Clues

1-across – Hold up the picnic basket : HAMPER

4-across – Aim to put charged particle on circuit : AMBITION

9-across – Down under in Wales : NEATH

10-across – Developing tendril, for example, is tightly curled : RINGLETED

11-across – He takes the stand to get a fair deal, they say : CABDRIVER

12-across – Scrub article written in Gaelic : ERASE

13-across – All choked up? : FULLTHROTTLE

17-across – Power changed Rene into a strong supporter : STRENGTHENER

20-across – Beast is all right and sounds happy : OKAPI

21-across – Monumental barrage put up by Mother with vacuum cleaner in front : HOOVERDAM

23-across – A long way down to get an acceptable drink : AGOODDROP

24-across – Room at the Top showing in Athens : ATTIC

25-across – Collector equipped with buzzer : HONEYBEE

26-across – Dicky admits being in the thick of it : AMIDST

1-down – Restraint shown by worker on strike : HANDCUFF

2-down – Food for team replacement at dinner-dance : MEATBALL

3-down – Number three is confused : ETHER

5-down – Young person has it at orgy – upset higher faction : MINORITYGROUP

6-down – In part, time will heal the affliction : ILLHEALTH

7-down – Damaged train at railway terminal where immediate action is required : INTRAY

8-down – Odd inclusion in study set-up – agreed? : NODDED

10-down – Let the other guy pay back the fee : REVERSECHARGE

14-down – Until now a mite shady, possibly, about one : TOTHISDAY

15-down – Not rephrased, tune died out : UNIDITED

16-down – Fussy, cute sort gets the best of the meat : PRIMECUT

18-down – Top-up has modified a chemical compound : POTASH

19-down – A red desert? : MAROON

22-down – Get ready for battle – Marne, maybe : ENARM

8-across – Sweet dog Bill Sikes owned : BULLSEYE

9-across – Period for redemption, states article by church : USANCE

10-across – Take off in second gear : SKIT

11-across – Was irresolute, being abandoned and sick at heart : VACILLATED

12-across – Rabble’s downfall : SHOWER

14-across – Recognising gin and tonic ingredients : NOTICING

15-across – It’s usually written to one unable to read it : EPITAPH

17-across – Joined by a sailor – or a parson : SPLICED

20-across – Island off the Needles? : GUERNSEY

22-across – Informally visit doctor at home about a small operation : DROPIN

23-across – Flora vetoing tea break : VEGETATION

24-across – When corruption is about, I show no respect for authority : RIOT

25-across – Spring back after being fired : RECOIL

26-across – Peace-making counsel is put at risk : ENDANGER

1-down – Marine store in Hong Kong? : JUNKSHOP

2-down – Flier without a single chart : PLOT

3-down – We maintain a craftsman : WEAVER

4-down – Sport enclosure : FENCING

5-down – The mark of a finished writer? : FULLSTOP

6-down – Charmian so upset – a drink is needed : MARASCHINO

7-down – Hide or show : SCREEN

13-down – Warn omelet is off, but may still be eaten : WATERMELON

16-down – Fair examinations should be! : PASSABLE

18-down – Growth of conciliation overturned by workers – a bad sign : EVILOMEN

19-down – How schoolboys are punished and journalists recognised? : BYLINES

21-down – Rough? That’s odd : UNEVEN

22-down – Complete exposure of corruption in Dundee : DENUDE

24-down – Small pig has nose tip embedded in furrow : RUNT

1-across – Crusader with authority to include half tertiary males : PETERTHEHERMIT

9-across – Change form of dance with contemporary heart : REMODEL

10-across – Put on new material and get better results : RECOVER

11-across – Same again and do it with time off : DITTO

12-across – Go to work constraining almost all the six to march : GOOSESTEP

13-across – Little boy keeping the law, a lethal quality : VIRULENCE

14-across – Patricia who plays Johnson’s cat : HODGE

15-across – Hat played against neighbours : DERBY

17-across – Attainment of glory in greeting from Mecca, perhaps : HOLYGRAIL

20-across – Italian writings : DECAMERON

22-across – Part of an island or one within call : HAITI

23-across – Old metal with a measure of purity, no longer with us : EXTINCT

24-across – Vehicle turning black and eaten by crow : CARRION

25-across – More lies fabricated in European capital by Tory group : PRIMROSELEAGUE

1-down – Left-wing enthusiastic journalists turning up in the grasp of a lord are captive survivors : PEREDAVIDSDEER

2-down – Devil, cross, in a rage : TEMPTER

3-down – Something that can’t be seen, like Ghosts? : RADIOPLAY

4-down – Headgear for real saint has chemical element : HALOGEN

5-down – Secretion derived from moorhen : HORMONE

6-down – Fabulous bird : ROCHE

7-down – …to Violet and Edward’s at-home : INVITED

8-down – Journey with trustworthy weapon keeping one in pre-Great War pact : TRIPLEALLIANCE

14-down – The arrogance of many hands? : HIGHHORSE

16-down – Person of scale, with money and some territory : RICHTER

17-down – Hamlet’s first speech, not all to his friend : HORATIO

18-down – Early English doctor went a distance in China for a bit of oyster : LINACRE

19-down – Matters from minutes ? something wrong in a sailing layout? : ARISING

21-down – Argentine coming up unchanged : MENEM

1-across – Estimator includes a boat : COASTER

5-across – Vessel requires time in delivery : STEAMER

9-across – Drink with Greek character new in seminar : TEACHIN

10-across – Before the nonsense there’s support for the entertainer : PIERROT

11-across – Hold back fairy caught by cunning insect : DAMSELFLY

12-across – Public sector workers giving up Sunday league : UNION

13-across – Sovereign owns a capital : LHASA

15-across – Fruit produced in a recent development : NECTARINE

17-across – Alewife having cigarette with Perrier? : GASPEREAU

19-across – Rumour about second-class furniture : TABLE

22-across – Little girl conceals stolen loincloth : DHOTI

23-across – Giants rue faked endorsement : SIGNATURE

25-across – A couple’s contract : ABRIDGE

26-across – Rejected expertise about hurt part of the body : TRACHEA

27-across – Endlessly clouting contrived artwork : LINOCUT

28-across – Back ‘urdler following tip : ENDORSE

1-down – Odd dialect in fortress : CITADEL

2-down – Excellent and malicious article overturned complaint : ANAEMIA

3-down – Volunteers dig in lake : TAHOE

4-down – All-round protection for telephone receiver : RINGFENCE

5-down – Mawkish agent out of work : SOPPY

6-down – River separated worker from performer : EXECUTANT

7-down – Swallow iodine in drink : MARTINI

8-down – Staff regret keeping key money : RETINUE

14-down – Radio epic broadcast irregularly : APERIODIC

16-down – In the square obtain oriental vegetable : COURGETTE

17-down – Duck to waddle initially in rancour : GADWALL

18-down – Endlessly display smuggled ornamental pouch : SPORRAN

20-down – Girl wears obscure cosmetic : BLUSHER

21-down – English general accepts tax raise : ELEVATE

23-down – Amiable holy man eats very little : SWEET

24-down – A charge leads to a verdict : AWARD

1-across – Getting quicker collecting amphetamine? : GATHERINGSPEED

9-across – Yet help at broadcast of thought transference? : TELEPATHY

10-across – Refill with plutonium in best container : TOPUP

11-across – Pass the last day nearby : HANDY

12-across – When picked, travelled behind conductor : ELECTRODE

13-across – Harry’s empty satire brought about frenzied laughing : HYSTERIA

14-across – Criticise attempt to find food supplier : PANTRY

17-across – Aren’t bothered about cold, delicious drink : NECTAR

19-across – After refusal, go into church for some dreamy music : NOCTURNE

22-across – Needing weeding finished, gets wrong mixture : OVERGROWN

24-across – Water in Italy, man admitted, is soft : PIANO

25-across – Outcome of this suet pudding being overcooked a bit? : ISSUE

26-across – Declines to pitch rock : FLAGSTONE

27-across – Clergyman accused of treason for dispersing cowardly aliens : CARDINALWOLSEY

1-down – Come to understand how to wallpaper? : GETTHEHANGOFIT

2-down – Stories about conservationists making money once? : TALENTS

3-down – See May changing speed in it, causing complaint? : EMPHYSEMA

4-down – Undaunted, some wanted to appoint rep – I didn’t : INTREPID

5-down – Something to spout about? : GEYSER

6-down – Paddy takes it, being small : PETIT

7-down – Take advantage of divorcee – one in bed! : EXPLOIT

8-down – Hope for both sick people and stranded motorists? : SPEEDYRECOVERY

15-down – Against having ended with duck as an hors d’oeuvre? : ANTIPASTO

16-down – Holidaymakers here call round, worn out : CORNWALL

18-down – Many a male student waves to pensioners here : CHELSEA

20-down – Boys are silly, on top of making excuses : REASONS

21-down – Caught leaving home late in this? : COFFIN

23-down – One wants too much for it : GREED