Daily Answers

1-across – Expecting Jo to leave me too! : INTHECLUB

6-across – Sharp edges taken off stone slab : ABLE

10-across – Earnings drained after tax returns in future? : TENSE

11-across – Sense entertaining game has new pre-match fun : STAGNIGHT

12-across – Great setter’s about to eat eg almond trifle : MINUTIA

13-across – Inexperience in cabinet periodically holding review : NAIVETE

14-across – Relinquish control of car, following shock : TAKEABACKSEAT

17-across – Defeat of king’s son nurtured by partner : SMOTHEREDMATE

21-across – Pair trained Manx cat, a divine male : PRIAPUS

22-across – White Russian dresses in clothing from Tashkent : TSARIST

24-across – Ring fan, say, of inaner plays by comedian : WAGNERIAN

25-across – State, but not North American state : INDIA

26-across – Which side of shoe is uncomfortable? : SORE

27-across – Hybrid lingo succeeded with fresh hip slang : SPANGLISH

1-down – Where art is shown, including this person’s bosom : INTIMATE

2-down – Muses, say, about part of joint : TENON

3-down – Hypothesised issue for girl providing treacle? : ELECTRACOMPLEX

4-down – Notes introducing opening of Salome or Sadko around this building? : LASCALA

5-down – Trump clan rejected countercultural figure : BEATNIK

7-down – Where supertanker may dock by area for old weapon : BIGBERTHA

8-down – Eastern racecourse, not a current course : ENTREE

9-down – Banged up lead criminal in cartel for illegal activity : INSIDERDEALING

15-down – Nobel Peace Prize winner showing affection to head of state once : KISSINGER

16-down – Prickly complaint from Australian ambassador with rubbish sandwiches : HEATRASH

18-down – Group on the pull up north thus stripped off? Heavens! : HUSKIES

19-down – Staff answer about fan turning up in the Albert Hall, say : ROTUNDA

20-down – Vessel filled with hock for fathers : SPAWNS

23-down – Tree dweller knocked over weird nifty houses : INDRI

1-across – Insisted on personal pieces, initially at a loss : STUCKTOONESGUNS

9-across – Rather greasy seafood with a dry stuffing : FATTISH

10-across – A knight in royal household running for herald : COURANT

11-across – Nature trail : WAY

12-across – We dig and unearth a potty : THEGUARDIAN

13-across – Hero on overseas trip books event for players : TOURNAMENT

15-across – Kind of word sent round in brief note : VERB

18-across – Path commentator’s travelled up : ROAD

20-across – Dissatisfied fellow delivered a lecture on corruption : FRUSTRATED

23-across – Advanced tips on better information technology for businessmen : CAPITALISTS

25-across – Part of boot from West? : TOE

26-across – Plants unknown in drained area beside meadows : AZALEAS

27-across – Anticipate Macron’s ready to accommodate English politician : PREEMPT

28-across – Investigator’s prime article that may upset diplomatic aide : MILITARYATTACHE

1-down – Worst fate potentially encountered in bath? : SOFTWATER

2-down – First 20 letters broadcast not my choice? : UPTOYOU

3-down – Ulster Times introduced to man on board craft : KNITTING

4-down – Drag, shifting old pigment : OCHRE

5-down – Audibly criticise acts providing night music : NOCTURNES

6-down – Decent honest Conservative? : SQUARE

7-down – Contrasting articles from Paris and London on ‘love in moderation’ : UNALIKE

8-down – Determined to attack : SETON

14-down – Preacher’s spoken, boring Scrooge : MORALISER

16-down – Convertible seating poorly tested within working group : BEDSETTEE

17-down – Regularly curved track? : CRESCENT

19-down – Regal killer has right implement lying around : ASPRAWL

21-down – Venerable revolutionary I satisfied in bed : TOTEMIC

22-down – Sturdy plant blocking stone path : STREET

23-down – Rent such as minister retains : CHASM

24-down – Tint of marine coats particularly intense at first : SEPIA

8-across – Drop car into vessel : DIMINISH

9-across – Shakespeare character in car, on the phone? : PORTIA

10-across – Throw son into Jaguar, for example : CAST

11-across – Still writing equipment being discussed : STATIONARY

12-across – A metal-plated American car of old : AUSTIN

14-across – Awful car pinched by Nazi : HOPELESS

15-across – Renault changed gear : NEUTRAL

17-across – Carrying family member, car reversed round the bend : BANANAS

20-across – Car: a car keeping right entering motorway : MASERATI

22-across – Revealed in Volkswagen data — something hidden? : AGENDA

23-across – Backing car, around which walkers with torch finally set out at night? : FALSETEETH

24-across – Car, not posh, a good deal : LOTS

25-across – Poached eggs first, no cereal, the bacon last of all : STOLEN

26-across – Place on a road for old car : STANDARD

1-down – Bond with gun breaking rule, I suspect : LIGATURE

2-down – Proper to impound a car : FIAT

3-down – Car is not entirely all there after demolition, ultimately : NISSAN

4-down – Cover uncultivated land in middle of desert : SHEATHE

5-down – Dried soup ingredient : SPLITPEA

6-down – Build battlements when Norman’s head is found in basket, dead : CRENELLATE

7-down – Fruit squash almost covers it : CITRUS

13-down – Ragged clothes, the lot — check fabric : TATTERSALL

16-down – Notice giant panda initially confused, adjusting to environment : ADAPTING

18-down – On hearing car, someone leaning to the right : AUDITORY

19-down – Various birds on roof of edifice : DIVERSE

21-down – Car needing a wash, last of water brought in : ABARTH

22-down – A quiet sheep in blessed retreat : ASHRAM

24-down – Reportedly cool place for car : LADA

1-across – It’s heard before getting off punishment, caught in plots with politician : BEDTIMESTORY

9-across – Behind award for actor’s moving finale : ABAFT

10-across – Maiden needing cool river around part of summer : INAUGURAL

11-across – Was busy with a light that needs fixing? : BUSTLED

12-across – Understanding there’s nothing odd about Lennie drinking wine : ENTENTE

13-across – Challenge for the ambitious governor disheartened by casual staff : GREASYPOLE

15-across – This is coloured, but not evenly : CLUE

18-across – Content to leave awful jelly, one often potted : ALKY

19-across – Route by either end of Warwick? It gets assessed : COURSEWORK

22-across – Agreed soldiers got into drugs? One won’t appeal : EYESORE

24-across – Artist framing outline of outermost hill is Turner : ROTATOR

25-across – Use force on infamous cyclist when cycling : STRONGARM

26-across – Let into Duke University after good grade : ADMIT

27-across – The best solver gets a biscuit : CREAMCRACKER

1-down – Saints clad in undies kiss cheek : BRASSNECK

2-down – Ever fashionable daughter tried to lose weight : DATELESS

3-down – Epic account of parliament newspaper brought up : ILIAD

4-down – With hair up, French girl meeting king is one putting on a pretty coat : ENAMELLER

5-down – Smashed head of suction hose : TIGHTS

6-down – Hasten to hide US casualty in screen again : RERUN

7-down – Chatterbox knocked back six-pack in silence : GASBAG

8-down – Rip off Billy or Jacob’s coat : FLEECE

14-down – Person setting up in coalpit, working with earth in the centre? : PTOLEMAIC

16-down – One keeps pride in check, changing into more pathetic clothes : LIONTAMER

17-down – Went to deposit part of capital : LEFTBANK

18-down – Discrimination in America is set in stone : AGEISM

20-down – Princess penning a recipe, which may involve chops : KARATE

21-down – My new beau, naked, is a bit of a looker : CORNEA

23-down – Anxiety, when taking off top to show boob : ERROR

24-down – Cuban piece of cake with no duplicated ingredients? : RUMBA

1-across – First suggestion of downfall, perhaps — and Prior goes wild : RAINDROP

5-across – Penned order for silence : SHUTUP

9-across – When retired, ponder being puzzled : BEMUSED

10-across – Popular Star Wars character, unwelcome visitor : INVADER

11-across – Singular desire to be smart : SWISH

12-across – Billionaire to take charge of northern town : GATESHEAD

13-across – On fancy paper, shares preliminary work : PREPARATIONS

17-across – March often features this fast start : ASHWEDNESDAY

20-across – Short underclothes no good, but staying on : LINGERING

22-across – Have a feeling that may be common : SENSE

23-across – Perhaps Belgian name given to everyone in court : WALLOON

24-across – Having run of success, one’s name honourably entered here? : ONAROLL

25-across – Cover front of television : SCREEN

26-across – Add one vote? It’s no use to anybody : APPENDIX

1-down – Sturdy vehicle covered in rubbish : ROBUST

2-down – I am writer of such verse? : IAMBIC

3-down – Set free, director is to attack : DISCHARGE

4-down – Income source opening as dole is replaced : OLDAGEPENSION

6-down – Rash places to find honey : HIVES

7-down – Very enticing cooking, fried too : TODIEFOR

8-down – The setting for Milton’s lost poem? : PARADISE

10-down – Like-minded collection of moneylenders? : INTERESTGROUP

14-down – Explain why I am still stuck on platform? I must leave : TRANSLATE

15-down – Poet’s idle ways corrected : DAYLEWIS

16-down – Clubs’ manager, a dealer in goods : CHANDLER

18-down – Not informed of such countless wealth? : UNTOLD

19-down – Automatic reaction of so-called dog biting some footballers : REFLEX

21-down – Start to crumble? Not entirely ‘zero defects’ : ERODE