Daily Answers

5-across – Penny maybe hugs American relative : COUSIN

6-across – Battles may be reported in this combination of words : PHRASE

9-across – Jack was ill,stuck in prison : JAILED

10-across – Upright vicar let rip : VERTICAL

11-across – Touched material : FELT

12-across – Fellow in Bible story not doomed to punishment : PARDONABLE

13-across – Rough map pirate unfolded containing old symbol for treasure location : APPROXIMATE

18-across – Fiery striker in game’s given sign of approval : MATCHSTICK

21-across – Neighbour – a target of ridicule,we hear : ABUT

22-across – Material to fade behind church instrument? : ORGANDIE

23-across – Get rid of this writer going the wrong way in ramble : REMOVE

24-across – Sound of horse – for what reason? – outside pub : WHINNY

25-across – Old coin,say,with head of Rex or Regina : STATER

1-down – What’s the point when the author has finished a bit of writing? : FULLSTOP

2-down – Make fun of conclusive act : WINDUP

3-down – King having a hot rum poured out in African city : KHARTOUM

4-down – Mum with nothing looking down on a foreign capital : MANILA

5-down – A bit cracked,in more ways than one? : CRAZED

7-down – Messages that could bring a smile : EMAILS

8-down – Maiden,possibly former lover,quoted as being too emotional : OVEREXCITED

14-down – Someone having accommodation in desert after wandering : RESIDENT

15-down – Meat cooked repeatedly for fellow in the side : TEAMMATE

16-down – Litter in distant line of terraced houses? : FARROW

17-down – The case of an archer making one tremble : QUIVER

19-down – Mammals one’s hidden in garments : COATIS

20-down – Catherine engages artist in contact sport : KARATE

7-across – One’s struck by shattering of only hope : XYLOPHONE

8-across – Gary Coleman’s last performance? : ANGRY

9-across – Scientists propose more scientists retract first : IRRITABLE

10-across – Haul bundled crops with bits falling off : HEAVE

12-across – A time to have chocolate-covered dates? Quite the reverse! : ADVENT

13-across – On a crest,fur,metal,splash of colour? Amazingly,true! : TINCTURE

14-across – Sum up about two seconds’ talk : ADDRESS

17-across – Space not quite enough for a big red book? : CHAMBER

20-across – Those north of Zimbabwe and South Africa going round South Namib : ZAMBIANS

22-across – Soup with crust of skin covering : PELMET

24-across – Poor excuse? : SORRY

25-across – In brief: about time : INTERSECT

26-across – Mind thematic character’s greenery : CAREX

27-across – Showing age,uncomfortably nude,I covered wiener,backing indoors : UNRENEWED

1-down – Timothy and Bridget met and stripped : HYBRID

2-down – Bully is one acting to grab that which belongs to me : DOMINEER

3-down – Thrilled at first quarter growth : THWART

4-down – Balloon is no fun from the outset,and others go up : INFLATE

5-down – Setting off,parking Tesla to have something to eat : INGEST

6-down – Dancers in mid-step … : TRAVERSE

11-down – … seen during Bank Holiday … : ANKH

15-down – … game,where girl goes across line : DIAGONAL

16-down – Rests up : SPAN

18-down – Twinkling girls that might be described as ‘thick and sweet’ : MOLASSES

19-down – Silly,like in fifth grade? : ASININE

21-down – Half-upset,was suffused with passion : BURDEN

22-down – Number 1 against seeds in third and fourth place : PEEVED

23-down – Ate out,went and got topless : ETCHED

1-across – Step out of line going behind a bishop’s residence : PALACE

4-across – Change that is following description of requirements : SPECIE

9-across – Source of cash containing nothing? A tiny amount : ATOM

10-across – One car’s last away from two junctions – take note from this : TUNINGFORK

11-across – Military display that’s equally rubbish? : TATTOO

12-across – Bloke,uncommon gent,foremost in art? : MANTEGNA

13-across – Clarify cryptic clue I’d put away : ELUCIDATE

15-across – Clearly losing verses about Italy without much effort : IDLY

16-across – Hail beauty,without one love recalled : SKOL

17-across – Southern fruit not used for flavouring : SPEARMINT

21-across – European city with way to keep America neutralised at outset : LAUSANNE

22-across – Sheep farmer not distant in ring : MERINO

24-across – Report unbridled passion about English pieces to be played? : REPERTOIRE

25-across – Excuse to jump quietly to the front : PLEA

26-across – Stitch up second person in France,certain to accept that : SUTURE

27-across – Snatched look in practice area when coming round : STOLEN

1-down – Unexpected difficulty in autumn match at the outset : PITFALL

2-down – Extreme source of loving? That’s me! : LIMIT

3-down – Fish will encompass article frequently upheld … as this? : CATFOOD

5-down – A note kept in seventh enclosure in part of Malaysia : PENANG

6-down – Underwater work environment? Department supporting bid to block river : COFFERDAM

7-down – Old Queen number in risqué setting? It’s going wrong : ERRANCY

8-down – ‘Coo’ and ‘moo’ with patient working out may be considered thus? : ONOMATOPOETIC

14-down – So over getting upset amidst dubious ethics,becoming selective in the extreme : CHOOSIEST

16-down – Forerunner of reggae insufficiently succinct for ice dancers? : SKATERS

18-down – Police action limiting my support for member : ARMREST

19-down – Knight’s article penetrating cloth : NANKEEN

20-down – Ant,sir,represented insect form : INSTAR

23-down – Unpleasant look climbing round top of peak? Turn back : REPEL

1-across – 1000100010000 number this ordinary? : COMMON

4-across – Where short lawyers are getting hotel drinks? : MINIBAR

9-across – Underwear 12.5% off – no good hanging around : LINGERING

10-across – Talk about Romeo initially smoking pot : GRASS

11-across – Doing a somersault during embassy ball is void : ABYSS

12-across – Passed public knowledge involving answer : OVERTAKEN

13-across – Team wins penalty to begin with,Rovers gutted by rests : SPIDERS

15-across – Escort criminal to district : SECTOR

17-across – Sharp one enters currents circling island : ACIDIC

19-across – Plots with strange dangers : GARDENS

22-across – Energy moving wheels on to another place : ELSEWHERE

24-across – Financial backer’s article on returns : ANGEL

26-across – Dexterity keeping service in court : CRAFT

27-across – Model Cindy eats in group : SYNDICATE

28-across – Old city in China 500 developed : MATURED

29-across – I leave pool outside? No,it’s difficult : KNOTTY

1-down – Holding areas,holding area and royal vaults : CELLARS

2-down – M-mark? : MONEY

3-down – Squander 2 or 6 balls to dispatch,including roof of pavilion : OVERSPEND

4-down – Mother’s picking up £10,000 drawers? : MAGNETS

5-down – Dark,hard spirit – about time : NIGHT

6-down – British want zero sterling hidden by ambassador where things disappear without trace : BLACKHOLE

7-down – Take exception to unwrapped Christmas gifts : RESENT

8-down – They’ve lost partners to nameless operating system : WIDOWS

14-down – Non-stop tennis,as played around #1 court : INCESSANT

16-down – In land of automobile fanatics,one’s found in bed : CARNATION

18-down – Gripping end to poker: stopped and folded : CREASED

19-down – New York notes some of your five-a-day : GREENS

20-down – Lithium’s turning so grey : SILVERY

21-down – What’s taking digital images,wide,became mostly blurred : WEBCAM

23-down – Drink whiskey next,topless : WATER

25-down – In Italy,John finally beat heavyweight : GIANT

7-across – Head of Defence follows one branch of military around protecting another in rural setting : FARMYARD

9-across – Feeling about a quarter : HAUNCH

10-across – Right to interrupt awful poet : BARD

11-across – Toscanini initially upset with orchestration,it should be breezy : INSOUCIANT

12-across – More mature book starts to be more daring : BOLDER

14-across – Evasive action leads to swearing if Dawn French is recording : SIDESTEP

15-across – Yogi Bear ultimately stops Boo-Boo becoming zoo attraction? : GIRAFFE

17-across – Progress without regulation – to begin with that hurt Marx? : GROUCHO

20-across – Quickly be silent for screening – 17’s brother mostly is : SHARPISH

22-across – The two making love on back of sofa pant? : BREATH

23-across – Doctor adapting an endangered species : GIANTPANDA

24-across – Complain about rep on vacation : CARP

25-across – Cut ending to Moon River : SEVERN

26-across – Area policeman handling case of revenge in court : PRECINCT

1-down – Type of pasta a vehicle on motorway is carrying : MACARONI

2-down – Surrounded by morning papers : AMID

3-down – Somehow parried short sword : RAPIER

4-down – Bears eating,say,3 bones : SHOULDER

5-down – Puzzle annoys over one thousand : RUBIKSCUBE

6-down – After supporting small carbon light fitting : SCONCE

8-down – What’s found inside commodes is toxic – stop! : DESIST

13-down – Lookalike not working with band,Queen : DEADRINGER

16-down – Facetious old man’s boring flick books : FLIPPANT

18-down – Sporting achievement of bowler – perhaps fast one : HATTRICK

19-down – Look on the bright side and exercise : CHINUP

21-down – Next in line holds iron lower : HEIFER

22-down – See 4 : BLADES

24-down – Charlie painting snake : COIL