Daily Answers

1-across – Material for the cast that comes from Paris : PLASTER

5-across – In seconds, eagerly devour such a feast : SLAPUP

9-across – Notice not so much is really clean : SPOTLESS

10-across – Sheaves carried on board ship : STOOKS

12-across – Beg a young lad to change his suggestive attitude : BODYLANGUAGE

15-across – Lewis’s girl gets together some hair products : ALICEBANDS

17-across – Notices a detective : ADS

19-across – Charge for short distances : FEE

20-across – Could Ginger achieve nothing on this instrument? : DIDGERIDOO

22-across – Complicated, going round one place three times : INTRIPLICATE

26-across – Loving offer : TENDER

27-across – Hint from close friend : INTIMATE

28-across – See Dad created a marquis : DESADE

29-across – Where to get your pig clean? Nonsense : HOGWASH

1-down – After a job : POST

2-down – Perhaps deserting a sexual predator, female leaves : AWOL

3-down – Lecture being finished, have a discussion : TALKOVER

4-down – Well-behaved prisoner misses opening, being out of practice : RUSTY

6-down – Encourages to start fires : LETSGO

7-down – Information disseminated needs a good look, we’re told : PROPAGANDA

8-down – Almost all the law, they say, for demonic state : POSSESSION

11-down – Pom perhaps has drink to follow : LAPDOG

13-down – Ted appears so stupid : HALFWITTED

14-down – Note smiles spreading, achieving these marks of progress : MILESTONES

16-down – A cricket ground is at a distance : AFIELD

18-down – Effervescent amphibian keeps slim : FROTHING

21-down – Try to acquire information for part of engine : BIGEND

23-down – Simple task overall commander finds hard : CINCH

24-down – Slump over a long story : SAGA

25-down – Informally, I agree you need a husband : YEAH

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