Daily Answers

8-across – Dispensing with loving gestures, thugs pin me to ground, helpless : IMPOTENT

9-across – Cup replay’s final touch by Hearts left back : TROPHY

10-across – Secret police force’s arrest : STASIS

11-across – Mob wants me to go off in a while, having retreated? : TIMEBOMB

12-across – Down-and-out, like team with such a record? : WINO

13-across – Hotel defamation cases during stay not a result of contaminated food : DELHIBELLY

15-across – Got off just over halfway through dismal government-free existence : REALITY

16-across – Letters you see to be typed, for example S-K-I-P T-E-A : CAPTCHA

18-across – They’re not even occasional painkillers! : ODDNUMBERS

19-across – Grand military official’s losing it : GAGA

20-across – Lincoln pub given the go-ahead in key letters : ALPHABET

22-across – Time allowed for preparation once varied with it : NOTICE

23-across – Literary man’s endless fun, hosting evening of poetry : JEEVES

24-across – The reason solicitor’s reported heavy blizzard : WHITEOUT

1-down – Element divider flexibly accommodating ununoctium : DMITRIMENDELEEV

2-down – Cheers solvers are barred from getting : YOUSHOULDNTHAVE

3-down – Redevelopment of East End integral to total object of perception : SENSEDATUM

4-down – Very impressive visit without telephone : STATELY

5-down – A couple one bumped into on the rebound? : ITEM

6-down – So makeshift team did it at last? : COBBLEDTOGETHER

7-down – Its members say they’ve made it up : THEMILEHIGHCLUB

14-down – Making merry a bit insane while away! : INABSENTIA

17-down – Dissident went and won Hemel Hempstead? : NEWTOWN

21-down – Vehicle heading for Hertfordshire wilderness : BUSH

1-across – Fine musical returns, featuring unknown old minx : FIZGIG

5-across – Conservative MP gets in again after changing crusade : CAMPAIGN

9-across – Small range, one in city state : SLOVENIA

10-across – Style attained height in churches, primarily : GOTHIC

11-across – Clerical office Harry Lauder ran on English lines : RURALDEANERY

13-across – Nice setter entertains a new girl : JANE

14-across – Class sorts out test cases : TUTORIAL

17-across – Ray follows reserve scorer on rink : ICESKATE

18-across – Short division? Sign on staff : CLEF

20-across – In which kinky pair agree on hosting male? : OPENMARRIAGE

23-across – Sage, I’m sorry to say, comes back around six : SALVIA

24-across – Getting warm neckwear and dark clothing? : NIGHTIES

25-across – Old person from Riga features in odious 21 : VILLETTE

26-across – Dominate high-scoring draw without central pairing : THRALL

2-down – Python stands up during panel discussion : IDLE

3-down – Leave Jules’s special teacher at home : GOVERNESS

4-down – Dope and crack for those in estates? : GENTRY

5-down – Writer’s sweet Breton confection : CHARLOTTEBRONTE

6-down – Brief affair involving English over old saloon : MAGNETTE

7-down – Tax cut oddly reduced working in London area : ACTON

8-down – Someone staring over edge, touching the end : GRIMREAPER

12-down – A cargo ship transported old boxes : SARCOPHAGI

15-down – Radical old queen hides bust somewhere in Kent : ROCHESTER

16-down – Viewer’s complaint about diplomacy engaging Arab : CATARACT

19-down – Did school put rubbish outside that’s foul? : TAUGHT

21-down – Book half a month online : NOVEL

22-down – Call law graduate up about drug : BELL

9-across – Australian with ancestry in Lincoln? : ABORIGINE

10-across – Cream and gold seen in plant : IVORY

11-across – Fifty-one line up endlessly on right for a drink : LIQUEUR

12-across – Denounced a cricket club not new to exploitation : ACCUSED

13-across – One wants to be so described : NEEDY

14-across – Providing people with different occupations : REHOUSING

16-across – Riches of the arts, perhaps, for personal adornment : OSTRICHFEATHERS

19-across – Scold or nag — matter put straight : TERMAGANT

21-across – Return of spirit in open discussion : FORUM

22-across – Flies east via resorts : AVIATES

23-across – Dashing fellow who went to the top at sea : GALLANT

24-across – Company about to broadcast somewhere in Egypt : CAIRO

25-across – Fresh delivery of an American magazine : NEWYORKER

1-down – Argument about leaving the parade ground : FALLINGOUT

2-down – Victory or defeat : CONQUEST

3-down – Fine quality diamonds worn with shirt in New York : NICETY

4-down – False witness who turns up to abuse : LIAR

5-down – Indifference of some soldiers : DETACHMENT

6-down – Don’t totally accept the cut-price offer : DISCOUNT

7-down – Various trees but no great variety : BONSAI

8-down – Found out, Eddy coloured : DYED

14-down – Preparing for the night? : REHEARSING

15-down – Some grates designed as fuel-savers : GASOMETERS

17-down – Doing nothing but fighting? : INACTION

18-down – Lugs around old currency reserves : EARMARKS

20-down – Fruit is seen in the fall : RAISIN

21-down – One won’t be the first to do it : FOLLOW

22-down – Saucy curve : ARCH

23-down – Turn pale, not having a costume : GOWN

1-across – Historic point of entry in which antelope takes two lives at first, then another two lives : ELLISISLAND

9-across – West Side Story number about doctor’s instrument : MARIMBA

10-across – Do as instructed and misbehave before performing : ACTUPON

11-across – After north-eastern break backfired, composed Ring opera : LOHENGRIN

12-across – Moles, say, getting no backing of MI5 without leader : NAEVI

13-across – See 19 : ACHE

14-across – Ground nut carcase, which is shelled : CRUSTACEAN

16-across – Not before minor tucks into pudding? : AFTERWARDS

19-across – A bit of a pain, Matt’s ahead of champion, swallowing hard : DULL

20-across – He’s involved with any apparent source of laughter : HYENA

21-across – Be dependent on the Tube train? : STRAPHANG

23-across – Entering sporting series, United put out again : REISSUE

24-across – In the middle of punt, eating chocolate bar : BETWIXT

25-across – Mob culture joker, name concealed, identified as spy boss : GANGSTERISM

1-down – Heart : EARTHSHATTERING

2-down – Light unit half finishes beneath chimney : LUMEN

3-down – Londoner’s bird, one taking part in cockfight? : SPARRER

4-down – Mother time appropriated by children turning over antique jar : STAMNOS

5-down – After 1.10, Ena put out feelers : ANTENNAE

6-down – Nuclear industry waste product messed up laundered item : DEPLETEDURANIUM

7-down – Real Mata Hari in disguise, seizing English long-distance flier : AMELIAEARHART

8-down – Windows-related legal entitlement derived from old crossword answers : ANCIENTLIGHTS

15-down – Famously slow assistant from way back now sat awkwardly : DRWATSON

17-down – Swelling brass section awful without randomly placed intro : ABSCESS

18-down – Divided by resistance, one times two less zero gives constant : DURABLE

22-down – Place: it’s elevated for cherubs : PUTTI

8-across – Where one might well end up introducing quantifier into Anglican year : CEMETERY

9-across – Filipino crop a bit in front by this summer : ABACA

10-across – Obscenities begin to be uttered after sado­masochism : SMUT

11-across – Booze draws drunk into trees : ZEBRAWOODS

12-across – Dived without a springboard and hurtled forward : LUNGED

14-across – A mild TUC review is as from a sacred text : TALMUDIC

15-across – Ah Harpo! Possibly one of the greats of yesteryear : PHARAOH

17-across – Prime minister abandons dodgy poolrooms for a sherry : OLOROSO

20-across – Simplest production, where characters have been cast badly : MISSPELT

22-across – This habit would not be adopted by Conrad, for instance : JOSEPH

23-across – They trail along behind — hospital department hours being trimmed a long time : ENTOURAGES

24-across – This party starts otherwise with fish : DORY

25-across – That’s the place to take a line off the record : THERE

26-across – How the weather can heat kettles : ELEMENTS

1-down – Clergyman served up opening drink : VERMOUTH

2-down – Preliminary passion : HEAT

3-down – Took views overheard before first sign of danger : SEIZED

4-down – Admire spa from a very small vessel : EYEBATH

5-down – Matching degree course : PARALLEL

6-down – Leave Ted behind for adventuresome tripping, involving lots of shifting about : MANOEUVRES

7-down – Film about collaboration between Goering and Hitler : GANDHI

13-down – Cosy gropes possible with these navigational aids! : GYROSCOPES

16-down – Sort of bandit person bearing a weapon : ONEARMED

18-down – Part when equal bottom — about the last chance : SEPARATE

19-down – They label back to front to confound : STAGGER

21-down – Instinctive move to eat at pub : INNATE

22-down – Teased short girl over cast-off : JOSHED

24-down – Provides the odd steroid from the east : DOES