Daily Answers

1-across – Forced to serve jam and egg crackers : PRESSGANGED

9-across – Stream barred return of predatory beast : OUTFLOW

10-across – Artist and writer among group trying not to drink coffee, potentially : ARABICA

11-across – Corps put faith in security : UNITTRUST

12-across – False teeth regularly scrubbed fast : FLEET

13-across – Queen to withdraw for this reason? : ERGO

14-across – Highly awed seamen ran into harbours : STARSTRUCK

16-across – Rough sketches outlining germ warfare devices of 1940s : DOODLEBUGS

19-across – Go out to lunch when retired : STAB

21-across – Maybe sharper children worry : CHEAT

22-across – Most brawny supplier in business grabs last of range : STOCKIEST

24-across – False clone claiming ambassador’s rank : ECHELON

25-across – Fancy tie? Here’s one in hand for Democrat to wear : BANDANA

26-across – Inmate welcoming Oscar back after recital here? : READINGGAOL

1-down – Assembling, as partners may be, on green? : PUTTINGTOGETHER

2-down – Brilliant display mounted in oriental centre : ECLAT

3-down – Handyman’s powder spotted above shower : SAWDUST

4-down – Leaders in acoustics designed more suitable connector : ADAPTER

5-down – Unauthorised artwork revolutionary provided in strongly Labour newspaper : GRAFFITI

6-down – Made mad excursion, when put off by everyone : DRIVENUPTHEWALL

7-down – Mass publication : VOLUME

8-down – Note-writer’s favourable report on Simpson Jr? : BARTOK

15-down – Case for money secured by First Lord of Admiralty primarily for small 12 : FLOTILLA

16-down – Invoice in pouch-like holder, with penny change : DOCKET

17-down – Dog’s home supported by judge in Ulster : BASENJI

18-down – Portable bed intended for nursery? : GROWBAG

20-down – Risk taken by fish shop : BETRAY

23-down – Family lawyer of sorts? : KINDA

1-across – America backed Biden-Trump leadership election? At first, it’s not obvious : SUBTLE

4-across – Substance affected Michael Caine’s head : CHEMICAL

9-across – Starts to ‘accentuate the affirmative’ gripping this poet : YEATS

10-across – Type of school for angling round at home : FINISHING

11-across – Organising a relay run takes a bit over 50 weeks : LUNARYEAR

12-across – Not reactive or interactive : INERT

13-across – Forking out to cover outrageous bill is charming : SPELLBINDING

17-across – Redundancy offensive involves only Conservative leader separately : OBSOLESCENCE

20-across – The 8 are about to change in Camberwell : AMBER

21-across – Right lane to turn one of us to strangers : EARTHLING

23-across – Digs up 12 butchered in Norfolk town : DISINTERS

24-across – Cutter’s back at last with nickel and iron : KNIFE

25-across – Boreal throne toppled by sailors : NORTHERN

26-across – In China, 2000 and 2012 are tedious : DRAGON

1-down – Telescope upset mostly Bohemian young woman : SPYGLASS

2-down – British prince getting smarter : BRAINIER

3-down – Girl captivating girl with the dancing beams : LASER

5-down – Event in which the murders end badly : HUNDREDMETRES

6-down – Fervent and overexcited about the central part of confessional : MESSIANIC

7-down – My regularly acerbic major : CRIKEY

8-down – See 3 : LIGHTS

10-down – Summarily dismissed with this noise, lean out in panic : FLEAINONESEAR

14-down – Los Angeles Times editor’s final hint about intricate passages : LABYRINTH

15-down – Authentic ingénue’s attractive : ENTICING

16-down – Groom welcomes New Age colour : PEAGREEN

18-down – Hideaway by river in London : CAMDEN

19-down – Does one leave a terrible bruise? : ABUSER

22-down – Somebody who rambles for an hour about US president : HIKER

1-across – Order sponge that’s cut or a piece of cake inside cafe : GREASYSPOON

9-across – Hospital patient’s heart to pound; one in bed, perhaps is not so flat : HILLIER

10-across – Drink running water with live newt further up : BEEFTEA

11-across – Harry Potter cast shortly watching one : SPECTATOR

12-across – Stopped in Australia, mostly at large houses : FROZE

13-across – Silly me loves writing puzzles after vacation! : OOPS

14-across – Cold-blooded American being busy leader : COPPERHEAD

16-across – Does one tend to watch hot girls soon to get stripped off : HOROLOGIST

19-across – Old designer leaving Italy to make scent for Americans : ODOR

20-across – Female, not in dresses, stuns : ROCKS

21-across – With a better argument, American Mancini ultimately pens ‘keep Moon River’ : AFORTIORI

23-across – Top journalist hiding page that’s filled out : PLUMPED

24-across – Limited time to cut song during album set back : PARTIAL

25-across – Minor actor helping to win Oscar for project : EXTRAPOLATE

1-down – Badger poacher with gun dealt reward at the end : GOLDENPARACHUTE

2-down – Live in sun during retirement : EXIST

3-down – Keep to right entering last passage : STRETTO

4-down – Very neat in retrospect after biro’s beginning to dry out : SOBERUP

5-down – Topless shoot that’s red hot : OPENFIRE

6-down – Region died: toxin released poisonous gas : NITROGENDIOXIDE

7-down – Massaging sporty hip, yeah? : PHYSIOTHERAPY

8-down – Film in April, May and June? : CALENDARGIRLS

15-down – Where desires are titillated by top-shelf bust : FLESHPOT

17-down – Family man with pretty secretary : GRANDPA

18-down – Sign accordingly giving envelope for my foreign letter : SCORPIO

22-down – Arrival by alien going around Earth : TERRA

9-across – Champions can win without a back : LIVERPOOL

10-across – Inspiration for writing part of plot, a reprobate in hindsight : ERATO

11-across – Post over on one side : UPRIGHT

12-across – Champions from west side of capital cutting ace, surprisingly : CHELSEA

13-across – See 21 : CALL

14-across – Jerk refused, too confident : SUREFOOTED

16-across – Apple ending in mud behind second player? : COSTARD

17-across – Wrap sticker and ring around it : BURRITO

19-across – Work and work to guard against endless excess : OVERSUPPLY

22-across – Old Hindu in a jiffy? : JAIN

24-across – Classic saint securing soldier with longer pins : LEGGIER

25-across – Champions rise up, status inspiring hero after header from defender : REDSTAR

26-across – Birth needing attention then after labour, primarily : NATAL

27-across – Cryptically create from document sent to vendor : ORDERFORM

1-down – Home of the silly brash parasite in family, daughter : CLOUDCUCKOOLAND

2-down – Garment a minister pulled up in open-topped car : OVERALLS

3-down – Every other bit extracted, darker gas remains : DREGS

4-down – Leader of men stepped up with German champions : DORTMUND

5-down – Champions not needing extra time, man — game of two halves, perhaps? : CLICHE

6-down – Champions stuffed, striker choked up : FEYENOORD

7-down – Risk chaining animal, dog : BASSET

8-down – Outgoing leader old and new on throne better : DONALDJOHNTRUMP

15-down – Champions behind, tale-teller almost nets : MARSEILLE

17-down – See 25 : BELGRADE

18-down – Rest privy to captivating opening scenes : INACTION

20-down – Number serious, though first ignored : EIGHTY

21-down – Where one might stop champions, club and everything? : PORTOF

23-down – Dress a start in audition? : ADORN

1-across – Royal Prestige’s premier dinnerware set out to welcome head of China : PRINCE

4-across – See 1 : ANDREW

9-across – Being honest, letter written by boy on road is to appear in Telegraph : CARDSONTHETABLE

10-across – Evidence when watching big game in person? : ATTEST

11-across – Constriction of edges in this? : THLIPSIS

12-across – Glass sailing ship : SCHOONER

14-across – Mark the end of Athens, perhaps, carrying cross : STIGMA

15-across – Man, say : ISLAND

18-across – Dorothy’s dog, all dressed up for a party, wanting to make the most of it : GOTOTOWN

21-across – Mr Big is right and Dr Gould wrong : DRUGLORD

22-across – Subject to change, bilateral art removed : LIABLE

24-across – Have one tot after another? : WETTHEBABYSHEAD

25-across – An American song book might include one rough drawing : YANKEE

26-across – See 25 : DOODLE

1-down – Work on features, maybe, captures grisly changes : PLASTIC

2-down – Trendy end to this music : INDIE

3-down – Some toast stunning defeat in study : CROUTON

5-down – For no good reason sacking frontman of the Family Stone, a Scottish rock group : NEEDLES

6-down – Gather cape’s put back in position : REAPPOINT

7-down – Women suffering introduction from Hadrian, say — hero of the Scots : WILLIAM

8-down – This coin is ancient, I say : STATER

13-down – Sounded from belfry? Oscar climbs there with an ape : ORANGUTAN

16-down – See 1 : SURGERY

17-down – Base cracking intricate codes? I see : DIOCESE

18-down – Accursed Englishman’s noonday companion’s turned up : GODDAM

19-down – Nevertheless, chum climbs into a four-in-hand : TALLYHO

20-down – See 7 : WALLACE

23-down – In a higher degree Enigmatist may be a pest : APHID