Daily Answers

5-across – What an indulgence! : PARDON

6-across – Incendiary substance made by buddy during US war : NAPALM

9-across – Epitaph saying something cutting : RIPSAW

10-across – One business transaction is my initial evidence of high-mindedness : IDEALISM

11-across – Mad Men is retro knock out! : STUN

12-across – Where perhaps we sit down to take in a view? : WINDOWSEAT

13-across – Dogs shot in a difficult place : TROUBLESPOT

18-across – One bears arms, shattering chest on cue : ESCUTCHEON

21-across – Distress turns to smile after tea is taken : GRIN

22-across – Half my diet is vegetarian : MEATLESS

23-across – R. Benaud’s broadcast : DANUBE

24-across – Water runs — water vapour befogs : STREAM

25-across – Arachne has row — it’s what I’m good at : METIER

1-down – Captive boy held hostage by intruder : PRISONER

2-down – Bob hit dog : BOWWOW

3-down – Poor asylum seekers finally opt out quietly in advance : HAVENOTS

4-down – Refer to American’s thick skin : CALLUS

5-down – Describe one wearing the trousers : PAINTS

7-down – Graham is hapless source of disaster : MISHAP

8-down – Footballer millions see play : LIONELMESSI

14-down – I rejected calumnies about America : UNCLESAM

15-down – Means to cut out material for dress : ORGANDIE

16-down – A small class has property : ASSETS

17-down – Lithe mountaineers showing guts : LIMBER

19-down – Declares six in clubs : UTTERS

20-down – She agrees retired academic’s oddly dreary : NODDER

1-across – Far from gayest sort of sodomite? : MOODIEST

5-across – Reviled American drawn into a plot : ABUSED

9-across – Fruit getting stuffed with date and walnut toppings for tellers of tales : OLDWIVES

10-across – Think about including good teller of tale : KNIGHT

12-across – HM’s in a grand setting here : SANDRINGHAM

15-across – Group of four mostly tropical fish : TETRA

17-across – Player’s first in Masters with VIP producing work for Google? : MAPMAKING

18-across – Twelve fish close to shore, others being excluded : NOONEELSE

19-across – Doctor not getting on with sudden increase : SURGE

20-across – It’s darned tough at sea for a battleship : DREADNOUGHT

24-across – Where barcarolle may be heard by The King and I singer? : RIALTO

25-across – Singular sack for waste : SPILLAGE

26-across – Polish language, as heard here : FINISH

27-across – Last couple of actors in show performing a U-turn? : REVERSAL

1-down – Head of state with guns to tame rioting : MAOTSETUNG

2-down – I would run round upsetting people after becoming a minister : ORDINATION

3-down – Here in Paris leading lady is more slippery : ICIER

4-down – Actress in capital gaining point for victory over teller of tale : SIENNAMILLER

6-down – Unknown city in Alaska held by outlaws? Certainly not! : BYNOMEANS

7-down – Tale of returning officers in Muslim countries : SAGA

8-down – Somewhat surprised at astounding facts : DATA

11-down – Dish from Hesperides transformed with HP? : SHEPHERDSPIE

13-down – Mirror provides support for tale about construction material : FIBREGLASS

14-down – Extremely amusing tale read out often : AGREATDEAL

16-down – A northern city shows excessive affection for tales : ANECDOTES

21-down – Hardy presents most of hoary tale : OLLIE

22-down – Endless hard work for tennis player : GRAF

23-down – Lady Godiva under observation ends tale : YARN

5-across – Undirected commercial break : ADRIFT

6-across – A ship taking trouble in attack : ASSAIL

9-across – Left in carriage and pair : COUPLE

10-across – In theory he wants the best : IDEALIST

11-across – Such a twist of fate can’t be described as hard cheese : FETA

12-across – Show how a student may be financed : EXHIBITION

13-across – Feel very low about tropical disease : YELLOWFEVER

18-across – Clare Short’s sort of music? : ORCHESTRAL

21-across – One rejecting a knight’s title? It’s a bloomer! : IRIS

22-across – It brings about a military rising : REVEILLE

23-across – Subject in a stiff examination? : CORPSE

24-across – Very strange verse on love : EVERSO

25-across – Present is perfect ring to wife : BESTOW

1-down – Flight path of early aircraft : TRIPLANE

2-down – Spent two notes at gala : EFFETE

3-down – Collect up jumble in efficient fashion : ASSEMBLE

4-down – One may take this battle formation : TABLET

5-down – Worshipped bustle and colour : ADORED

7-down – An example of reduced activity? : LESSON

8-down – A light sleeper, always arriving late for his job : NIGHTWORKER

14-down – No energy and lacking any inclination? : LISTLESS

15-down – Move to a new country home : EMIGRATE

16-down – Suffer changing rig with first mate : GRIEVE

17-down – Fitting task for a puzzle enthusiast? : JIGSAW

19-down – Carried out shoe repairs as listed : HEELED

20-down – Lapped and beaten : LICKED

8-across – Miss drive and rest uneasily : SPINSTER

9-across – A little affaire I kindled, something to make me feel better : REIKI

10-across – Old people imprisoned — many lost : AGED

11-across – Sibling briefly wears comfortable uniform : CONSISTENT

12-across – Ship providing good passage : GALLEY

14-across – The Parisian has a valuable fur that can be rented : LEASABLE

15-across – Cinders made trouble and is sorry : ASHAMED

17-across – Gravel’s scattered about icy surface : VERGLAS

20-across – Antihero disrupted broadcasting : ONTHEAIR

22-across – Classy when receiving thanks for fertiliser ingredient : POTASH

23-across – Deliveries getting attendants to work too hard : OVERSTRAIN

24-across – Put money in hamper for a while : TIME

25-across – See, say, unidentified writer’s catalogue of principles : CANON

26-across – Argue surprisingly about sick terrorist : GUERILLA

1-down – Visual aid for agent on vessel : SPYGLASS

2-down – Eat up, girl! : ENID

3-down – Keep young and powerfully built : STOCKY

4-down – Pilot’s occupied by status, to be honest : FRANKLY

5-down – Water soaking away when daughter showers for a long period : DRAINAGE

6-down – First in the drink becomes agitated : DISTRAUGHT

7-down – Endorse a Liberal notable : SIGNAL

13-down – Doctor hit general for hiding : LEATHERING

16-down – Late performance making excessive demands : EXACTING

18-down – Convention competently covers up confusion : ASSEMBLY

19-down – Score runs in a series : ARRANGE

21-down – Probationer finds old book in French resort : NOVICE

22-down – Boat’s propeller is better : PUNTER

24-down – Trousers initially split in stumble : TRIP

1-across – Post office : SITUATION

6-across – Be depressed when doctor introduces exercise : MOPE

8-across – She vainly seeks masculine attention : COQUETTE

9-across – A warm spring, we hear, for this old man : GEEZER

10-across – Go off to find another partner : REPAIR

11-across – Barely beat the opposition? : OUTSTRIP

12-across – It goes amiss to be a selfish type : EGOIST

15-across – Dicky, Interpol star : TOPLINER

16-across – Many disturbed when people had a drunken party : CAROUSED

19-across – Set to work with new tutor after assembly : TURNTO

21-across – One to perform afterwards for a devoted fan : IDOLATER

22-across – Lower by degrees into river : DEBASE

24-across – Without love, tramp and wealthy man don’t do this : HOBNOB

25-across – Told to include security to prevent access : BLOCKADE

26-across – Less than one hour for action : ZERO

27-across – A plain fellow treated like a doormat : STEPPEDON

1-down – Keep shop : STORE

2-down – Chap comes up in new suit, gets big wave : TSUNAMI

3-down – He’s not himself when working : ACTOR

4-down – Vessel making way for others : ICEBOAT

5-down – Strange thing to observe in a club : NIGHTSPOT

6-down – Music masters require note when taking a rest off : MAESTRI

7-down – I’d put in now for a position in society : PRESIDENT

13-down – Organised chaos on a grand scale : GRANDIOSE

14-down – Laboratory equipment is twice set up without objection being raised : TESTTUBES

17-down – Rosalind’s lover is located in Florida : ORLANDO

18-down – Bad rule may become permanent : DURABLE

20-down – Censured about plot involving UK : REBUKED

22-down – Fall out of love and languish : DROOP

23-down – Battle for the chairman’s seat? : SEDAN