Daily Answers

1-across – Bob has no trousers : SLACKS

4-across – This will help prisoner grapple with gradient : CRAMPON

9-across – Shed light on raid, bungled in mad circumstances : IRRADIATE

10-across – Embryos right to be included in valuable items : GERMS

11-across – Criticise Russian approval for great beast : PANDA

12-across – Allowance includes deliveries of fish : DOVERSOLE

13-across – Unexpected deterioration makes Romeo slip away : RELAPSE

15-across – Soldiers imprisoned feel remorse : REPENT

17-across – Complacent about a bit of dirt, earl makes a grubby mark : SMUDGE

19-across – Sign of rank wrongly shown on her CV : CHEVRON

22-across – Ascetic is away collecting money : ABSTINENT

24-across – Mourn decapitated bird : EGRET

26-across – German girl’s telescope : GLASS

27-across – Naughty Cora happy having religious books : APOCRYPHA

28-across – Stop advertising sporting occasion : PREVENT

29-across – Dare he produce stick? : ADHERE

1-down – Leader bearing cure : SKIPPER

2-down – A couple working in protective clothing : APRON

3-down – Youngster drifted off! That’s novel! : KIDNAPPED

4-down – One breaking sharp knife : CLEAVER

5-down – Some strangers give offence : ANGER

6-down – Colleague stifles cry of shareholder : PARTOWNER

7-down – A number reached Slough and ate : NOSHED

8-down – Charge theologian during auction : SADDLE

14-down – Household object Adam helps redesign : LAMPSHADE

16-down – Penny made mention of choice : PREFERRED

18-down – Echo support six-footer cultivated : ELEGANT

19-down – Caught German with new material : COTTON

20-down – Rise in metal cost is radical : NITRATE

21-down – Report finished into jail : BANGUP

23-down – Outlet for children : ISSUE

25-down – Lament taking gym for money : RUPEE

1-across – Novelist enthralled by Eyeless in Gaza : LESSING

5-across – Factor composed of various viroids : DIVISOR

9-across – Harmful mite endlessly biting bovine : TOXIC

10-across – Get lost, man! : BEATITUDE

11-across – Wholesale or singly stocking pipe : SWEEPINGLY

12-across – Response in church, standing before sinister graven image : IDOL

14-across – Certain banks conceal atrocious blundering in show of brilliance : CORUSCATION

18-across – Urge to steal and smash up Kia? Not me, pal! : KLEPTOMANIA

21-across – Force Russian poet to leave family : PUSH

22-across – Praise fool’s misguided attempt to make pie crust? : PUFFPASTRY

25-across – She possesses tract with expression of pain hidden between old lines : LANDOWNER

26-across – Girl, learning with boys about love, murmured softly : COOED

27-across – He wastes time being terrible flirt and heartless roué in retirement : TRIFLER

28-across – Expert airmen, primarily right stuff for sound barrier : EARPLUG

1-down – Most recent recapitalisation of bank essentially ignored : LATEST

2-down – Team described by Sibyl as more tempting : SEXIER

3-down – Old man in Cuzco, perhaps, exhibiting lack of power : INCAPACITY

4-down – Publicity-shy actress runs away to North African country : GABON

5-down – Hooligan finally left Disneyland in a mess, causing wrath? : DEADLYSIN

6-down – Two individuals support girl, 8 : VIII

7-down – Some policemen to go private : SQUADDIE

8-down – Defrocked clergyman has large cocktail of gin and white wine : RIESLING

13-down – Crazy commander’s way of travelling round large island : MADAGASCAR

15-down – Leaders of ruthless Ukrainian mafia shoot alcohol smuggler : RUMRUNNER

16-down – Clergyman’s reinterpretation of spiky Old Testament character : SKYPILOT

17-down – Capital investment in brothels in Kiev : HELSINKI

19-down – Saint Rock making journey on foot : STROLL

20-down – Unpredictable podgy Eastern pariah : PYEDOG

23-down – Bush in which foxes, perhaps, can be heard : FURZE

24-down – Judge’s hooter and saggy jawline : JOWL

7-across – By no fluke does this slow the boat down : SEAANCHOR

8-across – Blissful time, messing about idly on lake : IDYLL

9-across – Person who makes no effort to move : PASSENGER

10-across – Good man has crim­inal to hide away : STASH

12-across – Bloomers are old-fashioned wear : STOCKS

13-across – Grass seen at home earlier : INFORMER

14-across – One thousand troops heading southeast in huge formation : IMMENSE

17-across – Ship, possibly a tramp : DRIFTER

20-across – Swell position for a batsman : INCREASE

22-across – Abeam on a ship? : ABOARD

24-across – About twelve inches? : AFOOT

25-across – Treatment for a stoop? The appropriate spec­ialist here : OSTEOPATH

26-across – Scene of a towering row : BABEL

27-across – Improvement of action due to training : EDUCATION

1-down – Have second thoughts about hypocrisy : RECANT

2-down – Killing of many people over a defined area : MASSACRE

3-down – Cakes once cooked aboard ship : SCONES

4-down – Region that is not party to the convention : BOHEMIA

5-down – Journalist’s turn to ride : EDITOR

6-down – Quartz watch that doesn’t look real? : GLASSEYE

11-down – A force raised at some distance : AFAR

15-down – Soldier carrying sailors? : MANOFWAR

16-down – Bird that is cut up and smoked : SHAG

18-down – A course for non-drivers : FOOTPATH

19-down – Disease possibly spread by water : SEASIDE

21-down – Unruly hordes in the Mediterranean : RHODES

22-down – Means business : AGENCY

23-down – Share out in rota : RATION

1-across – One of the 24 that is two and a bit of it: it hurts a bit : TWINGE

4-across – A match for the devil? : LUCIFER

9-across – Major church’s interdict embracing quartz etc : BASILICAN

10-across – One of the 24 less 10, first to last in body : CORPS

11-across – Give fresh start to French boy on top of world : RENEW

12-across – Two of the 24 merge with volumes : LIBRARIES

13-across – Roman historian’s account suppressed by emperor : TACITUS

15-across – Large beast’s entry to attain heaven : WELKIN

17-across – Traumatise sailor with 29 : SCARAB

19-across – Capital fellow with a share of the Guardian : MANAGUA

22-across – Copper in French bed, put back into back, is netted : RETICULAR

24-across – … 12 in Latin and 12 in English : SIGNS

26-across – Remove top from page to economise : SKIMP

27-across – I throw my weight around the angel : ISLINGTON

28-across – One next to Pole and another first off : RUSSIAN

29-across – Party game with mallet : BEETLE

1-down – Upholstery fabric, rubbishy stuff to clothe the naked : TABARET

2-down – Timeless children’s author upset by playwright : IBSEN

3-down – Target for one of the 24 and gift of another who stood for president : GOLDWATER

4-down – Desire to front old weapon : LONGBOW

5-down – Chanel No 1 is drinkable : COCOA

6-down – Indulgent one of 24 raised a bit differently at home between successive notes : FORGIVING

7-down – Stand up to the others, securing lives : RESIST

8-down – One of the 24 found on another, a Thespian : SCALES

14-down – Mixed drinks for fellow with evening dress : COCKTAILS

16-down – 9 dressed with clogs many years ago : LONGSINCE

18-down – Two of the 24 merge with valuable mass : BULLION

19-down – 24 from 12 and 18 translated their mental state : MORALE

20-down – Winner kept 2 topped with proverbial aphrodisiac : ABSENCE

21-down – Removal expert when in Queens : ERASER

23-down – Island from one of the 24 … : CAPRI

25-down – … which retains temperature when attacked : GOTAT

1-across – Form of Scotch some prefer, habitually drunk around clubs : SCOTTISH

5-across – Like late guest king saw at banquet, in spot occupied by none, right? : SPOOKY

9-across – Warmly welcoming new layout for promenade : OPENARMED

11-across – Kind of stress that’s central to conflict, usually : ICTUS

12-across – Cost of brief engagement? : RETAININGFEE

15-across – 24’s narrative to follow in speech : TALE

16-across – A bishop held top position, having deposed leader that’s detested : ABOMINATED

18-across – Stronghold of rugby three-quarters, so to speak — with passion as well : NEWZEALAND

19-across – Act as beginner in party, unlike minister : PLAY

21-across – How lady saw her hand, after partner disposed of king : BLOODSTAINED

24-across – Crazy source of loud and furious, but meaningless, story : IDIOT

25-across – Horses in front of empty castle : DUNSINANE

26-across – Surprisingly full-blooded 1 across king : DUNCAN

27-across – Get seats rearranged where actors perform : STAGESET

1-down – Damned dog dismissed in tragic scene? : SPOT

2-down – For example, removed branches over soldiers : OMEN

3-down – Old landed gentry, some with an estate : THANES

4-down – As guilty woman dramatically did, walked out : SOMNAMBULATED

6-down – Under pressure, atoning can become emotionally painful : POIGNANT

7-down – Totally lacking old engraving tool that’s no longer fashionable : OUTOFSTYLE

8-down – Indeed, strayed badly — all of which enlightened fools? : YESTERDAYS

10-down – Advice to players about 1 across 19? You’re welcome! : DONTMENTIONIT

13-down – Blonde isn’t stupid, or totally lacking in vision : STONEBLIND

14-down – As play is shown again, perhaps, creeps in this petty pace? : SLOWMOTION

17-down – Check with reserve force, containing extreme feud : VENDETTA

20-down – Cutting male player with peripheral role : HEWING

22-down – Weird trio played — is entertaining around midnight : HAGS

23-down – Supposedly heavy drinker, partly blinded for a spell? : NEWT