Daily Answers

1-across – Raft with hole initially lost at sea — not one of these then? : FLOATER

5-across – Body in garage, head of hair covered in drink : CHASSIS

9-across – Eleven in a room evens out, one’s assumed : AXIOM

10-across – Recalled by wife, occasional bear hugs ending in nookie — it’s exciting! : WHOOPDEDO

11-across – Abyss, constant by inference? : BOTTOMLESS

12-across – See 11 : PIT

14-across – Dubious pal, one happening to admit copying in the end — doing this? : PLAGIARISING

18-across – Agricultural system in formation of TUC, say? : CROPROTATION

21-across – Limb on nameless animal for security device : CAR

22-across – On bed, so set for whipping, bend over backwards : DOONESBEST

25-across – Indication of risk to bank direct, possibly? : BADCREDIT

26-across – See 21 : ALARM

27-across – Taken to the airport, say, from Cardiff, one escaping to the West : SEENOFF

28-across – About food, Spielberg film booked for a later date? : DIETARY

1-down – Food around which fire skirts — served so? : FLAMBE

2-down – Drug I took after work : OPIATE

3-down – Lines at end of book about sweet capers : TOMFOOLERY

4-down – Lid off delving tool, device dug into horse’s flank : ROWEL

5-down – Waspish insect has eaten one for breakfast : CROISSANT

6-down – Range and length problematic, say, for openers? : ALPS

7-down – Farm cleaner with novel disinfectants primarily introduced to tube from below : SHEEPDIP

8-down – Want marker secured by strand : SHORTAGE

13-down – 23 series on miracles, astonishing : MINORSCALE

15-down – Grasp Bob the Rat, though caged : GETHOLDOF

16-down – Local requirement to decorate a thousand or a million, say : ICECUBES

17-down – Breakfast time? : PORRIDGE

19-down – State of European geese, as seen in flight, when caught by duck : NEVADA

20-down – Squat where agent keeps spare tyre? : STUMPY

23-down – Celebrated, like musical work? : NOTED

24-down – Australian PM taking a percentage of popular vote : ARVO

1-across – By-product of the greatest possible tofu spread to consume : FALLOUT

5-across – Extremely full glasses with wine being knocked down : FLOORED

9-across – Triumph Engineering’s first car : COUPE

10-across – Iconic American occasionally sailed on board Darwin’s ship : BALDEAGLE

11-across – It ought to stop someone getting into a bad habit : DRESSSENSE

12-across – It’s needed to make tofu fritters go crispy — by all conclusions, ace : SOYA

14-across – It’s the windward side, if drilled verbally : WEATHERBOARD

18-across – Remaining optimistic about parking in little retail precinct : SHOPPINGMALL

21-across – Put out some books describing America : OUST

22-across – End result of group of footballers drinking in my university’s entertaining : FINALSCORE

25-across – Pamphlet with chart requiring timeshare arrangement to be easily managed : TRACTABLE

26-across – Distressed by home-made bomb around edges of roadblock : IRKED

27-across – Swallow anything doctor opens : DRAUGHT

28-across – Police officer and soldier discuss amputating last of fingers : DIGITAL

1-down – Opened a cafe in retirement — it’s in front : FACADE

2-down – 50 blue films essentially casting unknown, getting award : LAUREL

3-down – Barking police service I see being cut twice — superintendent initially ignores alarm bells? : OVERSLEEPS

4-down – You can play a game with this iPad, for example — I bet nan’s confused : TABLE

5-down – Female adult has worked with maximum effort : FULLSTEAM

6-down – Sign on without me : OMEN

7-down – I go and learn about local : REGIONAL

8-down – Zealots found blocking road, ie hard shoulder : DIEHARDS

13-down – Ending part of News at Ten’s introduction covers Sunak changing sides : ABOLISHING

15-down – See 4 : TENNISBAT

16-down – Major vessel docked — assuming ship regularly mends manifold : ASSORTED

17-down – Doctor Watson to visit Burma on vacation — it’s a hot country : BOTSWANA

19-down – Possibly leaves space vehicle : ROCKET

20-down – It’s like something from mediaeval times expected to turn up in a Cornish river : FEUDAL

23-down – See 5 : AHEAD

24-down – Present not finished for party? : STAG

1-across – Ear of horse with hard growth on the front : CORNCOB

5-across – Hamper available that climber may need : CRAMPON

9-across – First-class kind of brainwave : ALPHA

10-across – What tea bag does is ruined : GOESTOPOT

11-across – Staff receiving unexpectedly nice hug, but one is fired : MACHINEGUN

12-across – Losing energy, more refined sound from pet : PURR

14-across – Accounts people boxed in have to give, after some swearing : TESTIMONIES

18-across – Let priest go casting out troublesome spirit : POLTERGEIST

21-across – Book, not initially non-fiction : RUTH

22-across – Son finally getting wheels, but not on this : SNOWMOBILE

25-across – Vehicle needs insurance to go round university city : VANCOUVER

26-across – Prone to dishonesty : LYING

27-across – Save nobody and nothing : DAMNALL

28-across – Young swimmer to plead being injured : TADPOLE

1-down – Like a shellfish, might you say, sticky and damp? : CLAMMY

2-down – Freshly arrange record in shelf : REPACK

3-down – Ben Hur for one a wildly enjoyable event — applause all round : CHARIOTEER

4-down – Said to be one more than expected in golf trolley : BOGIE

5-down – Composer has sweet child in India : CHERUBINI

6-down – To a degree, one may be master of these : ARTS

7-down – To which one does dad dancing? : POPMUSIC

8-down – Fail to get up to acknowledge formally : NOTARISE

13-down – Restrained right-winger attacked online : CONTROLLED

15-down – A long read for the old folks’ outing? : SAGANOVEL

16-down – Some schools used to be ticked off : APPROVED

17-down – Special nuptial mass for recent jubilee : PLATINUM

19-down – Swinging both ways in pool, manifesting sexual impulse : LIBIDO

20-down – Inadequate? Some agree, but only some : MEAGRE

23-down – Sausage of lowest quality for an audience : WURST

24-down – Pass up a soft drink : COLA

7-across – Irish cox, no beast, in a simple boat that flies along : AIRCRAFT

9-across – Make lengthy assertions, quite right : BANGON

10-across – No longer give satisfaction as closed half a year : CLOY

11-across – Raised mitt suffering from this? : DERMATITIS

12-across – Left Scott’s supposed baby-killer back in this tower : EIFFEL

14-across – No cheating, getting place for wife in part of course : FAIRPLAY

15-across – Butter excessive — missing the body, it sticks on the chin : GOATEE

17-across – Taken for a ride, not cold but warm : HEATED

20-across – Imogen is shown to be better : IMPROVED

22-across – Reviews an old book : JUDGES

23-across – Boxer’s final punch receiving rating for boisterous horseplay : KNOCKABOUT

24-across – Continue at this, eventually : LAST

25-across – Geneticist in fix given unlimited help : MENDEL

26-across – Mistake in legend is annoying : NEEDLING

1-down – Novelist making a point? : FIELDING

2-down – Divine but frightening, if there’s no answer : SCRY

3-down – One wrecks vehicle, knocking boy over : VANDAL

4-down – Rough area fearless one’s turned into : ABRASIVE

5-down – Recognised being upset in crash: reversed around it : UNDISPUTED

6-down – Encouragement to opera singer, who bared all : GODIVA

8-down – Practical economics: time taken over one paper, about an hour : THRIFT

13-down – Terrific ad broadcast for The First Murder? : FRATRICIDE

16-down – Even in extremes showing ability to survive is to be admired : ENVIABLE

18-down – Getting straight, preparing for formal dinner? : DRESSING

19-down – Love to wear a smart coat with fashionable border : ADJOIN

21-down – Person in charge removing a feeder guarded by dog : MANGER

22-down – Travellers loaded with matching jewellery? : JETSET

24-down – French composer’s short peaceful interval : LULL

7-across – Mean to cover up leg this evening : TONIGHT

8-across – Fooled around, getting angry : CHEATED

9-across – Fine artist portraying ladies’ fingers : OKRA

10-across – Parting expressions were translated during trips : FAREWELLS

12-across – Extremely sorry — divided by 49 + 50 is just absurd! : SILLY

13-across – Hilton Hotel’s plugged by English districts : PARISHES

15-across – In retirement, God’s taken to court : SUED

16-across – Drunk’s wound wants a bit of cleansing : OILED

17-across – Way to inject drugs inducing rush : REED

18-across – Bond chasing criminal with European in formal evening dress : WHITETIE

20-across – Policeman in Boris’s first campaign sacking 50 : BOBBY

21-across – Poor waiter, beset by official over strong drink : FIREWATER

22-across – Cleaner scrubs overalls after pocketing tips : SOAP

24-across – Escort partners inside gathering : BREWING

25-across – Will I punch social workers in the guts? : BELLIES

1-down – Whitehall comedian ignoring answer involving old Scotsman : JOCK

2-down – Competed with Villa playing in claret : RIVALLED

3-down – Dishonest Tory leader protected by fishy organisation : SHIFTY

4-down – See Dr Who getting prepared and washed : SHOWERED

5-down – Alien captain unhappy about everyone getting promoted : DALLAS

6-down – Scam inside Las Vegas ends in confusion : MESS

11-down – Driving back 45 inches a long time ago in regret : REPELLENT

12-down – Second hospital admits being on strike to make a point : SOUTH

14-down – Back in the past, you captured soldiers in time? : ENEMY

16-down – Dismissal by Small — success! Starting to get movement with ball : OUTSWING

17-down – Firmly lift gold sculpture, luckily hollow : ROBUSTLY

19-down – Allegedly royal seat’s in shed : THROWN

20-down – Wallis Simpson finally stops rattling sabre : BARNES

21-down – Split delivered in 4K? : FORK

23-down – God taking part in horse race coming up : ARES