Daily Answers

9-across – Gloomy ruler digesting intellig­ence for 22’s leading figure : SADIQKHAN

10-across – Selected work journalist pens in Time : OPTED

11-across – Leader of Sparta is to return, having fed endlessly : SIGMA

12-across – Kid getting a French tattoo is a poser : CONUNDRUM

13-across – People working with 22 in need of money : BROKERS

14-across – Carmen admits high crime in place promoting 22 : AMERICA

17-across – American aboard vessel’s reduced fare from Japan : SUSHI

19-across – Queries Hamlet’s dithering in 22’s place for 22 : THE

20-across – Smoke from motor keeps inching around the edges : CIGAR

21-across – Man’s penetrating stare unsettled girl : THERESA

22-across – Surpass everything, but not entirely great : CAPITAL

24-across – Drug affair in 22s : UPPERCASE

26-across – Vocal opponent of 22 in former European 22 : MARKS

28-across – See 8 : SMITH

29-across – Figure captivated by a writer’s range : APENNINES

1-down – Calls for fool to receive smack, finally : ASKS

2-down – Bother checking a soldier’s movement : ADAGIO

3-down – See 19 across : SQUAREMILE

4-down – Clothing worn by husband causes outrage : SHOCKS

5-down – Overwhelm one lady with habit to see men? : INUNDATE

6-down – Stink over news in former European 22 across : BONN

7-down – 22 across that’s 22 across : STERLING

8-down – Economist a forger, eating bananas up : ADAM

13-down – First to catch ball in muddle with love : BESOT

15-down – Bolt gathered to secure new clock mechanism : ESCAPEMENT

16-down – Period of trouble keeping control of image : APRIL

18-down – Disinfectant from Spooner’s cavernous vessel : SHEEPDIP

19-down – Hooligan needs drink, always swallowing bitter : TEARAWAY

22-down – A cut from knife that’s sharp : CLEVER

23-down – 22 across flew through Taiwan regularly : TIRANA

24-down – Curses are oddly dropped where 22 across was once opposed : USSR

25-down – Miner hurries over fences in industrial region : RUHR

27-down – Those who dare put on hot band : SASH

9-across – Blessed with strength to catch fish : FORTUNATE

10-across – Batty about following a high priest : AARON

11-across – Angry young man briefly accom­panied returning book : REBECCA

12-across – Sneak look at conductor ignoring new duo playing : PREVIEW

13-across – Petulant refusal is the custom : WONT

14-across – In court, argue against jail in speech : QUADRANGLE

16-across – Buy a three-pound mix that soothes infant : LULLABY

17-across – GP moves cautiously and cleans out bed : DREDGES

19-across – Feeble commercial ban a few accept : THREADBARE

22-across – Greeting government agency circular : CIAO

24-across – I hear someone coming to check : AUDITOR

25-across – Country roads twisting, say, near the middle : SENEGAL

26-across – Fruit needing flood regularly eaten by half of us? : MELON

27-across – Unlikely to go up, if turned over and put down : FIREPROOF

1-down – Its subject: in messy warfare, male lost : AFAREWELLTOARMS

2-down – Court case: what the Master of the Rolls may bring into it? : TRIBUNAL

3-down – Chew meal, having changed starter : MUNCH

4-down – Country man dropped rope securing article : PARAGUAY

5-down – A number entered here — vital to move quietly : KEYPAD

6-down – Torn material valued : LACERATED

7-down – Opening for visitor at last not initially residing in Berlin : IRVING

8-down – Restored health, but on borrowed time again? : ANEWLEASEOFLIFE

15-down – England almost besotted with it, a cold dish : GALANTINE

17-down – In a city : DERISORY

18-down – Sort of rate boy’s bad behaviour : GOINGSON

20-down – Free, led to crack puzzle : RIDDLE

21-down – Deprived, be confident judge may intervene : BEREFT

23-down – Trim end of toe in waders : SNIPE

1-across – Review of Alien not up for discussion : DEBATE

4-across – Stressed, Edward first needs money on account : ACCENTED

9-across – Brief attack on retreating Yankee : NOTIFY

10-across – Where top artists seek inclusion with nude? : INTHERAW

11-across – Rent securing quiet location for theatre work : HIPREPLACEMENT

13-across – Tyrannise driver that’s made off with loot : LORDITOVER

14-across – Duck from down under about to be introduced to west : ZERO

16-across – Muscles displayed by northern cops : NABS

18-across – Observant legatee, say, turning head on parking : PERCIPIENT

21-across – Philosopher from East eluding Japanese ruler at ground : JEANPAULSARTRE

23-across – Reject plate with large design : DISCLAIM

24-across – Bachelor cutting gardener’s prime plant with deceptive ease : GLIBLY

25-across – Making bequest, final payment withheld? : ENDOWING

26-across – Leading gear for Arab wedding, we’re told : BRIDLE

1-down – Racket on its fourth shot at Wimbledon : DINK

2-down – Brew one’s drunk with more sediment? : BITTIER

3-down – Staggering aft, infirm sailor may grasp it : TAFFRAIL

5-down – Scene shot with vocals is getting better : CONVALESCES

6-down – Parrots from city gardens : ECHOES

7-down – Worldly bishop stops youth taking drug : TERRENE

8-down – Forgo alfresco party? : DOWITHOUT

12-down – Legal team’s dull spiel axed, no one having turned up : PROSECUTION

13-down – Official knowing the ins and outs of court? : LINEJUDGE

15-down – Malaysian capital invested in less rounded gem : SPARKLER

17-down – Slowly cooked topside of beef brought up : BRAISED

19-down – Held up, rising before editor’s dressed : ENROBED

20-down – Elated fellow depressed but well? : UPFLOW

22-down – Fragment of early recording instrument : LYRE

1-across – See 10 : PICTURE

5-across – Thinks like detective finally cracking problems : ASSUMES

9-across – ‘Out!’ Eric is exposing body parts : UTERI

10-across – Geezer half-cut, but right price negotiated, which takes everything into consideration : THEBIGGER

11-across – Head ignored what’s naturally said about place being discreet : DIPLOMATIC

12-across – Band of light finally disappearing : TORC

14-across – Note he’s showing everything current inside, but he doesn’t do 26 16s : MINIATURIST

18-across – Peers briefly stand up to Conservative nonsense : ARISTOCRATS

21-across – Long-distance runner in Spain with nothing on : NILE

22-across – When to expect a nasty shock? : BADHAIRDAY

25-across – Puerile comments about sex incredibly asinine : INANITIES

26-across – Marvellous young environ­mentalist’s moving article : GREAT

27-across – Divine intervention by king in rejected plague story : GODLIKE

28-across – Possible you are getting picked up for nothing — tough! : DURABLE

1-down – Repeatedly attacks number of French in schools : POUNDS

2-down – Bloke describing sweetheart — old and trashy, but affordable! : CHEAPO

3-down – Further education class on computer work — why it’s monotonous : UNIFORMITY

4-down – Start off following artist over : EXTRA

5-down – States things are breaking in camera shot : AMERICANA

6-down – Parking in wrong drive : SPIN

7-down – End up taking original along — some painters like it : MAGNOLIA

8-down – Agreed to keep one pet meerkat? : SURICATE

13-down – He’s good at drawing intimate mounting — hang about! : GUNSLINGER

15-down – Ancient queen initially mis­represented as one with a smooth skin : NECTARINE

16-down – One eager to go outside is putting coat on : PAINTING

17-down – 14, bad one, employed by firm : HILLIARD

19-down – Brave New World’s ending welcomed, perhaps wrongly : ADVERB

20-down – Coming over, go into wood for plant : MYRTLE

23-down – Strictly orthodox Jew can prove who he is : HASID

24-down – Vital leak announced — one can’t take off : KIWI

8-across – Leading trumpeter and percussionist missed out — appreciate playing as they wished : APIACERE

9-across – Studio presenter’s tie : ANCHOR

10-across – Ship stores fish in jars : SHAKES

11-across – In row D? : ENDTOEND

12-across – In days gone by, I pocketed commission : AGIO

13-across – Hating working girls that take a turn at the tables : LAZYSUSANS

15-across – Game flirt getting run in : CROQUET

16-across – Flammable liquid ruined hat after hot vessel tipped over : NAPHTHA

18-across – Leave chaps on time in area of France : DEPARTMENT

19-across – Players moaned audibly : SIDE

20-across – Called ’owzat but was charming : APPEALED

22-across – Minute insects on the outside of a trio of vessels : THRIPS

23-across – Is meagre with use of colour on board : STINTS

24-across – No good wheedling about capital : NEWDELHI

1-down – Where Maud’s lover could have misled her? : UPTHEGARDENPATH

2-down – Exasperated compiler’s utterance: ‘Start again!’ : BACKTOSQUAREONE

3-down – Most horrible thoroughfare falls within copper’s territory : BEASTLIEST

4-down – Successor to Ximenes got up and embraced one little girl or another from Cornwall : DEMELZA

5-down – Eisteddfod winner, dull, turned up : BARD

6-down – Arranged sestet with orchestra on the other side : ACROSSTHESTREET

7-down – Blue and sorrowful, below the surface : DOWNINTHEDEPTHS

14-down – Sea air won’t upset poor community : SHANTYTOWN

17-down – Fearing degree being dropped at university : READING

21-down – Desire subtle changes be removed? : LUST