Daily Answers

1-across – Local government advice for auditors : COUNCIL

5-across – Jack, our lad, comes round to stay : SOJOURN

9-across – Briefly books guest house : BEDANDBREAKFAST

10-across – Pink radical wearing black stuff : CORAL

11-across – He puts his foot down: Haul tree across river! : DRAGRACER

12-across – Nice girl follows directions, hosting morning with her kin : ENFAMILLE

14-across – Weeds cover front of most houses : HOMES

15-across – They’re often barred in reception areas : CELLS

16-across – Board day is inspiring cleric : DIRECTORS

18-across – CD and EP ruled out? Yes : PRECLUDED

21-across – Sidestep first woman clasping her mate? Not half : EVADE

22-across – Male badger, escaping over ploughed land, digs : BOARDANDLODGING

23-across – Put up European tax shelter limits : ELEVATE

24-across – Understanding one thing’s problematic : INSIGHT

1-down – Stall and hit rocks left nearer the bottom : CUBICLE

2-down – After articles in three countries a man flees abroad incognito : UNDERAFALSENAME

3-down – 150 identical tips for festival : CANDLEMAS

4-down – Watch bottom with round bits protruding : LOBED

5-down – Girlfriend cut sandwiches and cried : SHEDATEAR

6-down – GI : JOKER

7-down – Goad communicant after Reformation, unlike 9 and 22 : UNACCOMMODATING

8-down – Types behind keeping guard regularly : NATURES

13-down – Given the runaround, English father boards cutter : LEDADANCE

14-down – Estates in Spain misled, when recruiting 100 there : HACIENDAS

15-down – Competent party boss apparently taken in : CAPABLE

17-down – Cunning, extremely skilful rowers : SLEIGHT

19-down – Austen girl fills in weekly diary : LYDIA

20-down – Penniless Greek city, one in Asia : DELHI

1-across – See 12 : CRACKOF

5-across – See 12 : THEWHIP

9-across – With lead removed, massive like a trace metal? : OSMIC

10-across – As may be an entrance at university, somewhere in Hampshire : UPANDOVER

11-across – Nearest and dearest recollection of standard socialist leader once : KINGALFRED

12-across – Party organiser’s pretty funny — a reasonable chance : FAIR

14-across – Plots extremely pathetic and scenario is ludicrous : CONSPIRACIES

18-across – Simple switch turned on to receive call : UNORNAMENTED

21-across – See 28 : PASS

22-across – Sham bribe to cross border, rubbish : CODSWALLOP

25-across – Singer, a delicate creature, going after bouncer : BALLADEER

26-across – See 24 : TOAST

27-across – Record on piano, no way for music entrepreneur : EPSTEIN

28-across – Saucy proposition that’s illegal for a hooker? : FORWARD

1-down – Call to hug tree, sounding rough : CROAKY

2-down – Seed that’s old removed from a loch : ALMOND

3-down – Quit a golf game to wander idly : KICKAROUND

4-down – Down to make an error : FLUFF

5-down – Player, a giant with red dicky : TRAGEDIAN

6-down – Norse collection needed, say, regularly : EDDA

7-down – Become angry: prayer causing breach of faith, unfortunately : HAVEAFIT

8-down – Woman carrying pig lacking tail and hair : PORTRESS

13-down – Flame flickering over Bela Lugosi say, villain : MALEFACTOR

15-down – See 24 : SOMEONEON

16-down – Responsible, short advert written up in message : CULPABLE

17-down – Panels only entertained by fools : CONSOLES

19-down – Wool top pulled up in the manner of pockets : ALPACA

20-down – Saw catching top of thigh, hurt : SPITED

23-down – Slave branded by one, the mark of a printer : SERIF

24-down – Play totally dominant role, as might a cannibal at breakfast time? : HAVE

1-across – Rules over Sweden, then quits : RESIGNS

5-across – Wanting egg, cook troubles servants : BUTLERS

9-across – House 21 : VILLA

10-across – Subject’s alter ego leads plot: the ultimate robbery : GEOGRAPHY

11-across – Styles of penmanship from wearing mittens, by the looks of it : ROUNDHANDS

12-across – National Lottery grips everybody : ALL

14-across – Where they scientifically test Corbyn’s speeches? : LABORATORIES

18-across – It makes more country sport, helping to protect champion boxers : RURALISATION

21-across – A number of Greek characters retired : SIX

22-across – One in church works outside creating religious music : PLAINCHANT

25-across – Vice-captain won’t worry about Wood not starting : NUMBERTWO

26-across – Noble misses kick-off for Dundee United game : CHESS

27-across – Told to raise the spirits, in a way : RELATED

28-across – Actor gets fine regarding fake name : FREEMAN

1-down – First dogs on Mars? : ROVERS

2-down – Liquidise drink and pour over naked belly : SELLUP

3-down – Safety barriers on track? : GUARDRAILS

4-down – Author upset to receive government letter : SIGMA

5-down – Show fat cats dancing : BROADCAST

6-down – Conservative’s pointless lie : TORY

7-down – Pies and mash prepared by weight : EMPHASIS

8-down – Initially, sharp back pain, when getting onto girl’s telescope : SPYGLASS

13-down – Vehicle from space ascending over time takes an age : MOTORCYCLE

15-down – Old plot to capture only Troy was made out of date by Americans : OBSOLETED

16-down – Heading for rehabilitation, is one held within Pollsmoor’s walls? : PRISONER

17-down – Expert on IMAX flick left near the end : PROXIMAL

19-down – Are two males protecting women’s quarters? : HAREEM

20-down – Infusion served up by shaman, as it pours : PTISAN

23-down – Snooker mishap, provided no fellow is caught : INOFF

24-down – Telecom firm acquires another’s plant : BEET

8-across – King enters affair with army corps backing — he has weapons : ARMOURER

9-across – Novel serving of mashed potato? : SCOOP

10-across – Racing driver family’s rise : HILL

11-across – Dry sort of northern £1 note across the sea : NONDRINKER

12-across – Energy produce by sun in equivalent type of oil : SESAME

14-across – Hand back old man left in Gap : APPLAUSE

16-across – Church doorkeeper moved to Syria : OSTIARY

18-across – Shrink one spoils : ATROPHY

21-across – High Tory capers will do : RIGHTYHO

23-across – When to be rejected by wind god : SATURN

24-across – Neglect your garden plants? Not on the surface : UNDERWATER

26-across – Suffering light that’s pronounced : PAIN

27-across – Hastings has, on the outside, abandoned incense : STING

28-across – A people fit and willing : AMENABLE

1-down – Footwear riddle : TRAINERS

2-down – Bird sound, piano and song — it’s murder! : FOUL

3-down – Grand farmhouse fruit, good for nothing : GRANGE

4-down – Go in pursuit of pleasure without currency, old man! : GRANDAD

5-down – Nation of Trump senior, a major power no more : USSR

6-down – Play area feature? Not exactly : ROUNDABOUT

7-down – Drugs that are incorporated into shoes : UPPERS

13-down – Tai chi term for development work on figures : ARITHMETIC

15-down – Reverse dancing? Precisely : PAT

17-down – Name a god ending in Y : RAY

19-down – Thigh or rib lead housing far from attractive : HORRIBLE

20-down – Bringer of tidings needs support — Mother Nature, primarily : POSTMAN

22-down – Produce charged particles and celebrate topless : IONISE

23-down – Way a good sort nurses Rowan, perhaps : STREET

25-down – Wife, decline to carry on! : WAGE

26-down – See 2 : PLAY

1-across – Complete diplomat excels thus : INTACT

4-across – A rolling sea, too : ASWELL

9-across – My father’s son? I don’t know : PASS

10-across – A rhyme for elephant? That’s incomprehensible : MUMBOJUMBO

11-across – Part of opera needs quiet first — it’s the law : SHARIA

12-across – No French can admit another European as emperor : NAPOLEON

13-across – Asking is difficult : DEMANDING

15-across – Flat rate? : RENT

16-across – One with obsessive interest about fish : TUNA

17-across – Take back on board : RECAPTURE

21-across – Suits people to curse : MENSWEAR

22-across – Fruit in old kitchen area : ORANGE

24-across – People such as this feel OK, surprisingly : THELIKESOF

25-across – First off, makes dirty picture : OILS

26-across – Dead, by collapsing here in hospital? : DAYBED

27-across – Purchase bananas, we hear, but not automatically : BYHAND

1-down – Scott’s hero in Russian garden : IVANHOE

2-down – Stare goofily, seeing stunner : TASER

3-down – Order arms, for example, for the military : COMMAND

5-down – Careless and sentimental about love, primarily : SLOPPY

6-down – Very enthusiastic e-bulletin put out : EBULLIENT

7-down – Scientist’s garment of short, dense hair? : LABCOAT

8-down – Power behind the throne terrible in emergencies : EMINENCEGRISE

14-down – Target a friend of the family? : AUNTSALLY

16-down – Suffered possibly painful eruption, by gum! : TEETHED

18-down – Haughtily, ladies entering a horse-drawn carriage : ALOOFLY

19-down – Regularly drew beer up and feasted : REGALED

20-down – Heavens! The French abuse a speaker : HECKLE

23-down – Particular smell in Emilia-Romagna : AROMA