Daily Answers

7-across – Cleaners accepting decoration in judge’s room : CHAMBERS

9-across – Old Briton conceals love for cat : OCELOT

10-across – Supporter’s grand boast : BRAG

11-across – Carol accepts the problem, having superficial knowledge : SMATTERING

12-across – Priest is working for porridge : PRISON

14-across – Skip across the pond : DUMPSTER

15-across – Choose the Parisian in the faction : SELECT

17-across – Dishonour grips royal family : STRAIN

20-across – Merchant needed by three blind mice? : RETAILER

22-across – Vehicle requiring endless dexterity : SLEIGH

23-across – Alert women cooked fruit : WATERMELON

24-across – Daily grind’s hard for girl : RUTH

25-across – Radical to laze about : ZEALOT

26-across – Drop feathers in trash : TEARDOWN

1-down – Soldier enters top twenty in France : CHARTRES

2-down – Bob’s face appears conceited : SMUG

3-down – Flavour is the main issue : SEASON

4-down – Cheat, seduce and disgrace : CONTEMPT

5-down – Flower cultivated in these areas : HEARTSEASE

6-down – Black cat’s resilience : BOUNCE

8-down – Son’s ready for a drink : SHANDY

13-down – Around devotional feature promote love for dance : SALTARELLO

16-down – State accord is a disaster : CALAMITY

18-down – Late sleeper is close to Welsh lake : NIGHTOWL

19-down – Member allowed adornment : ARMLET

21-down – Periods Edward rubbed out : ERASED

22-down – Prepare and use dessert : SUNDAE

24-down – Naughty schoolmarm goes topless : RUDE

1-across – Slight wound is no handicap : SCRATCH

5-across – A singular spectacle : MONOCLE

10-across – Primate seen around Sunday in church : APSE

11-across – Pipe bursts each summer : MEERSCHAUM

12-across – Play, but cheat : FIDDLE

13-across – Savings books : RESERVES

14-across – Home one left when decree nisi brought round : RESIDENCE

16-across – University degree for head : FIRST

17-across – Resort to sergeant major to get fit : SPASM

19-across – Fell in love but became discouraged : LOSTHEART

23-across – They may lead to quick ducks for any batsmen : BOUNCERS

24-across – He brought fresh weight to laws of motion : NEWTON

26-across – Pastries cooked in oven vaults : VOLAUVENTS

27-across – I return to a trivial item : IOTA

28-across – Defeat — or quite the opposite : REVERSE

29-across – Army set out to gain control : MASTERY

2-down – Upset? Depends on how big-headed one is! : CAPSIZE

3-down – More advanced as a teacher? : AHEAD

4-down – Enter favourite in contest : COMPETE

6-down – Torment bosses in difficulty : OBSESS

7-down – White? Rosé provided if not : OTHERWISE

8-down – Bays of victory : LAURELS

9-down – It’s barred for pedestrians : ZEBRACROSSING

15-down – Hint — take out annuities : INSINUATE

18-down – Offer a match : PROPOSE

20-down – A unit is ordered to somewhere in North Africa : TUNISIA

21-down – Roll containing nothing but chicken : ROOSTER

22-down – Holidays that fall in the autumn : LEAVES

25-down – Vital statistical centre : WAIST

1-across – In appearance everyone is lacking in depth : SHALLOW

5-across – Top game for one with a blood disorder : DIABOLO

9-across – One with duty to be beheaded over Ulster : UNITY

10-across – Cruel man, one out for the count : NUMERICAL

11-across – Computer’s complication of a costing spread? : DATAPROCESSING

13-across – Animals said to be put to some purpose : EWES

14-across – Resident dress worker : HABITANT

17-across – High praise for falsified income? I’m not sure : ENCOMIUM

18-across – Mathematical solution seen in addition, or vice versa : ALSO

21-across – Celtic 22 makes one scorn its shape : CORNISHPASTIES

23-across – Advocate support for single books : PROPONENT

24-across – Mother-in-law of 16, no less : NAOMI

25-across – Gives study on evergreens, say — with one missing : CONFERS

26-across – If shy, one would be fair game : COCONUT

1-down – Avoid military command : SHUN

2-down – Film made it an alternative, with nothing in the box : ANIMATEDCARTOON

3-down – Many a line unsuited for one not trained : LAYMAN

4-down – Succeed with effort that’s not so warm : WINTRY

5-down – Liberal follower’s detailed moderate programme involving Conservative leader : DEMOCRAT

6-down – A company registrar ought sometimes to issue cheques initially : ACROSTIC

7-down – One miscreant said to squander a moment on it’s very unusual : ONCEINABLUEMOON

8-down – Sacrifice involved soldier turning up for duty : OBLIGATION

12-down – Celtic pose perhaps able to take a longer view : TELESCOPIC

15-down – More vino drunk with his diet? : OMNIVORE

16-down – Callous when without a lady : RUTHLESS

19-down – Manoeuvre of man on course in changing sides : TACTIC

20-down – Concerning race’s thin distribution in the city : ETHNIC

22-down – Commons that could be short? : DIET

1-across – Attack where Cockney might grow meat? : AMBUSH

4-across – Result of lob? : UPSHOT

9-across – March bringing a little pandemonium : DEMO

10-across – Model driven, one after party rule — was she? : CARLABRUNI

11-across – As being no good, nothing for administrative body : QUANGO

12-across – Wild, hairy monster lacking leadership entering as Sarkozy, short : FRENETIC

13-across – Reduced to cut pressure, stopping service : SLOWTRAIN

15-across – See 5 : WHEEL

16-across – See 2 : BREAD

18-across – Ultimate in pretentiousness, crossword setter’s art, the finesse of a swashbuckler : SWORDPLAY

22-across – The other question … : HOWSYOUR

23-across – See 22 : FATHER

25-across – … alternatively, this side of Scotland? : MOTHERWELL

26-across – Crack cryptic clues for links, say : GOLF

27-across – Paperback in row which comes to a head? : TITFER

28-across – He may be a loan shark ___ but is it me who’s less certain? : USURER

1-down – Old lover, informal clothes, topless, far from erotic : ASEXUAL

2-down – Dead good source of fibre : BROWN

3-down – Relief from dope, say : SUCCOUR

5-down – Concern with image over weary, reckless scoundrel getting revolver in Tibet : PRAYER

6-down – Possession of rider, whose charger finally beaten with it : HORSEWHIP

7-down – Survivor’s inheritance, it’s raised in metric weight : TONTINE

8-down – Figure pocketing fines through car I wrongly park up? : TRAFFICWARDEN

14-down – Useful stuff wife saw, article disappearing between 27s : WHATSWHAT

17-down – Eradicate Aussie bouncer, one dealing with aggression? : ROOTOUT

19-down – Tousles hair swept back, then nature uplifted : RUFFLES

20-down – Arm cut or a leg cut, perhaps, relating to a sensitive area : AREOLAR

21-down – See 26 : COURSE

24-down – Formidable opponent on the 26 21? : TIGER

9-across – Met fan in old gym — amateur working out with Roger : OPERAGOER

10-across – Two 14 back to lead group of players : SQUAD

11-across – Maria’s debut in Slovakia capital : MINSK

12-across – See 29 : BESERIOUS

13-across – Lose cool in good old fight against Edberg at the start : GOSPARE

14-across – See 17 : DOUBLES

17-across – Used lob in this event? : MIXED

19-across – See 23 : FOR

20-across – Ivan Lendl ultimately got a hammering here : ANVIL

21-across – Nadal’s furious about cocaine affair : SCANDAL

22-across – Was Laver a gentleman? Yes, but with a mean streak : AVERAGE

24-across – No laughs disrupted Evert’s closing attack : ONSLAUGHT

26-across – Rally dimly recalled somewhat blissful time : IDYLL

28-across – Smith has dubious hit disallowed — this one? : SMASH

29-across – Fractious McEnroe’s last noisy abuse on court : YOUCANNOT

1-down – Second Australian retired, creating buzz : ZOOM

2-down – See 23 : TENNIS

3-down – Ball primarily hacked and cut thus? : BACKHANDED

4-down – Common resident put millions into joint set-up : WOMBLE

5-down – Old warrior caused upset with Roger losing heart : CRUSADER

6-down – Top Russian’s rackets are mostly confiscated : TSAR

7-down – Eg Ivanisevich or Seles in jail with huge loo? : JUGOSLAV

8-down – The chances of first finding big cups for ladies : ODDS

13-down – In which, at the outset, gritty Andy Murray expects success : GAMES

15-down – Regular lawn manicure ordered, contrary to US conventions : UNAMERICAN

16-down – Something for Laver : SALVE

18-down – Look into top player’s huge pulsating body : XRAYSTAR

19-down – Connors’ victims, say, drop pretence on air : FALLGUYS

22-down – Former champion has heart trouble covering centre of courts : ARTHUR

23-down – Invitation to sporty afternoons in middle of Kenya? : ANYONE

24-down – Remove judge from early contest : OUST

25-down – See 22 : ASHE

27-down – Replayed points at end of final scrappy set : LETS