Daily Answers

9-across – Dramatic Brendan, hard to get head around : BEHAN

10-across – Heading for tenure? Too disorganised : ENROUTETO

11-across – Helpful software about transport, something that bears fruit in market : APPLECART

12-across – Human with no end of hubris becoming dictator : PERON

13-across – Repeatedly obstruct a 26 across on stage : BARBARA

15-across – Bond cut by M’s predecessor? That’s fair : CLEMENT

17-across – Like some booms, not quite as enjoyable : SONIC

18-across – Priest often in the limelight, delighting believers : ELI

20-across – One man and his dog coming to pass? : SAINT

22-across – Records including your old string players : LYRISTS

25-across – See 20 : BERNARD

26-across – Tory leader’s opposed to miner in speech : MAJOR

27-across – As 20, be turned into martyr : SEBASTIAN

30-across – Mythological sculptor producing a sign after less than minute : PYGMALION

31-across – Name enshrined in eternity as symbol of chastity : AGNES

1-down – Rhyme scheme for group initially formed : ABBA

2-down – Escort’s car phone broken : CHAPERON

3-down – One-time ruler of style and manners, to some extent : ANNE

4-down – Different actor initially in role within grasp : SEPARATE

5-down – Person watching play — could be endless pain in neck about it? : CRITIC

6-down – Have a drink with journalists or censor : SUPPRESSOR

7-down – King acted madly in theatre, executed patron : GEORGE

8-down – Old man’s sweetheart portrayed as 20 by 28 : JOAN

13-down – Name for boy, son protected by security : BASIL

14-down – Way in which reforms scare cad so : ACCESSROAD

16-down – Bore young child with Guardian leader, say : TOTED

19-down – I am popular around place for wine drinking : IMBIBING

21-down – Eg Romeo and Juliet miscast in it, alas : ITALIANS

23-down – With respect to dances, provides new arrangement : REJIGS

24-down – Family supporting relative briefly as singer : SISKIN

26-down – Help for travellers, represent­atives covering area : MAPS

28-down – Music critic consulted over Beethoven’s Fifth : SHAW

29-down – Curious final parts in addition to serious play : NOSY

1-across – Trendy sultry Romeo’s stripped : TOPICAL

5-across – CID managed with help from ambiguous source : DELPHIC

10-across – This writer’s article abridged an old wives’ tale : MYTH

11-across – Back plan to expand talent and charm : AMIABILITY

12-across – Euphorbia’s left out of ostentatious display : SPURGE

13-across – Old Latin god saved unknown vessel for Greek traveller : ODYSSEUS

14-across – French region’s ageless tongue and revolutionary law : LANGUEDOC

16-across – Trees defining boundary of the Roman Empire : LIMES

17-across – She oversaw agriculture before entering civil service : CERES

19-across – Leave Scottish woman running temple : PARTHENON

23-across – Consequence of impact made by old ship’s cat? : BACKLASH

24-across – Not quite the perfect ancient city : THEBES

26-across – Essential function shortly to entertain queen : SINEQUANON

27-across – Bought horse, one clad in black : GOTH

28-across – Jam in a city in Italy : MESSINA

29-across – Former chemical business head’s hostility : ICINESS

2-down – I’m struggling with old play for London venue : OLYMPIA

3-down – Unlimited rich ore that filled ancient vessels : ICHOR

4-down – Plug English in top universities : ACADEME

6-down – Possible result of congress organised by Rome : EMBRYO

7-down – Contested area in case pamphleteer comes round : PALESTINE

8-down – Disturb cow in roundabout with no hesitation : INTRUDE

9-down – Forget about plump female in new very big play : TIMONOFATHENS

15-down – Aegean islands perhaps make meandering patterns : GREEKKEYS

18-down – Roundabout very like one seen during the day before : EVASIVE

20-down – Stupendous upstanding citizen wins one bronze : TITANIC

21-down – Ring about scenery put up for Euripides drama : ORESTES

22-down – Probes go round it and go under it : SATURN

25-down – River rises, overwhelming grand Scottish town : ELGIN

1-across – Divides accommodation : QUARTERS

5-across – Scrapes spades on parts of sleeve : SCUFFS

9-across – Time for an egg? Extremely likely to give you wind : EASTERLY

10-across – Notice about pig on the train : ABOARD

11-across – Free kick routine producing some fireworks? : SETPIECE

12-across – Look again at magazine : REVIEW

14-across – Trials here to get dog speaking? : LABORATORY

18-across – One was impressed by an old typewriter : CARBONCOPY

22-across – Bravo — survives gales : BLASTS

23-across – It is appealingly drawn on the lid : EYELINER

24-across – In lifeboat, couple busy : ATWORK

25-across – Finding out alternative to large inn : LEARNING

26-across – Not born yesterday? On the contrary : DAYOLD

27-across – Make chap smaller, or double : STUNTMAN

1-down – Queen comfortable, or nauseous? : QUEASY

2-down – Property that could be stripped : ASSETS

3-down – He sits composing dissertation : THESIS

4-down – Showing unwillingness, enact cruel change : RELUCTANCE

6-down – Mountain transport fitted with television? : CABLECAR

7-down – Even heavy metal is smoother : FLATIRON

8-down – Very surprised how one can be knocked : SIDEWAYS

13-down – Failing to give penny to man somehow? : NONPAYMENT

15-down – As cover for wound, pick up dull-coloured sheath : SCABBARD

16-down – Minor thoroughfares with a lot of theatres : BROADWAY

17-down – Said to have cut exam for this kind of 3? : DOCTORAL

19-down – Bob twice gets this old piece of silver : FLORIN

20-down – Feeble, but employed by business : INFIRM

21-down – Persist as Welsh symbol : DRAGON

1-across – Political theory backing strike — is money after a vote? : MARXISM

5-across – Laurel’s immersed in internat­ional books for a moment : INSTANT

9-across – Met over coffee : DECAF

10-across – Brew fierce tea, but not with this! : CAFETIERE

11-across – Like a good poker player’s bad handwriting? : UNREADABLE

12-across – Stories of heartless people : LIES

14-across – Hell, belonging to a firm is immaterial : DISCORPORATE

18-across – 1-2000 doctors losing out to medical specialist : IMMUNOLOGIST

21-across – Anatolian country follows Trump’s lead over head of Russia : TURK

22-across – Muesli prepared with fire and food additive : EMULSIFIER

25-across – High church member’s ‘Spiritual Is Theological’ piece : RITUALIST

26-across – President exchanges vote for new fabric : NINON

27-across – Appreciate case of red knocked back at home with family : DRINKIN

28-across – Hair found in Keith’s ale? Yes, it’s returned : EYELASH

1-down – Psychic found between Little and Large : MEDIUM

2-down – Single file : RECORD

3-down – Run away from fair lot brawling in pubs, causing swellings : INFLATIONS

4-down – Brown tea, after a second : MOCHA

5-down – Independent fun girl, over 50, wearing ceremonial clothes : INFULLRIG

6-down – Places alien on board : SETS

7-down – Queen kidnapped by disturbed maniac, one from abroad? : AMERICAN

8-down – She hates revision for a series of tests : THEASHES

13-down – Discipline at the bottom of Tory superego : CONSCIENCE

15-down – I’m a cool fan touring Britain, north and south 7 : COLOMBIAN

16-down – 2 down grasps theory, oddly strained : FILTERED

17-down – Are they a treat I’m chewing? : AMARETTI

19-down – Logician grasps 1 across in capital : VIENNA

20-down – How one might kiss Dawn? : FRENCH

23-down – 27 Italy’s past includes Tango : LATTE

24-down – Hard to understand when BBC drama axes the first three characters : DARK

1-across – Spirited French not good digesting salmon : ALCOHOLIC

6-across – In bed, naked woman : EDNA

10-across – Having second thoughts about toupee, staying at home : RUING

11-across – Endless enthusiasm taxi drivers put into various items : BRICABRAC

12-across – Louis Quinze style, missing nothing on way of working leather : MOROCCO

13-across – Drew a short space attached round entrance to cell : ENTICED

14-across – No citrus flavour before with balsam? Leave well alone! : NOLIMETANGERE

17-across – Makes picture of tourist, one cleaning graffiti perhaps : PAINTSTRIPPER

21-across – These days needing backing to keep daughter in comfort in depressed area : DEADSEA

22-across – Encourage to use ears for special understanding : INSIGHT

24-across – Stars also wandered, Alpha moving : ANDROMEDA

25-across – Chekhov, say, heading off from part of Switzerland : ANTON

26-across – Last of the vintage in the shade : ECRU

27-across – Dance a long way with cry of approval : FARANDOLE

1-down – A bloody year, with no small ill-feeling : ACRIMONY

2-down – Town official rather a baby? : CRIER

3-down – In building, flagged excessive agent’s fee : HIGHCOMMISSION

4-down – Experimental wear for cold dog? : LABCOAT

5-down – Having washed all over, greeting American : CHILEAN

7-down – Scandal man’s kept under hat, not causing much damage : DIRTCHEAP

8-down – Robbed a craftsman, holding up a series of shops : ARCADE

9-down – Unrealistic plan to broadcast Saint-Saëns clip : CASTLESINSPAIN

15-down – Northerner in run getting map for one day : LAPLANDER

16-down – It’s just make-believe, if 12-year-old hides a tablet at church : PRETENCE

18-down – London criminal, one going to pot : TEALEAF

19-down – Feature of an Everest ascent, in which one may disappear : THINAIR

20-down – A challenge to include whiskey in selling software : ADWARE

23-down – In America, start to win game : GETGO