Clues

9-across – Subject described by improper noun, an option to consume? : ONTHEMENU

10-across – As aging rocker, grossly hirsute originally, I’m tearing my hair out! : AARGH

11-across – Brace having held one log that’s loose, shelter built in the woods : TWIGLOO

12-across – Wrong content in parcels, send a batch back : BADNESS

13-across – With that, odd number is even for the present time : NOEL

14-across – First of fruit dark, like a kiwi, say? : FLIGHTLESS

16-across – See 15 Down : OUTLOUD

17-across – A bluebottle stuck in prune drink : ALCOPOP

19-across – Someone choosing anagram of ‘Chile’ in flier? : HELICOPTER

22-across – Floor was whiffy when rear wiped : STUN

24-across – Song and dance don’t stop? : CARRYON

25-across – On the podium if not after flipping, gymnastic star gets medal, finally : ROSTRAL

26-across – Scrap approach : RUNIN

27-across – Westernmost city in Florida Panhandle, no place as far out : PENSACOLA

1-down – Corrupt in double time, seemingly? : ROTTENTOTHECORE

2-down – Grating fifth of cheese, sharp object : STRIDENT

3-down – Butcher, a geezer : FELLA

4-down – Ground slippery, suddenly sprang back : RECOILED

5-down – Sweet cuddle when knelt before Spooner? : HUMBUG

6-down – Standard enclosures second : YARDSTICK

7-down – Reportedly more than one cheese in piece of cake? : BREEZE

8-down – Rock nihilists’ spat, a nadir for group in film : THISISSPINALTAP

15-down – Purpose of megaphone, dammit! : FORCRYING

17-down – Anomalous, a bug fed endless fruit : ABERRANT

18-down – See 23 : PETERSON

20-down – Discontented alligator prodding cat in some box? : LARYNX

21-down – Models, just over three turned up : PINUPS

23-down – Fitter lad crushed by big old player? : OSCAR

1-across – Vin rosé in the Bible? : REVISEDVERSION

9-across – Oscar-winning movie fans kidnap a group of sailors : ARGONAUTS

10-across – Rainstorm floods top of dance floor : NADIR

11-across – Militia raid captures crown : TIARA

12-across – Hulk’s smuggling crude oil for rough gang : HOOLIGANS

13-across – In dire need, sex is called for : ENTAILED

14-across – Legal protection, plain as day : PATENT

17-across – Cat that’s spotted in the midst of grocery parcel : OCELOT

19-across – Ill-treated ailments in uncaring workplace : SALTMINE

22-across – Can’t sleep in bunk at a sometimes raucous affair : LIESAWAKE

24-across – A stride without delay : APACE

25-across – Audio puzzle – or what it may consist of : MAIZE

26-across – Reconciliation for Democrat, one mentally not all there : ATONEMENT

27-across – Argues in bad taste with boy, then strangely ceases : STATESONESCASE

1-down – Speak disparagingly of Danish outfit’s almost burning dish : ROASTLEGOFLAMB

2-down – State ‘Former president’s a bum!’ : VAGRANT

3-down – Romanians deployed to enclave : SANMARINO

4-down – Issue when beating up the guard : DAUGHTER

5-down – Railway station in Texas city announced by Cockney : EUSTON

6-down – Mountain covered by pianist from the East : SINAI

7-down – Sr., probably? : ODDSARE

8-down – Greek pentathletes injured, but perform bravely : GRASPTHENETTLE

15-down – Toothless bunch jury-rigged snare, snagging boob : ANTEATERS

16-down – Head wound where oceans meet : CAPEHORN

18-down – Gray’s one with criminal ties around portion of Turkey : ELEGIST

20-down – Beer, I agree, is hoisted at beach : IPANEMA

21-down – Bowman’s Spanish abode on the outskirts of Las Palmas : CASALS

23-down – Active ingredient at the heart of printer’s ink colour : AGENT

1-across – Oddly easier having first dealt with revolutionary Big Mac ingredient : PROCESSEDCHEESE

9-across – The woman making rare move to become Match of the Day pundit? : SHEARER

10-across – Workable if making a design essentially obvious : VISIBLE

11-across – Try to get whiskey glasses : WOO

12-across – Biggest part of Last Leg is starting with introduction from Adam Hills nailing MPs? : LEGISLATORS

13-across – Long-term strategy to control most of factory : MASTERPLAN

15-across – Channel took off by the sound of it : FLUE

18-across – Having removed embarrassing smell, scientist brought back stink : NIFF

20-across – Stupidly repeat cycle ignoring tip from Noddy Holder : RECEPTACLE

23-across – Perhaps Prince covers No. 1 from Peter Gabriel – ultimately having a try in various keys? : ARCHIPELAGO

25-across – Kid’s newspaper : RAG

26-across – Sketch crocodile for opening : PROFILE

27-across – Mackintosh possibly breaks – how many bits are missing? : SHOWMAN

28-across – The idiotic teen clarified it : DEFINITEARTICLE

1-down – Steep climbs with number on crew who can deliver : POSTWOMAN

2-down – Taxing cash after banks rejected gold put up by America : ONEROUS

3-down – Occasionally meant wound is recorded : ENROLLED

4-down – Sierra regularly parking under branch : SPRIG

5-down – Shock retrospective rescued gallery : DEVASTATE

6-down – Hard once a state captures a soldier : HUSSAR

7-down – Involve ball going into middle of green when spun : EMBROIL

8-down – Pitchers meanwhile throw the quicker balls last of all : EWERS

14-down – Scramble panda car using energy to cover every area with time to complete previous case : PRECEDENT

16-down – Appearance made by em-cee performing without right info : EMERGENCE

17-down – Rose in bloom was obvious : STOODOUT

19-down – Bother to hide business leader’s confrontation : FACEOFF

21-down – Hundreds taking time on motorway in China : CERAMIC

22-down – Primate is upset with bishop, say, touring Italy : SIMIAN

23-down – Journalist supporting American politician is excited : AMPED

24-down – Reversing Skoda estate, somewhat lost : ATSEA

1-across – Remind actor to be punctual : PROMPT

4-across – Tasteless dip is in preparation : INSIPID

9-across – Mark that shows one has passed : FOOTPRINT

10-across – Appropriate evidence from ballot paper one has voted for princess? : ANNEX

11-across – Conclude wearing mink will be picked up : INFER

12-across – Bit of luck perhaps after finding this on the hoof : HORSESHOE

13-across – Such a wealthy family unlikely to be Republicans? : ROYALTY

15-across – Page I’m to edit, a flyer in black and white : MAGPIE

17-across – After massage on back go for physical exercise : BURPEE

19-across – Content indicator has husband horribly aghast : HASHTAG

22-across – Brazen, say, you steal an outhouse : UNABASHED

24-across – Somewhat inappropriate to buy on this : APPRO

26-across – Grey with worry that’s serious : GREAT

27-across – From an earlier age one has moved into Chile : NEOLITHIC

28-across – One out of work on Scottish island : RETIREE

29-across – A particular method to make such a mirror : ONEWAY

1-down – Inhaling one, smoker becomes more bloated : PUFFIER

2-down – Switch positions without consistency : ONOFF

3-down – One is responsible for gripping pages : PAPERCLIP

4-down – Provisional team I am to join : INTERIM

5-down – Auction includes hard rock : SHALE

6-down – I have many gods, a nature one above all? : PANTHEIST

7-down – Daughter at cathedral city losing some energy: nothing sinister about this : DEXTER

8-down – Hit gym for exercise to get strong : MIGHTY

14-down – What to do for new baby? Anything : YOUNAMEIT

16-down – Grand Eastern terminus in development? : GESTATION

18-down – Struggling, hence an upgrade needed : ENHANCE

19-down – Hound is down regularly in this bay : HUDSON

20-down – Rather like Marx to be bad-tempered : GROUCHY

21-down – Townsman drops hot snack : BURGER

23-down – Looking for roof-beam to be shortened at one end : AFTER

25-down – Contemptuous expression putting pressure on playwright : PSHAW

9-across – Old TV station introducing original character of Phoebe to Friends : ALLYPALLY

10-across – Knocked about and flayed, most feverish fight : SETTO

11-across – Weed guzzling vodka initially, then claret, hung over : HOVERED

12-across – A meat cut for seafood : ABALONE

13-across – Stone in middle knocked out of game : RUBY

14-across – Some idle chat about nation in western Europe, leader bringing democracy to country further east : LECHWALESA

16-across – Figure detailing the pain of spelling? : HEXAGON

17-across – Essentially vocal void, national anthem : OCANADA

19-across – Prison meal, awfully cold : IMPERSONAL

22-across – See 3 Down : TYRE

24-across – Ground where building of a hotel interrupted by flock of geese? : THEOVAL

25-across – Beethoven’s Fourth eclipsed by the one before – exciting stuff? : EROTICA

26-across – Red flag appropriated by Centre, Labour heading to the right? : ALERT

27-across – Really a lagoon needs emptying out – 99%? : NEARLYALL

1-down – Scrooge’s nemesis, perhaps, from Thatcherism’s far right? No! : FATHERCHRISTMAS

2-down – Where radioactive material handled, zero fed to British beef? : GLOVEBOX

3-down – Corporation in fight, yet switched on : SPARE

4-down – Fifty during shift working for club : BLUDGEON

5-down – Why parking has blocked English city back road, say : BYPATH

6-down – Capital wretched under leader in Sunak, a country upset about that : ISLAMABAD

7-down – Content leaving skirt and dress, flasher? : STROBE

8-down – A warren circled by bears and bull, OMG! : TOTESAMAZEBALLS

15-down – Needle in crypt cut through stone : AGGRAVATE

17-down – Headless shape, disembodied woman often asked in for test : ORALEXAM

18-down – Singular inequity ultimately in redistribution of capital : ATYPICAL

20-down – Policeman, stripper : PEELER

21-down – Something brewing perhaps in Licence to Kill epic : OOLONG

23-down – Very merry marine : JOLLY