Daily Answers

1-across – Naughty boy keeping eagle’s last brood in an unhealthy condition : OBESITY

5-across – Swaggering hitman accepting promotion : BRAVADO

10-across – Monster interrupting progress : OGRE

11-across – [Animal in popular end of cattle market bought by writer] : PINEMARTEN

12-across – Prince entering capital city of ancient Greece : DELPHI

13-across – Enter lab for training that’s available for hire : RENTABLE

14-across – Result during soccer replay causing increase in noise : CRESCENDO

16-across – Writer’s wife managed deli : WILDE

17-across – Credit given to adult in charge of a good time : CRAIC

19-across – Support saving breadcrumbs for bird : REDBREAST

23-across – Almost stop ruler after game? : STALKING

24-across – Bachelor wearing smart watch chain : ALBERT

26-across – Master invited graduate and two lecturers to dance : MASKEDBALL

27-across – Old politician’s hot in synthetic headgear : WHIG

28-across – Nasty round scarlet snake : MEANDER

29-across – Correct uniform for sappers : REDRESS

2-down – Insect on animal’s a source of annoyance : BUGBEAR

3-down – Clean close to aisle in upturned seats : SWEEP

4-down – Joint favourite team : TOPSIDE

6-down – Book by Royal Society featuring old fellow : ROMANS

7-down – All-purpose taser shot into base : VERSATILE

8-down – Proper Liberal went first and fought for his honour : DUELLED

9-down – Actor’s dream bringing trouble : INGRIDBERGMAN

15-down – Shed on island given to family for Jack Straw? : SPILLIKIN

18-down – Attention surrounding vehicle turning up for daily grind : RATRACE

20-down – Liberal translation of writing system : BRAILLE

21-down – Schoolmaster’s first sign about new items in lunch boxes : SARNIES

22-down – Light cattle eating primarily dandelion leaves : KINDLE

25-down – How to greet the Queen in shady part of garden? : BOWER

8-across – Poor, poor lady’s taken in by unelected scientist? : BADLYOFF

9-across – Artificial intelligence, holding degree: key to manufacturing old computers : ABACI

10-across – See 18 : TODD

11-across – Most irritable clergyman grasps 1 + 100 + 1000 + 50 : PRICKLIEST

12-across – Salesman returns carrying fish and device for removing skin : PEELER

14-across – Engaged? Let’s dine out : ENLISTED

16-across – Soldier on after cutting tail from monster : DRAGOON

18-across – Small, small net captures unknown eccentric barber : SWEENEY

21-across – During Christmas, to donate, give an extinct mammal : MASTODON

23-across – Noisy disagreement heard in fifth farm building? : BARNEY

24-across – Heavy rain could possibly run into chest : CLOUDBURST

26-across – How to get down from a whale? : BLUE

27-across – Man is 25, single and collects books : BOBBY

28-across – Kill weed accidentally? It’s edible : WILDLEEK

1-down – Boast about European Union, right, for one could wreck things : SABOTEUR

2-down – Walk quietly on 17 ground : PLOD

3-down – Metal flying machine loses height : COPPER

4-down – Dignitary has fine, fine diamonds gold-plated : OFFICER

5-down – Spy knows Russian ambassador never starts revolution : NARK

6-down – In 25, that’s fighting over English clothes : LADIESWEAR

7-down – It’s cryptic woman’s paper : TISSUE

13-down – They illuminate gentle origins of some plants : LIGHTBULBS

15-down – Act with mistakes when naked : LAW

17-down – Aged around 500,500? : OLD

19-down – Performs shoots : EXECUTES

20-down – Perhaps Julie wanders about : ANDREWS

22-down – They’re creatively said — line’s blown initially : ADLIBS

23-down – Find courage in drink : BOTTLE

25-down – Young men or unruly yobs? : BOYS

26-down – Account of Liberals making a comeback : BILL

1-across – Car is to pull in and be damaged in spin : PUBLICRELATIONS

9-across – With an increase in wages, this man’s going to cause chaos : RAISEHELL

10-across – Hollow areas in the Appalachian Trail : ANTRA

11-across – Naked paramour and judge did stuff : OVERATE

12-across – You can’t trust a naughty child’s hints : IMPLIES

13-across – Like some wine drunk by crook helping holy work : CON

14-across – Married wearing collar one’s found on a sofa : ARMREST

17-across – Attic in which old lady hides gems from the east : GRECIAN

19-across – Diabolical figure in prison no longer? : OLDNICK

22-across – Set out to host dear foreign people who make an impression : ETCHERS

24-across – See 13 : ION

25-across – Edible substance to take shape, a preserve : GELATIN

26-across – Ultimately golf, not cricket, is a source of entertainment : FUNFAIR

28-across – Film has an entertaining story : ALIEN

29-across – Flog drug, weak joint : HORSEWHIP

30-across – They pick up article by current media workers : ANTIDEPRESSANTS

1-down – Great rap moves involving boy, soon an outcast : PERSONANONGRATA

2-down – On which people pot trees, we hear : BAIZE

3-down – Linguistically proficient learner’s avoided repeat : ITERATE

4-down – Return once more in dance, pirouetting etc : REELECT

5-down – I’m much tickled by swimmer having relaxed posture : LOLLING

6-down – Walk all over right back of large dimensions : TRAMPLE

7-down – Icon in the building in a precarious position : ONTHINICE

8-down – Standard French author’s nonsense devoured by the famous : STARSANDSTRIPES

15-down – One of the top three celebs touring lake next to the sea : MEDALLIST

16-down – See 13 : SEC

18-down – See 13 : RAT

20-down – Uttered like a monk with a soft spot for Kelly : INTONED

21-down – Ties last of livestock on board : KINSHIP

22-down – Impose fee on Roman Catholic, when straying : ENFORCE

23-down – Sing with Italian sopranos covering heavy metal : CONFESS

27-down – Pale like one prone to brooding : ASHEN

1-across – Council hit, I say : POWWOW

4-across – Light a master of sci-fi briefly recalled that seems familiar : DEJAVU

9-across – S? : HEAD

10-across – Crawl with cops inside room : SNAILSPACE

11-across – Cut I had, or wound : HAIRDO

12-across – Hot, no? : TURNEDON

13-across – Idiot picks things up — but this one won’t : CLOTHEARS

15-across – K? : COCK

16-across – See 15 : TAIL

17-across – T? : TINOPENER

21-across – G? : MIDNIGHT

22-across – Arid region: I’ve found it right in middle of South Africa : SAHARA

24-across – Author after Medusa, perhaps, tasty Italian fare : GORGONZOLA

25-across – A mousy grey : ASHY

26-across – Badly treat five hundred — and four … : TETRAD

27-across – … two more, ten in group and the others cut : SEXTET

1-down – Triumph dropping vicar into bucket : PREVAIL

2-down – Bird’s call for service in New York? : WADER

3-down – See 23 : OFSTONE

5-down – Queen of mystery: queen wearing boot but no cap : ELLERY

6-down – P? : APPLECORE

7-down – Expose fanciful husband of Aunti Ash? : UNCLOAK

8-down – Agent right to avoid conflict, believe it or not? : FACTORFICTION

14-down – Later today, that man’s name covered up by drunk : THISNIGHT

16-down – Tear into solicitor and get high : TRIPOUT

18-down – See 9 : OFSTATE

19-down – Range of particular faculty so heartbreaking? : EARSHOT

20-down – Plan a female, perhaps, read out : AGENDA

23-down – O? : HEART

9-across – Anonymous report about duke getting kitted out : ACCOUTRED

10-across – Some paint one animal : COATI

11-across – Clothes engineers wear to shock : APPAREL

12-across – Set off explosive without gel and died : IGNITED

13-across – Nancy’s one place to sleep that has no beams? : UNLIT

14-across – Where Durham divers go, making bloomers perhaps : UNDERWEAR

16-across – Thoroughly like full-body scan : FROMTOPTOBOTTOM

19-across – Coinage formerly found in swamp withdrawn : NONCEWORD

21-across – Hide classical object of worship going west, then east : SUEDE

22-across – Embellish party gathering on ship : DRESSUP

23-across – Society records over 50 regular constituents : STAPLES

24-across – Anticipated importing oddly less seafood : DULSE

25-across – WI song so neglected in Brussels it upset oil suppliers : EUCALYPTI

1-down – Nasty ruffian collars school waif : RAGAMUFFIN

2-down – A top mobster kidnaps even members of public in Pacific resort : ACAPULCO

3-down – Surrey without a fringe kept in dry tower : TURRET

4-down – Test gold with aluminium : ORAL

5-down – Book senior hack and trendy medic into golf club : EDWINDROOD

6-down – Eg best case or worst case or wrought-iron case? : SCENARIO

7-down – Stole books collected by bloke : MANTLE

8-down – Secure gear climbing first in Dolomites : GIRD

14-down – Like well-rehearsed actor need­ing no encouragement : UNPROMPTED

15-down – Unruly imp with short trousers and onesie : ROMPERSUIT

17-down – Trophy remains under fire : THEASHES

18-down – Clasps straps securing magazine : TIECLIPS

20-down – An indicator of intense rivalry : NEEDLE

21-down – Drawers maybe start to scribble a couple of lines in writing : SMALLS

22-down – LA guys wanting English clothes : DUDS

23-down – Pull up floors, allowing in Charlie’s piledriver : SOCK