Daily Answers

8-across – Poisonous plant disposes of servant and Sir Francis : MANDRAKE

9-across – Follows storyteller in street going westwards : TRAILS

10-across – Stake where Italian poet lost his head : ANTE

11-across – Literary group flourishes next to sink : BLOOMSBURY

12-across – Dimwit absorbs Stock Exchange secret : CLOSET

14-across – Shut up shed and flat : DROPDEAD

15-across – Making endless noise about rubbish, backing Victoria? : STATION

17-across – One attracted to card game shows how to cut : ABRIDGE

20-across – Slug with tail squashed by French politician : GAULLIST

22-across – Deposit secures little back room for manoeuvre : LEEWAY

23-across – Fix up my sandal for this religious festival : PALMSUNDAY

24-across – The pain borne by Rachel : ACHE

25-across – Polish king – Old Black Eye : SHINER

26-across – Turn round headlong in new wooden rescue boat : NOAHSARK

1-down – The challenge of accommodating Aunt Letitia : GAUNTLET

2-down – Newspaperman gets half inch : EDGE

3-down – Doctor in middle of walk makes sacrifice : GAMBIT

4-down – Extra food for boxers’ helpers : SECONDS

5-down – Scrap a lot of money? That makes a big bang : ATOMBOMB

6-down – Counter-plot calls for telegram security equipment : BARBEDWIRE

7-down – Swanson impregnates rag with oil : GLORIA

13-down – It resolves difficulties in an isolated village : SETTLEMENT

16-down – Death sentences? : OBITUARY

18-down – Keeper of hardy animals is an unlikely dog-hater : GOATHERD

19-down – Apprentice journalist caught up in dangerous feat : STUDENT

21-down – Coldness of a course unknown : APATHY

22-down – Untrained person writing short poem on staff : LAYMAN

24-down – Processed peas found in church : APSE

5-across – About fifty always present smart appearance : CLEVER

6-across – Romans required money to get free : RANSOM

9-across – A little Bach and Elgar maybe – or some other composer : HANDEL

10-across – Superior woman to crush and escort to the door : USHEROUT

11-across – Bring up the right to a listening device : REAR

12-across – Dealing with urgent checking : REPRESSING

13-across – Youngsters like receiving handout – small change : ADOLESCENTS

18-across – Businessman set against a player losing his head : CONTRACTOR

21-across – The tiresome person parking badly : PILL

22-across – Flighty creature in the pink and burning with love : FLAMINGO

23-across – Filmed first in the Mediterranean : MISTED

24-across – Object to being ordered to go again : RESENT

25-across – Late transport here’s a problem : HEARSE

1-down – Plastered, so gave up : RENDERED

2-down – Store a vehicle’s outside measurement : CELLAR

3-down – Stuff obtainable for ready money only : CASHMERE

4-down – Very large bloom once highly esteemed by Egyptians : OSIRIS

5-down – Appalling cad – and he’s run after! : CHASED

7-down – Deplores doctors hanging around the tea maker : MOURNS

8-down – Place to get drink? That’s an idea! : SUPPOSITION

14-down – The student meriting education : LEARNING

15-down – Take a revolutionary step in attempt to procure material : TAPESTRY

16-down – Derby cricket team member : BOWLER

17-down – Say there’s point to everything, for example : ALLEGE

19-down – A large number entering the examination appear extremely dull : TAMEST

20-down – Stranger calling for a big glass : RUMMER

1-across – American backing combatant in African country : SUDAN

4-across – Vegetable British love cold, leading to endless stomach ache : BROCCOLI

8-across – Jazz piece could be led by piano rush : RHAPSODYINBLUE

10-across – Plover to have mammal as prey? : KILLDEER

11-across – Films supplied by agency about soldiers in revolution : CINEMA

12-across – Plains? No, a different American place : ANNAPOLIS

15-across – Bar offering litres always : LEVER

17-across – Trendy clique may offer little plan : INSET

18-across – Personal statistic in a new list I compiled : WAISTLINE

19-across – PM on TV seen as one who’s into computers? : HACKER

21-across – As a disciple, the girl’s in a bit of a depression : ADHERENT

24-across – Sadly mar Verdi’s Requiem with only one right note : DEMISEMIQUAVER

25-across – Sort of band using instruments with skill : BRASSART

26-across – Cleaner makes happy sound round back of house : PURER

1-down – Cause an inflammatory situation after friction? Gosh! : STRIKEALIGHT

2-down – Time limits that make telecommunications impossible? : DEADLINES

3-down – A sudden plunge I’ve avoided – went ahead cautiously : NOSED

4-down – Roar about journalist and female partner in hanky-panky? : BEDFELLOW

5-down – King Ousted in Revolution – short piece in paper? : OBIT

6-down – Vehicle about to go with dash meeting hindrance : CABRIOLET

7-down – Look to find employment for unpleasant person : LOUSE

9-down – What may be used in shock treatment : HAIRRESTORER

13-down – China region where river mammal goes into dishes : POTTERIES

14-down – Sort of bowling to become inaccurate – it’s sprayed around : SPINDRIFT

16-down – Speaking in the background without love: evil maiden? : VOICEOVER

20-down – Open vault : CLEAR

22-down – Provide Esctasy and crack : EQUIP

23-down – A clergyman upset lady : VERA

1-across – Stage directors in groups : BOARDS

5-across – Intrude by chance or mistake : ENCROACH

9-across – Its users have no need to take flight to reveal confusion : ELEVATOR

10-across – Put in on without being told? : ASSUME

11-across – They aren’t charged, but make the most noise : EMPTYVESSELS

13-across – One outside hospital may need treatment : ACHE

14-across – Shellfish on edge : ESCALLOP

17-across – Always faithful? : CONSTANT

18-across – They are fast replacing buttons : ZIPS

20-across – They restore plush to order : UPHOLSTERERS

23-across – Aim straight : DIRECT

24-across – Nevertheless, netting first and last service : EVENSONG

25-across – Broken boot-tree found in the garden : BEETROOT

26-across – One has no reason to want it : SANITY

2-down – Lois becomes a medium : OILS

3-down – Critics about to join members of the audience : REVIEWERS

4-down – Physical exercises I put off when on board : SITUPS

5-down – Prompt payments may be what archaeologists are looking for : EARLYSETTLEMENT

6-down – Carriage boy : CLARENCE

7-down – Deserted place of refreshment? : OASIS

8-down – Old soldier who got the hump : CAMELCORPS

12-down – Oddly comic place associated with a criminal, perhaps : ACCOMPLICE

15-down – Idle girl going round giving choice to consumers : LAZYSUSAN

16-down – It sounds highly unnatural : FALSETTO

19-down – Quiet place for a school break : RECESS

21-down – Public minister raised in the Old Testament : OVERT

22-down – It makes fast speed at sea : KNOT

1-across – How to identify article about Japanese game immediately? : FROMTHEWORDGO

10-across – Awfully coy, interrupting journalist making a pile in the field : HAYCOCK

11-across – Get on the right wavelength, about to tease popular leader : TRIBUNE

12-across – It’ll beat having beans, or somesuch : PULSE

13-across – Post contains a break in the clouds : MARESTAIL

14-across – Horse sounding not so old, it’s said : NEIGH

16-across – Nearly married old lunatic, as one’s expecting a packet! : MAILORDER

18-across – So Tom may announce he’s 20 inclined? : CATERWAUL

19-across – American uncle’s gone back over most of the subject : MATHS

20-across – Morals you abandoned behaving thus? : AMOROUSLY

23-across – One used toplay CDs, depending on 23 down? : LASER

24-across – Reports from a battle zone, possibly : GUNFIRE

25-across – Argued furiously about Pentium’s first improvement : UPGRADE

26-across – What some athletes had to do to ensure victory? : BREASTTHETAPE

2-down – The Queen’s never used this source of cash : ROYALMINT

3-down – Sweet-sounding animal : MOOSE

4-down – Accepted having pong surrounding rubbish : HOKUM

5-down – One grinding away with determination over a limited period : WATERMILL

6-down – Downfall almost about to occur – first sign seen outside : RAINSTORM

7-down – My word! Upper class accepted a Dutch cheese! : GOUDA

8-down – Continually vary what you get from butcher for a fiver? : CHOPANDCHANGE

9-down – In a fine old pickle! : WELLPRESERVED

15-down – It’s played on injury Lewinsky first neglected : HARMONICA

16-down – Sort out statements, losing time checking finances : MEANSTEST

17-down – It should give an impression of accurate timing : DATESTAMP

21-down – I have to see the proprietor : OWNER

22-down – Those I’m addressing – half of them teenagers? : YOUTH

23-down – Come down and see it, so you’ll understand : LIGHT