Clues

1-across – It’s nearly time for bed : NIGHT

4-across – Wave for breakfast? : BRANDISH

8-across – Home of 13 : TUNBRIDGEWELLS

10-across – Norman bishop met the Queen – it shows how far he went : ODOMETER

11-across – Edifice of English bishop : TEMPLE

12-across – Like Mandelson, that is a little damp, aired to press : SPINDRIED

15-across – Smart circle for entertainment of Marxists : CHICO

17-across – Soldier in sex change – one of the 24 : XERES

18-across – Good parts served to be eaten with garlic : GASTROPOD

19-across – Record goes to American in Olympic event : DISCUS

21-across – Take out girl’s deposit : DISLODGE

24-across – Drinks strengthened damaged sinew : FORTIFIEDWINES

25-across – Skill with running water that can be drawn : HANDCART

26-across – Hardback? : STERN

1-down – Comic trio in Exodus may raise a laugh : NITROUSOXIDE

2-down – River Nile – good beat for a boatman : GONDOLIER

3-down – The roundabout quality : THREE

4-down – It’s worrying for head of government to be ordered out on call : BADGERING

5-down – Made redundant by a cross editor : AXED

6-down – Vehicle is cleared for service : DIESELCAR

7-down – County of South African prune : SALOP

9-down – Mode in which you may be addressed : SECONDPERSON

13-down – Chap put up with two others, with extreme annoyance : DISGUSTED

14-down – Maverick daughter isn’t holding a party : DISSIDENT

16-down – Obstruction that’s keeping a politician on the ball : IMPEDANCE

20-down – Car turnover achieved by getting publicity about right : SKODA

22-down – Many sheep will be found in Sussex : LEWES

23-down – Old king of note : OFFA

1-across – Worker on edge for hymn … : ANTHEM

4-across – … or Irish county : ANTRIM

9-across – Once the highest position for an Afghan was a space station : AMIR

10-across – See 12 : NINETYNINE

11-across – No Eton rower when born by right enters backwards : DRYBOB

12-across – Now mostly mime in capitals : NINETEEN

13-across – Burdened dragging pole, so rested : SLUMBERED

15-across – A little peck is seen here : KISS

16-across – It’s common to ponder for an informer : FINK

17-across – Artist destroyed Lost Dream : OLDMASTER

21-across – German tennis player about to take money in sport is well off! : FARFLUNG

22-across – One speeds, say, in the country : RUSSIA

24-across – Correspondence with letters reported : CONSONANCE

25-across – The whole thing can turn around : UNIT

26-across – So-called model horse just originally concealed? : TROJAN

27-across – Exploding bullet sounds doubly 8 : DUMDUM

1-down – Navy high flier or red delicate flier : ADMIRAL

2-down – Pulse in broth : THROB

3-down – Hat almost upside-down the French will honour : ENNOBLE

5-down – Observing naught is heartless : NOTING

6-down – Possums’ call, the reverse call : RINGTAILS

7-down – Girl minded by married woman should exhibit good behaviour : MANNERS

8-down – Marriage without love: inform the single man that’s stupid : UNINTELLIGENT

14-down – Pre-election promises make some faint : MANIFESTO

16-down – Lying down as fast as possible : FLATOUT

18-down – French entertainer’s camera work for Universal : MARCEAU

19-down – Savouring cream for energy, settled on one’s top of the milk : ELITISM

20-down – Twenty-one shillings for fowl … : GUINEA

23-down – … or mollusc : SQUID

9-across – A channel swimmer accepts kiss from great man in history : ALEXANDER

10-across – Commanded by junior : UNDER

11-across – Contracts for polar missiles : NARROWS

12-across – Work’s returning, employs partners : SPOUSES

13-across – Famous composer? Hear, hear : LISZT

14-across – You may get a ride in it, if you’re patient : AMBULANCE

16-across – Source reference provided before the start of the lesson : CHAPTERANDVERSE

19-across – The followers stand here when assembled : ADHERENTS

21-across – Understood one to be in diplomacy : TACIT

22-across – Would it take another like him to be of one mind? : HALFWIT

23-across – He has to exert some pull to make headway : SCULLER

24-across – A nymph puts a spell on one : HOURI

25-across – Container for spread : GREENBELT

1-down – One involved in Asian cult movement in the Caribbean : SAINTLUCIA

2-down – American state banks are to be reorganised : NEBRASKA

3-down – Stew for which soldier has a complaint : RAGOUT

4-down – Final date in the Julian calendar? : IDES

5-down – Metal shackles keep men in step : BRASSBANDS

6-down – Oval jugs made by a foreigner : JUGOSLAV

7-down – Here indeed is one man of genius : EDISON

8-down – Did his influence make Rose change her name? : EROS

14-down – It provides an opportunity for advanced theatrical work : APRONSTAGE

15-down – Choose to speak for the voters : ELECTORATE

17-down – Worn thin perhaps, so it’s included free : THROWNIN

18-down – Runners who jump the gun are not forgotten : RECALLED

20-down – Kind of robbery most likely to occur during rush hours : HOLDUP

21-down – It doesn’t describe the present schoolboy : TRUANT

22-down – The boundary of laughter : HAHA

23-down – Swing – that’s what killers did in olden days : SLEW

1-across – Centre of important docks, say, in London : HARLEYSTREET

8-across – Dismisses UN tours abroad : RUNSOUT

9-across – Instrument causing politician to be in utter disarray : TRUMPET

11-across – The tenacious person’s reserve : TERRIER

12-across – No trees here it’s plain : PRAIRIE

13-across – One well up in what’s legally added : RIDER

14-across – Outline a stupid tax : ADUMBRATE

16-across – King holding a second cut due for a roasting? : CASHEWNUT

19-across – Part of premises a London beautician occupies : SALON

21-across – Stuffy, bald cockney : AIRLESS

23-across – Noisy one making bid : CLAMANT

24-across – Written on once : PAPYRUS

25-across – Substitute traveller’s material : REPLACE

26-across – Don’t tamper with spring : LETWELLALONE

1-down – A good score or several scores : HUNDRED

2-down – About one dock to the North having more space : ROOMIER

3-down – Provide diversion to harbour : ENTERTAIN

4-down – Prepared for winning at tennis? : SETUP

5-down – It repeatedly provides stage murmurs : RHUBARB

6-down – I’m a rep round about the big stores : EMPORIA

7-down – The complaint of a man of letters? : WRITERSCRAMP

10-down – Had the tenner after a flutter in an instant : THEREANDTHEN

15-down – Hives not restricted to apiarists : URTICARIA

17-down – PC rules in order to obtain regard for morality : SCRUPLE

18-down – An arch that can be raised, surprisingly : EYEBROW

19-down – Artificial flower ring for the hair? : SHAMPOO

20-down – Leaves football body in league with penultimate loss : LEAFAGE

22-down – Ropy material in recut sails : SISAL

1-across – For example, enter Deadwood in Calamity Jane? : STAGEDIRECTION

8-across – Fit of pique : EQUIP

9-across – Contrive finish : ENGINEER

11-across – Fruity syrup lacking in pineapple : GRENADE

12-across – Forgetting when sick men can be incontinent : AMNESIA

13-across – Somewhat lethal variety of sweetmeat : HALVA

15-across – Boatman from old region? : GONDOLIER

17-across – Hit woman for spinning odd point in gown : MURDERESS

20-across – Modern party that’s unprepared : ADLIB

21-across – Dub parts of The Return of the Steel Bonnets : ENNOBLE

23-across – What’s carried in silence in sledge : LUGGAGE

25-across – All grapeshot causes disease : PELLAGRA

26-across – Half-hearted council holds money back : TEPID

27-across – Delighted with invitation to strike over low return : PLEASEDASPUNCH

1-down – Big hitter trimmed hedge in prison : SLEDGEHAMMER

2-down – Entertain morning service : AMUSE

3-down – Climbing mountains breaks East European coastal walk : ESPLANADE

4-down – The problem with a small tip? : ICEBERG

5-down – Dye’s earning pots : ENGRAIN

6-down – Bold trapeze artists have this up for projection : TENON

7-down – Those who leave because of firelighter : OVERSPILL

10-down – Short distance runners said inspiration involves many : HAIRSBREADTH

14-down – Developing an allergy of the throat : LARYNGEAL

16-down – Flier operating at sea : ORANGETIP

18-down – Table ornament for everyone, say, in Newcastle : EPERGNE

19-down – Fruit dish in harem? : SULTANA

22-down – Tree giving rise to a plank … : BALSA

24-down – … and another when shut in : ASPEN