Daily Answers

1-across – Young scout holding the woman’s angelic baby : CHERUB

5-across – Leader of the pack once prime minister links up with member of parliament : BROWNOWL

9-across – Fed sister with fruit following flood : INUNDATE

10-across – Divine taste originally captured by tongue : INTUIT

11-across – Think about being complete after gender reassignment : MULL

12-across – To begin with Steve Wright’s unfortunately miscuing big band jazz? : SWINGMUSIC

13-across – Scandinavian police unit discovered crime when looking the other way : NORDIC

14-across – Source, for example, rejected by Press Association reveals what can be seen at theguardian.com? : HOMEPAGE

16-across – Built big, tough box : HEAVYSET

19-across – Money initially invested in pole dancing put to unknown use : EMPLOY

21-across – I mess about at sea — getting dry? : ABSTEMIOUS

23-across – Fury over silver piercing : RAGE

24-across – What you might be doing shortly after dropping off party spirit : DOZING

25-across – Wanting a sea shell — blowing top to get tune : SERENADE

26-across – One’s told sad story after all banks withdraw safety feature : ISOLATOR

27-across – Justifies sending back porridge after half of breakfast, for example : MERITS

2-down – Retire and never mind university — somehow opens chemists : HANGUPONESBOOTS

3-down – On vacation rolled joint inside – getting annoyed : RANKLED

4-down – Brussels, say, putting money into small arts organisation — quite the opposite : BRASSICAS

5-down – Mark Wahlberg’s focus returns on European film — ultimately melting hearts : BLEMISH

6-down – Outstanding old group : OWING

7-down – A lack of time behind player’s call? : NOTRUMP

8-down – Women joining cast got gift on radio play : WAITINGFORGODOT

15-down – Pandemonium as married, eminent conductor’s hugging student at the opening : MAELSTROM

17-down – Extremely vocal about international group getting caustic criticism : VITRIOL

18-down – Appropriate for everyone to visit seaside town in retirement : TROUSER

20-down – Some depart nervously for get together : PARTNER

22-down – Power of small child in audition : MIGHT

9-across – This lot managed 18 around Hoylake on vacation : THESE

10-across – Management of Real Betis is most unfocused : BLEARIEST

11-across – A peripheral role in return game : MOUSETRAP

12-across – Scrap pile somewhere in London : SHARD

13-across – Topless experience in bar is heavily criticised : ROASTED

15-across – Setter’s construction is most succinct : TERSEST

17-across – Nerve of pilot changing direction : STEEL

18-across – Teachers’ paperback collection : SET

20-across – Bet24 sponsors : BACKS

22-across – Dozens of mischievous creatures chasing short couple : TWELVES

25-across – Restless Cooler King escapes totally exhausted : FIDGETY

26-across – Game of skill caught old Nazi : CHESS

27-across – Having no issue with Kid Rock initially in charge : CHILDFREE

30-across – Expenditure of friendly society : OUTGOINGS

31-across – Threads to stitch contrary wrapping paper : WEFTS

1-down – New York squad turning up to make arrest : STEM

2-down – Scoffed following retrospective gun control : REGULATE

3-down – Black coffee ultimately providing spring : JETE

4-down – Pushes forward version of Bros duet : OBTRUDES

5-down – Fox’s public display in road : SEXPOT

6-down – Quiet secretary tucking into wine that’s laid down : PRESCRIBED

7-down – Speedway tie’s oddly unexciting : SEDATE

8-down – Endlessly peruse Playboy : STUD

13-down – Son in row over another exam : RESIT

14-down – Racket affected service returns — netting 6 in 18 : TELEVISION

16-down – Short movie sent up Animal House : TESTY

19-down – Most posh wine shops getting into alcohol-free : TOFFIEST

21-down – Run along banks of canal like Van Gogh? : CLEAROFF

23-down – Golfer upset over new tee for tournaments : EVENTS

24-down – Instant mousse conditioner bottles : SECOND

26-down – Dope left in bed : CLOT

28-down – Blue swallow heading south : DOWN

29-down – Sylvester Stallone’s hiding at first : ERST

1-across – Don’t play the old man — ’e kept giving very unwelcome advice : DROPDEAD

5-across – Repeated phrase over in American state — definitely : AFFIRM

9-across – Empress with a hold on power last to get stripped : AGRIPPINA

11-across – Caught president losing head — failed to observe queuing etiquette : CUTIN

12-across – Blow-by-blow account at first after cast get very angry : THROWAWOBBLY

15-across – Marketplace at side of garage — park here : EBAY

16-across – Ant and Dec finally speak after two pages : LEAFCUTTER

18-across – Gross behind? It’s fantastic! Instinct’s to visit : GRASSWIDOW

19-across – Two keen to reveal like Harry and Meghan? : WOKE

21-across – Cons getting signs of approval — nonsense! : FIDDLESTICKS

24-across – Simple — water’s receding : NAIVE

25-across – Time to rule heartlessly — destroy! : ERADICATE

26-across – Crow singing to female rather softly — recital ends : SHERYL

27-across – Badly affected blonde’s retired : BLIGHTED

1-down – Bother — nearly late for lift : DRAT

2-down – Blades score midway through — no way back for Arsenal : OARS

3-down – Picked up taps oddly found in outbuilding — they may need plumbing : DEPTHS

4-down – Piteous asides about being fat : ADIPOSETISSUE

6-down – It’s true corporation employs old dogsbody : FACTOTUM

7-down – Ban tuition for developing medical procedure : INTUBATION

8-down – Could be my one guarantee of getting paid : MONEYORDER

10-down – Formally await release in solitary? : AWAYFROMITALL

13-down – Green investments? : HEDGEFUNDS

14-down – After storm dawned fair everywhere : FARANDWIDE

17-down – It used to be played for a year out of season : PSALTERY

20-down – Spoilsports! Initially one stops Charles doing what he likes : SKIING

22-down – President leaving Hampstead going west — it’s on the front page : MAST

23-down – See 22 : HEAD

1-across – It requires a truly consistent performance from its cast : DOCUDRAMA

6-across – Finish filming western with pop music : WRAP

8-across – Book about our deceptive barrier causes fuss : BROUHAHA

9-across – From casual perusal, telescope finally picked out a star : PULSAR

10-across – Food chain: bear comes first, though not invariably top : BRUNCH

11-across – Oil perhaps to be seen from ocean liner? : SEASCAPE

12-across – Dramatic family union abandoned? Here’s a pill! : CAPLET

15-across – When depressed, you could find it helps to get over the threshold : DOORBELL

16-across – Hairgrip made of copper with reverse catch : BOBBYPIN

19-across – Head driller and surrogate parent : TREPAN

21-across – Iced preparation used in horse health scheme : MEDICARE

22-across – Hardline leader breaks up rubbish party : THRASH

24-across – Life of a celebrity that’s been shot : BIOPIC

25-across – After a number of deliveries, he collects ball for Oxford defender? : OVERSHOE

26-across – Horn sound in live recording : BEEP

27-across – Suspect ranted about Brown being dismissed? : REDUNDANT

1-down – Renaissance artist’s Doctor Swallowing Midge : DURER

2-down – Scrapped lunch to take north-eastern link to the continent : CHUNNEL

3-down – The end of the said potty is missing : DEATH

4-down – Same sad converts got together : AMASSED

5-down – A programmer’s A-Z? : ALPHASORT

6-down – Young predator put away — copper goes by book : WOLFCUB

7-down – Putting a lid on piano, celebrated vocalist demonstrates one way to sing : ACAPPELLA

13-down – Formerly, formerly : AFORETIME

14-down – Entertainer Chuck plus reindeer : TAPDANCER

17-down – Music culture movement responsible for bad trip during dance : BRITPOP

18-down – Avoid ‘en’ shaped like a birthmark : NAEVOID

20-down – Are in conflict with USA over one geographical area : EURASIA

22-down – In effect, we ensure bard’s in the middle : TWEEN

23-down – Seconds before bird’s sudden dash : SCOOT

1-across – Defer turning up? Swell : PUTOFF

4-across – I’m backing competitions engaging student prodigies : MIRACLES

9-across – Finished tucking into drink, bowl turned upside-down? : CUPOLA

10-across – Game soldier from abroad occupying areas, offering defence : APOLOGIA

11-across – Equivalent figure in work to advance food additive : OPPOSITENUMBER

13-across – Government’s in better nick, providing digital coverage? : FINGERNAIL

14-across – Really? That’s half gone? It’s not true : MYTH

16-across – Shy about beginning to participate in reproduction : COPY

18-across – I start to raise it in allotment, producing annoyance : IRRITATION

21-across – Description of theatre and music person creating star, possibly : PERFORMINGARTS

23-across – Financial journalists and their boss recalled in unpleasantly sticky surroundings : CITYDESK

24-across – Meat served in American flight mostly spoken about : SALAMI

25-across – I utter a couple of names when pushing back Hindu beggar : SANNYASI

26-across – A second firm linked to motor-racing debacle : FIASCO

1-down – Large bra served up in purple : PUCE

2-down – Pinches trophy after taking up bowling like this : TOPSPIN

3-down – Almost half of Alcatraz united, enthralled by French bird man? : FALCONER

5-down – One held in jail around city — rough situation? : IMPRECISION

6-down – Disagree, dismissing first total : ALLOUT

7-down – Clearly article from Libération’s fluently presented without opening line : LEGIBLY

8-down – Marine animal hunting curtailed after receiving text for you : SEAURCHIN

12-down – Dicks in orgasm possibly retaining utility : IGNORAMUSES

13-down – Female expert gets ready to leave external applications : FACEPACKS

15-down – I charge a French body of water to raise this seafood : CALAMARI

17-down – Joke about artist concealing sex — probably not a favourite of mine! : PURITAN

19-down – Seemingly unhappy career amongst those who got elected : INTEARS

20-down – Month in which daughter never turned up for start of week : MONDAY

22-down – Motor fuel going up, requiring investment of money : LIMO