slip over in style : BOOB

23-down – Princess sends old queen up in style : DIVA

9-across – Dog to get soaked, with energy plunging into Thames? : RETRIEVER

10-across – Husband, a fellow getting cheated : HADON

11-across – Show disdain for old Tory PM being moved aside? : SHUNTED

12-across – Model gets to change outside uni : VARSITY

13-across – Student shrewd, when missing English : TUTEE

14-across – Thus expert gets to study type of food : SODABREAD

16-across – Holy man with holy book in infinite series! : CARDINALNUMBERS

19-across – Celebrate new opera in city : SINGAPORE

21-across – Basket – more or less what angler needs : CREEL

22-across – Mark given to French waiter? : CEDILLA

23-across – See 20 Down : DORRIES

24-across – Mythical king having children right away : MINOS

25-across – A girl they fancy from a great distance : LIGHTYEAR

1-down – Supports a great deal resulting from hard facts : BRASSTACKS

2-down – Good person, Christmas composer – one walking with pride : STRUTTER

3-down – Baby left surrounded by endless rubbish : LITTLE

4-down – Zealous shepherd boy losing his head : AVID

5-down – Denver cop, I worked in another state capital : PROVIDENCE

6-down – Revolutionary facing difficulty with one maiden and little angels? : CHERUBIM

7-down – Like mad, running around with anger : ADMIRE

8-down – Resentment shown by loveless messenger : ENVY

14-down – The main disciple, friend only during part of the year? : SEASONALLY

15-down – Fifty gatecrashing party, certain to make breaking news? : DISCLOSURE

17-down – Suddenly at home a fellow gets hit : INAFLASH

18-down – Before, little kids would be folk locked away? : EREMITES

20-down – Ex-MP reined in – sad or mad? : NADINE

21-down – Mysterious traces – signs when things have been missing : CARETS

22-down – Take care of mum in state of unconsciousness : COMA

23-down – Excavations revealing living quarters : DIGS