Daily Answers

1-across – Drama about caretaker, for example, initially powerless in mutual action : INTERPLAY

9-across – Prophet avoiding pride through divine intervention : DANIEL

10-across – Platform section next to end of railway track : PARTYLINE

11-across – Bizarre denial included in introduction : LEADIN

12-across – Isn’t commonly included in unusual reply that’s artistic, in a way : PAINTERLY

13-across – Caught returning from island in Med : DELIAN

17-across – Foolish person raises, ignoring the odds : ASS

19-across – Opts for post, say, in an Indian city, beginning in March : ANAGRAM

20-across – Lets rip with changes, complex peals of bells : TRIPLES

21-across – Habitually sail over layer of rock : PLY

23-across – After conversion lets in to join service : ENLIST

27-across – Like a thinking man’s raison d’être : CARTESIAN

28-across – Use some tact in selecting what’s for show : TINSEL

29-across – Unorthodox stance about a religious teaching can be this : SECTARIAN

30-across – Silent treatment that may be said to get someone’s attention : LISTEN

31-across – Discover a canister at sea : ASCERTAIN

2-down – African animals in US city, unfortunately : NYALAS

3-down – Still being taken out of context, antagonistically : EXTANT

4-down – Vote on a couple of points that may need to be counted : POLLEN

5-down – Scratch American ring? Something like that : ANNULUS

6-down – Reckless Democrat on a McCarthyite obsession : DAREDEVIL

7-down – Leaving instructions about change of mind for green energy sources : WINDMILLS

8-down – Gentle quality of light concealed by black cape : BLANDNESS

14-down – Provide drinks in part of plant — it’s said to increase turnover : SALESTALK

15-down – Courage of new piece of text inserted in service : MANLINESS

16-down – Succeeded in becoming editor: did well : PROSPERED

17-down – Unit that, for example, is central : AMP

18-down – Signs contract really finally in pen : STY

22-down – Pervasively influences to abandon partnership : LEAVENS

24-down – Work of art from university in Washington or New York, say : STATUE

25-down – Funny priest’s wit : ESPRIT

26-down – A wife inhabiting one part of Africa or another : MALAWI

7-across – Obsessed when taking cab back, having dined out : FIXATED

8-across – Wonder if motor reverses within the distance : MIRACLE

9-across – Some swear blind about bank : BRAE

10-across – Arty suite redesigned for plain living : AUSTERITY

12-across – Parishioners come together : FLOCK

13-across – Against the current higher school grouping : UPSTREAM

15-across – Palm found in worker’s accommodation? : FLAT

16-across – See 15 : OFTHE

17-across – See 15 : HAND

18-across – One partly chosen for certain compelling qualities : ENFORCER

20-across – Fellow claiming decoration lacks bite : GUMMY

21-across – Large gathering for Tory to give a damn about nothing : CONCOURSE

22-across – Being apt to turn, fathead spat : TIFF

24-across – Old-fashioned please becoming tripe, eh? : PRITHEE

25-across – Leading ditherers back to cooker : STEWPOT

1-down – Scoff up, kidder! : LIAR

2-down – Opening supporter’s proverbially third in secret : GATEPOST

3-down – Right space on ancient vessel for observation : REMARK

4-down – Uncommonly nice — else who would be a publican? : LICENSEE

5-down – Bishop holds one captivated by Primate With Sword : RAPIER

6-down – Playfully modest about 50? It can be a bit much : CLOY

11-down – Bridge player at club showing hesitation to one who speaks incoherently : SPUTTERER

12-down – Cut down endlessly over one who breaks the law : FELON

14-down – Pester girl with Scottish grandchild : ANNOY

16-down – A butcher’s examination? : ONCEOVER

17-down – Where I come from hot women get spoilt : HOMETOWN

19-down – Elaborate talk about opening night : ORNATE

20-down – Of whom 1 in 3 at the wedding were buttonholed, poetically : GUESTS

21-down – Sure thing, if it’s dead : CERT

23-down – Animal up for run : FLOW

1-across – See 1 down : TWISTER

5-across – Pontiac hit by 1 across, say : CAPTION

9-across – Second generation immigrant from Japan is 18 : NISEI

10-across – Groundhog Day in court, Charlie boy? : WOODCHUCK

11-across – Regularly not fit to eat soup for starters in American mess : UNTIDINESS

12-across – Time? It often flies : BIRD

14-across – As a result of this, finds Aha! cry reverberating around Goole perhaps : ARCHAEOLOGY

18-across – Complaint from fairy to fool involves Shakespeare’s leading characters : PERITONITIS

21-across – Every single part of a river bar its source : EACH

22-across – Slanderous article after female made out with politician : DEFAMATORY

25-across – Spooner’s eponymous heroine retails these? : SEASHELLS

26-across – Port for city of Newcastle? It hardly has what’s needed : LEITH

27-across – Drunk that’s chosen to be legless? On the contrary : PICKLED

28-across – Sprinkles Lord’s pitch, preventing openers getting stuck in : PEPPERS

1-down – Are you texting in tweets, having got confused? It’s hard to say : TONGUE

2-down – One unit’s out of place? Yes and no : INSITU

3-down – Sort of policy that’s beneath Nick Clegg? : THIRDPARTY

4-down – Shade round bottom of willow tree : ROWAN

5-down – Annoyed about one social worker’s role, say : CROISSANT

6-down – Kiss head off spot : PECK

7-down – As one child under 11 hugs sister : INUNISON

8-down – Yankee editor briefly edited the Observer, unassisted : NAKEDEYE

13-down – Fish eaten : CODSWALLOP

15-down – Clotted cream’s first to have gone off, Mr.Jones : CONGEALED

16-down – Cat circumnavigating ocean capsizes as one gains momentum : SPEEDSUP

17-down – Chair and cot knocked over with feet being the long and the short of it : TROCHAIC

19-down – Use force to control opening offer in topless joint : POLICE

20-down – Fever Pitch essentially has a variety of pushy characters : TYPHUS

23-down – Greek river with body of water rising : AESOP

24-down – Small bottle without a name : PHIL

1-across – Ministry reversal of rule on not skating : FOREIGNOFFICE

9-across – Sausage is beginning to cook, as far as one can see? Not quite : CHORIZO

10-across – Kind of memory that returns to engulf a little fighter : MATADOR

11-across – Copy topless constraint : IMITATION

12-across – Spikes on shoes : LACES

13-across – Be patient and join me in serving diners : LETS

14-across – Writer involved in a recent riot shows remorse : REPENTANCE

16-across – In reality time after time follows small preference for the last course : SWEETTOOTH

19-across – See 13 : WAIT

20-across – Elizabeth I certainly demonstrates this principle : ETHIC

21-across – Fancy bathing costume with broken thong missing came out of Merseyside : BEATMUSIC

23-across – Abandon lease, having found a small tear, perhaps : DROPLET

24-across – Acts of robbery cause delays : HOLDUPS

25-across – A tall nut — aren’t nuts a gift? : NATURALTALENT

1-down – Husky voice of lover, when swallowed by Miss Piggy? : FROGINTHETHROAT

2-down – Yoghurt from Austria leaving us confused : RAITA

3-down – Love vow lies shattered : IDOLISE

4-down – I’m on an upwards course, born to be a candidate : NOMINEE

5-down – Pointlessness of fuse? : FUTILITY

6-down – Dine out on little money, since sailor reported crime : INDECENTASSAULT

7-down – This perhaps occupies fully Mr Little Eng­lander? : EUROSCEPTICISM

8-down – Sick in pain with East Enders, finish on weak spot : ACHILLESTENDON

15-down – Pedant has left in the price tag : STICKLER

17-down – Going round in circles, Tony Blair ignores the base of UN resolution : ORBITAL

18-down – Put up paintings, accepting pain in the neck : TRACHEA

22-down – Give me shelter from the riot : MELEE

7-across – Abandon one on flight : DESERTION

8-across – Importance of respect : VALUE

9-across – He may counsel the sexual offender : THERAPIST

10-across – Timber reordered by one : EBONY

12-across – Animated or dead — idolised : ADORED

13-across – Ability to stick to point, perhaps : GUMPTION

14-across – After getting in the beer he went round preaching : APOSTLE

17-across – Attractive artwork : DRAWING

20-across – Document to be filled in by don or graduate : PROFORMA

22-across – Pop a question that’s somewhat obscure : OPAQUE

24-across – Seven dancing castaways? : VEILS

25-across – Way home from the inn : ROADHOUSE

26-across – It’s worn by sailor in a blow : HABIT

27-across – Safety device to protect bird : GUARDRAIL

1-down – Become acquainted with brick carrier’s way of working : METHOD

2-down – Carry a gun with sleeves rolled up, say : BEARARMS

3-down – Dull-witted, confused type taken in by boss : STUPID

4-down – It may wilt and droop in the centre : CORSAGE

5-down – Poor performing animal? : RABBIT

6-down – Refuse to reduce the volume : TURNDOWN

11-down – Middle East overturns one ruler — or another : EMIR

15-down – Grating that goes on top, of course : PARMESAN

16-down – Game bird? : LARK

18-down – Any power may produce armaments : WEAPONRY

19-down – Nothing in the ship is of extravagant style : BAROQUE

21-down – Line up on parade and collapse : FALLIN

22-down – Nuns take what superiors give : ORDERS

23-down – International organisation’s help is implicit : UNSAID