Daily Answers

1-across – See 4 : SHEETSTOTHEWIND

9-across – Boots’ foremost more luxurious make-up : BLUSHER

10-across – Charlie left outside in a tizzy : EXCITED

11-across – Midsummer Day ends with a group of sailors : RYA

12-across – Quiet period for percussion, around 50 cents? : THEDOLDRUMS

13-across – See 20 : THEHATCHES

15-across – See 18 : OTIC

18-across – Symbolic house of the listener? : SEMI

20-across – Regularly abreast, saving time for the news? Drink up and get ready for the worst : BATTENDOWN

23-across – Flipping competition car reverses, breaking a knee­cap in bits : PANCAKERACE

25-across – Environment suitable for tailless mammal : SEA

26-across – Be lavish and encourage the snake promoter : PUSHTHE

27-across – See 26 : BOATOUT

28-across – He dealt poorly with non-monogamous behaviour, being lazy : SWINGINGTHELEAD

1-down – Why said boozer is among places for those who like to indulge : SYBARITES

2-down – Copy letter in delight : EMULATE

3-down – Polynesian artist grabbing a paintbrush at last : TAHITIAN

4-down – There may be two edits then, corrected after the girl gets drunk : THREE

5-down – In days gone by, receiving only television’s first channel : THESOLENT

6-down – Old money does badly, if copper is involved : ESCUDO

7-down – Possible property holding in quaint, rustic setting : INTRUST

8-down – Guys overwhelmed by debts start to default : DUDES

14-down – A Philistine in church? Christmas must be coming up for one so fickle : CHAMELEON

16-down – Got hold of shank? : CONTACTED

17-down – Like minor German and European furore : UNDERAGE

19-down – Kimonos may be useful on the slopes of Mount Fuji : MONOSKI

21-down – Terrestrial radiophones not paid off : ONSHORE

22-down – Scruffy label on scruffy item of clothing : RAGTAG

23-down – Naval administrator in picture frame turned spy : PEPYS

24-down – Manoeuvre fails to start in range : AMBIT

1-across – Bore finished touring ancient city : ENDURED

5-across – Associate’s in games area, back burning waste : CLINKER

9-across – Inept choristers horribly tense : HISTORICPRESENT

10-across – Don’t take holiday : LEAVE

11-across – Drunken men docked in early naval vessel : MINELAYER

12-across – Men on TV co-ordinated manoeuvres : SETPIECES

14-across – Car from Triumph, last of range : COUPE

15-across – Pick up fish, placing first two at the rear : GLEAN

16-across – Appearing for trial, blocks all but last over : UPWARDSOF

18-across – Carnivore satisfied having consumed a meal? I’m not sure : MEATEATER

21-across – I must quit office job, being shy : FLING

22-across – Conventionally-run snack bar torrid storm ultimately demolished : BRICKSANDMORTAR

23-across – Family type with left-wing tendencies : KINDRED

24-across – Yankee enthralled by singer playing instrument : SYRINGE

1-down – Once vigorous son is certainly not inspiring : EXHALES

2-down – Reserved account, one not in my own branch? : DISTANTRELATION

3-down – Danish ore, possibly coming from former colony : RHODESIAN

4-down – Fundamental belief in Humberside is minimal : DEISM

5-down – Maxim for holding one’s own hand tool? : COPINGSAW

6-down – Utopia’s international trade : IDEAL

7-down – Calm down and don’t put too much money on that horse! : KEEPYOURSHIRTON

8-down – Boundless trees chopped by weary pensioner : RETIREE

13-down – King, say, to go out with queen in rascal’s clutches : COURTCARD

14-down – Sauce ingredient regularly ran, if stored in shade : CORNFLOUR

15-down – Rocks acceptable as shelter for black oryx : GEMSBOK

17-down – Bush in garden providing very early cover? : FIGTREE

19-down – Playwright leaving behind western ridge : ESKER

20-down – Caesar’s last day in Rome goes on : RIDES

1-across – Ambulance staff use this elastic : STRETCHER

6-across – Served to perfection? : ACED

10-across – Strong resentment, as peril is headed off : ANGER

11-across – Mediator’s attempt to risk small point : GOBETWEEN

12-across – Chase employment : PURSUIT

13-across – Lousy MP ruined a divine home : OLYMPUS

14-across – Conservationists with the confidence of the country? : NATIONALTRUST

17-across – Folding hat, she carried out dextrous manoeuvre : SLEIGHTOFHAND

21-across – Great-granny’s hair arrangement : TOPKNOT

22-across – I don’t remember getting this : AMNESIA

24-across – Wow! Does it say there’s a new pope? : HOLYSMOKE

25-across – Build up, or knock down, we hear : RAISE

26-across – Love notes : DOTE

27-across – Final steps up to roof? Excellent : TOPFLIGHT

1-down – Taking photo of son asleep : SNAPPING

2-down – Boy could be jolly : ROGER

3-down – Appear soon, seen wrongly to sneer : TURNUPONESNOSE

4-down – Airline meal? : HIGHTEA

5-down – Removes difficulty with brief direction : RUBSOUT

7-down – Pale actor cast for darker-hued beauty : CLEOPATRA

8-down – In bowl, a new pastry : DANISH

9-down – You’ll be there, unawares: take the consequences! : ITSYOURFUNERAL

15-down – One’s up for trial : TESTPILOT

16-down – Lying near a jacket, a coin : ADJACENT

18-down – Don’t interfere before time: let’s go wandering : GETLOST

19-down – Due to travel in carriage to buy larger house : TRADEUP

20-down – Irritated, being married, to lose husband : ITCHED

23-down – Chuck small fish : SLING

1-across – Defined by ‘flipping raucous sort’, a black bird : ALBATROSS

6-across – Noted art critic ignorant, some unique Mondrians originally rejected : MUSIC

9-across – Mount Rushmore’s peak gone down the tube? : HORSE

10-across – See 25 : ANALYTICA

11-across – Using bathroom product, soap on him foaming and popping at last : SHAMPOOING

12-across – Pull up briefly before a portico : STOA

14-across – Communist city of old stifling sound of disapproval : TROTSKY

15-across – Reportedly path allowed, part going underground : ROOTLET

17-across – Stop before opening : PREVENT

19-across – Why North-South divide not entirely inspiring Holyhead : WHATFOR

20-across – Area where a team drops back : ACRE

22-across – Not too serious … then birdie perhaps unlikely to swallow last of poison? : PARDONABLE

25-across – Channel screening home of everyday country folk, possibly Washington-backed, a concern managing data? : CAMBRIDGE

26-across – Stone precious metal eroded : AGATE

27-across – Fibre in unopened drawer : RAYON

28-across – Pulse brisk ultimately in one obsessed with material gain? : MONKEYNUT

1-down – A grateful man rescued by twerp? : ASHES

2-down – One perhaps dressed up a part for song : BARCAROLE

3-down – Is an intruder out? Lock chains! : TRESPASSES

4-down – With roof of gold, a blue chapel : ORATORY

5-down – Dye retains fluid : STAINER

6-down – Second bottles always for sauce : MAYO

7-down – Change address, did you say? : SHIFT

8-down – Indeed a cold person : CHARACTER

13-down – Gathering chap raised in US state, address found online : DOMAINNAME

14-down – One caught in blast, air exploding? : TAPDANCER

16-down – Maths centre relocated from the UK, IT gone : LEFTBRAIN

18-down – Realm of old leader in general­issimo drastically knocked over : TSARDOM

19-down – Extra covering good on bird : WIDGEON

21-down – Card game somewhat spirited? : RUMMY

23-down – Up before cockcrow, toiling starts : ERECT

24-down – State that was under my command? : IRAN

8-across – Female soldiers lock castle : FORTRESS

9-across – Business leader does, perhaps, return stock : BREED

10-across – Behind main square : SEAT

11-across – Lancaster’s collecting new rate for relatives : GREATAUNTS

12-across – Let Liberal relax with daughter : LEASED

14-across – Courtesy of chief rival wounded close to Burgundy : CHIVALRY

15-across – Fall over in middle of breezy Oval : ELLIPSE

17-across – Opposed to profits at banks : AGAINST

20-across – Garden rubbish primarily encourages sloth, maybe : EDENTATE

22-across – The Spanish fly around conflict : TANGLE

23-across – Passed front of harbour, also English port : HANDEDOVER

24-across – What I’ve got here contributes to ancient history : THIS

25-across – Contented double parking in grass : HAPPY

26-across – Tory hunt victory : CONQUEST

1-down – Predict toll-free trips : FORETELL

2-down – Music group releases record — Let It Be : STET

3-down – Magistrates rise to defend a marine boss : SEAGOD

4-down – German city church makes one concentrate : ESSENCE

5-down – Helping a person to keep dry : ABETTING

6-down – Name place for 50 in corres­pondence : REPUTATION

7-down – Cutter travelled north to save Italian : EDITOR

13-down – Strip for these gaunt ducks : SKINNYDIPS

16-down – Stalls stocking Times replacements : STANDBYS

18-down – Most daft stories appear in random list : SILLIEST

19-down – Notice about Queen Victoria’s delivery in court : SERVICE

21-down – Duke hates novel offering more than one ending : DEATHS

22-down – Broadcast unsettled John : THRONE

24-down – Constant regret follows Tory leader : TRUE