Daily Answers

7-across – Spartan friend at heart : BASICALLY

8-across – Islander agreed in Munich to accompany vehicle : JAVAN

9-across – Divert kids and react excitedly : SIDETRACK

10-across – Blunt force ultimately shown by military,one sailor dismissed? : EMILY

12-across – Nancy’s in the Centre again : ENCORE

13-across – Officer content listening to match : COINCIDE

16-across – Extend beyond and above the knees : OVERLAP

19-across – Pet and grope swimmer : CATFISH

22-across – Outsider with sexy trousers? : LONGSHOT

25-across – When up this might conceal courage : BOTTLE

27-across – Finished once more supplying buttered,identical sandwiches : REDID

28-across – Couple again hands to those who put things right : REPAIRMEN

29-across – Double top : TWICE

30-across – Son said: ‘I’m ordering for entrée’ : ADMISSION

1-down – Budget period lacking information provider : RATION

2-down – Dire roof needing repair,this might prevent disaster : FIREDOOR

3-down – Author caught in Welsh town : BARRIE

4-down – Everyman is a former English footballer : ALLCOCK

5-down – Singer turned up with coat,it was found over the road : TARMAC

6-down – Songbird exhausted eating each of ants at first : BALLAD

11-down – Family essentially returned to capital : LIMA

14-down – One-time British company involved in pharmaceutic industry : ICI

15-down – The cycling character : ETH

16-down – Product from well-limited stews : OIL

17-down – Tense,absent from school for a long time : EON

18-down – Native American ignoring a priest suffering : ACHE

20-down – Art school briefly enjoyable before travelling,not being old : FUTURISM

21-down – Comes to by nurses : ATTENDS

23-down – Numbers of consecutive punches : ONETWO

24-down – Girl suppressing a long hiccup : GLITCH

25-down – Supporter against FA banning children in large republic : BRAZIL

26-down – Hole up in sound mattress : LIELOW

1-across – Exhibit in lawsuit after beastly female steals husband : SHOWCASE

5-across – Worker in taxi from Cambridge : CANTAB

9-across – Freedom of man getting married; not good after bender : ELBOWROOM

11-across – Cut grass to scorch : SINGE

12-across – They waited on Dua Lipa rumours circulating : PARLOURMAIDS

15-across – Work with nurse for free : OPEN

16-across – One might make cut: legend spotted around part of golf course : KEYHOLESAW

18-across – Well-known spin bowler is adjusting length,primarily after deliveries : PROVERBIAL

19-across – Swinger in party with men : DOOR

21-across – Critical cases from pandemic,rest needing treatment : PREDICAMENTS

24-across – Talk over split with wife,finally : ORATE

25-across – Take out in afternoon: empty tabernacle after mass by Priest : ELIMINATE

26-across – Drug case for Supreme Court : SEDATE

27-across – Finish perhaps with German bomb : EGGSHELL

1-down – Start to make out with date : SEED

2-down – Eyeballs letter at start of overdraft by bank : ORBS

3-down – Company tense around wages,initially: every year stock dropping? : COWPAT

4-down – Carry knife: it might stick out of back : SHOULDERBLADE

6-down – Fit device shortly after clot : ASSEMBLE

7-down – Fault at net making return: that woman receives no points in this? : TENNISSHOE

8-down – Defensive formation: animal calling across river : BREASTWORK

10-down – Inviting German without getting dressed up : MOUTHWATERING

13-down – Very excited getting cuddles: they might get laid on table : SOUPSPOONS

14-down – Outside of baseline with tennis stroke up front : BEFOREHAND

17-down – Local to let ecstasy tablets pass around – on the contrary : RESIDENT

20-down – Takes off small bloomers while walking : STRIPS

22-down – Tiny tot born: lend a hand,curtly : BABE

23-down – Heath was defeated : FELL

1-across – Joke about Conservative in T. Blair ridiculously amusing thing – British system often breaking down? : PUBLICTRANSPORT

9-across – Butcher giving yours truly a butt end of ham in batter : MEATMAN

10-across – Rubbish plant : RHUBARB

11-across – Gosh,3/8 of 16 down? : EEK

12-across – Person encouraging Welshman to fill vacancy in Tonypandy saw application? : TREESURGERY

13-across – Lover with sensation in tool : NUTCRACKER

15-across – A short riddle that seems very unlikely! : ASIF

18-across – Stamp nothing on wood : LOGO

20-across – Criminal speaking French,very successful student : TRESPASSER

23-across – In the course of confab,one topic known to provide grievance : ABONETOPICK

25-across – Get a move on,one leaving Waterloo : RUN

26-across – Getting tired initially,man with head on recliner lying back : RECEIPT

27-across – Pull to keep secure in traction : DRAWING

28-across – Case of passenger resilience came with travel when forced – onto this? : RAILREPLACEMENT

1-down – Demon bird breaking surface of perennial plant : PIMPERNEL

2-down – See 6 : BRACKET

3-down – Green carpet over river,one mile ahead : IMMATURE

4-down – Touch what may be sharpened in prong : TINGE

5-down – Apparent offenders ending in hellfire after others saved by God : ARRESTEES

6-down – Mark of literature half read amid loud squawking of chicks? : SQUARE

7-down – Asses in that way carrying king’s daughter uphill : ONAGERS

8-down – Cat-flaps so? : TABBY

14-down – Ginger root with cream : CARROTTOP

16-down – Period dedicated to uncharitable banking institution’s ending : FORTNIGHT

17-down – Chest hidden in London tree – somewhere in that city : PARKLANE

19-down – Greek character after starter from Greece,certainly not cold Italian food : GNOCCHI

21-down – See 28 Across : SERVICE

22-down – Wrinkly,I don trousers : SENIOR

23-down – River has run drier : AIRER

24-down – Country shown in chart,a little weightless? : INDIA

1-across – Is cutting politician not all there? That’s obvious : TRUISM

4-across – Objects for experiment satisfactory : PROTESTS

9-across – Breasts extremely large,and does my bum look big in this? : BUSTLE

10-across – Before children’s party,taking pill not planned : BYCHANCE

11-across – Loss of trust in ICE : CREDIBILITYGAP

13-across – Tree in Wigan sheep attacked : WEEPINGASH

14-across – Marge and Homer’s second sign : OLEO

16-across – Early singer’s a joke : LARK

18-across – Embarrassed aunt with secret observations : UTTERANCES

21-across – They take up defender’s responsibilities : BLOCKANDTACKLE

23-across – Playing well,Arsenal wingers relaxed : INFORMAL

24-across – What Vlad liked to do to support church : PIERCE

25-across – ‘Don’t mess with her!’ Hubby’s last lament : THRENODY

26-across – Heard A,I,O,U might be complicated : KNOTTY

1-down – Moving about after leaving centre not allowed : TABU

2-down – United clear-out involving boss finally leads to boost : UPSURGE

3-down – Dirty like Duke found inside dressing : SALADOIL

5-down – Bill needs this bloke unfortunately transferred : ROYALASSENT

6-down – Back shortly going round affected island : TAHITI

7-down – Dope turned up in secure country : SENEGAL

8-down – Female setters possibly receiving letter – they may be put on trial : SHEEPDOGS

12-down – John’s bar is pretty basic : BOGSTANDARD

13-down – Rugged cowboys not involved if so : WELLBUILT

15-down – Not allow back : SANCTION

17-down – Support announcement of D road : ROOTFOR

19-down – Dog eating left-over pie crust – it follows he’s the guilty party : CULPRIT

20-down – Risk coming a cropper on one in Chamonix : SKIRUN

22-down – Animal refuge – why say it’s fake news? : DENY

1-across – Went for drive in old banger perhaps : USEDCAR

5-across – OT figure has a very unsuitable garment on part of leg : ABRAHAM

9-across – Wear what ‘orseman did? : ERODE

10-across – A pedantic lunatic ran the ship : CAPTAINED

11-across – Strangely erotic,Sue’s polite gestures : COURTESIES

12-across – Airline,first from Tokyo that flies by night : BAT

14-across – Get set with flower arrangement to keep memory alive : LESTWEFORGET

18-across – Cheat is to withdraw a hasty joke : PULLAFASTONE

21-across – A court deed : ACT

22-across – A British friend? : ANGLOPHILE

25-across – Only partly interested,we hear,lunch not being offered with this : HALFBOARD

26-across – Tree,please don’t die! : OLIVE

27-across – Criticised heavily about opening piece of news being biased : SLANTED

28-across – Apparently good service in court for such a divorce : NOFAULT

1-down – Paris agency’s misfortunes concealed to some extent : UNESCO

2-down – Book showing a major departure from scripture : EXODUS

3-down – While eating,lean out to have a conversation? : CHEWTHEFAT

4-down – Last of four winners in competitions : RACES

5-down – Now time to open a gift : ATPRESENT

6-down – Horse raced round circle : ROAN

7-down – Like Thatcher,attacks accessories : HANDBAGS

8-down – Consider partner about to improve : MEDITATE

13-down – Robust demonstration designed to assure peace : SOUNDPROOF

15-down – Railway veto at first disappoints militia : TRAINBAND

16-down – Sensational news stories that may need clearing up : SPLASHES

17-down – Great number boarding to jam-pack a succession of craft : FLOTILLA

19-down – Buried in mausoleum I lie undisturbed in this setting : MILIEU

20-down – Object to being given another errand? : RESENT

23-down – Green cloth left,badly done : LODEN

24-down – Concerned with heartless neighbour : ABUT