Daily Answers

1-across – In the past, cutter put out stern first : TIMEWAS

5-across – Seeing they help girls, give them a good start : GLASSES

9-across – Peace and quiet in a number of families : ORDER

10-across – Her career progresses by leaps and bounds : BALLERINA

11-across – Cushy number, creating alternative to sauce boat? : GRAVYTRAIN

12-across – Disgusted expression as one pulls rabbit’s head out of sack : FIE

14-across – On march noticing English have left is disheartening : DEMORALISING

18-across – About to take pew, shy, after sister’s beginning to chant this? : NUNCDIMITTIS

21-across – Secret message doesn’t start in verse : ODE

22-across – Value bus lane: travelling regularly eases : USABLENESS

25-across – Soldier near failing, consumed by pity : MERCENARY

26-across – I’m not straight in the feet : IAMBI

27-across – Bureaucracy offers old advice about where to find water : REDTAPE

28-across – One coming from nowhere puts out pictures : UPSTART

1-down – Out of hospital, clear of depression : TROUGH

2-down – Some may catch one tampering with fruit tree : MEDLAR

3-down – They may relieve tension, but be sad to do this? : WORRYBEADS

4-down – Shed tears over queen’s grave : SOBER

5-down – Seek pleasure in a grand house kept up and not empty : GALLIVANT

6-down – A city rises – from the ashes? : ANEW

7-down – Wrong about a bit of news fodder : SAINFOIN

8-down – Time we get off this planet? : SPACEAGE

13-down – Gloom and doom crushing popular run of programmes : MINISERIES

15-down – Go en masse to perform, sticking to the script : ONMESSAGE

16-down – Home-maker and singer : INFORMER

17-down – Concluded one far-right group was making a mistake : INFERRED

19-down – Woman’s purpose, to pick up dreamy lover : HERMIA

20-down – Having strong desire, succeeded moving up top : TSHIRT

23-down – Marshy land in inlet edges well away from ground : BAYOU

24-down – Cheese knife takes hearty slice : FETA

1-across – Illicit tool criminal concealed in sponge : BOOTLEG

5-across – Stomach-churning musical great : SATCHMO

9-across – Keen to restrict Neddy’s revelry : WASSAIL

10-across – Court can, if reconstituted in the capital : ROMANCE

11-across – Working with board that supports constitutional procedures : OPERATING

12-across – See 11 : TABLE

13-across – Material leak covered up by discontented tabloid : TWEED

15-across – Ill, Mark’s failing to meet objective : OFFTARGET

17-across – Outline something commonly associated with moon : SUMMATION

19-across – Barge below rocks : ELBOW

22-across – Not wanting to incriminate myself I take it? : FIFTH

23-across – See 22 : AMENDMENT

25-across – Staggeringly rich? : ROLLING

26-across – Taxes on the vacated port : TRIESTE

27-across – Marine creature managed to turn over by itself almost : NARWHAL

28-across – Screen made of reeds or bananas : REREDOS

1-down – Solemn type enters competition to claim a wicket : BOWLOUT

2-down – Indecent old book site : OBSCENE

3-down – Tarzan’s means of getting around a pin-up? : LIANA

4-down – Western female at border with oil rich peninsula : GALLIPOLI

5-down – Brat presenting second short broadcast : SPROG

6-down – Casual and tense, by chance? That’s to invite bad luck : TEMPTFATE

7-down – Accessory of workman getting the sack : HANDBAG

8-down – Public welcomes each cut? Get stuffed! : OVEREAT

14-down – Inclination to pass on ground wheat dish : DEATHWISH

16-down – Hot air from this nut with an old gun : FANHEATER

17-down – Orange-yellow shifts for fans : SAFFRON

18-down – Gag writer’s ultimate neckwear : MUFFLER

20-down – Maybe Brian’s not so great in the sack : BLESSED

21-down – Evidence of liquid nitrogen in contaminated sweets : WETNESS

23-down – One needs to blend honey : ANGEL

24-down – Comparatively boring towel? : DRIER

8-across – Steep area – mind out! : MARINADE

9-across – Liverpudlian exporting cocaine is 8 : SOUSE

10-across – Selection of soya beans on counter in marketplace : EBAY

11-across – Grass in English garden mown regularly in well-to-do area : KENSINGTON

12-across – Cold case for Detective Columbo finale is foolishness : IDIOCY

14-across – Ford maybe failing to start in pursuit of German troops : GARRISON

16-across – Husband consumed by wrong ends in here? : ASHTRAY

18-across – Great blokes in semi-rough : IMMENSE

21-across – Animated studio producer’s about to cover Virginia Plain : SAVANNAH

23-across – West Indies importing revolutionary fish paste : WASABI

24-across – Job in the chippie changes sides to make national dish of 1 : FLYINGFISH

26-across – Cool retro case for AirPods : OKRA

27-across – Dawn French for one tucked into drink : SUNUP

28-across – Stomach’s a problem after lamb korma occasionally : ABOMASUM

1-down – Country pub’s hosting bachelor party : BARBADOS

2-down – Open ChatGPT perhaps on track : AIRY

3-down – Artist relies on secrecy ultimately : BANKSY

4-down – Adolescent graffiti drawing in evening on ecstasy : TEENAGE

5-down – White on the move with queen sacrificed : ASTI

6-down – He’s nursing poor appetite : HUNGRINESS

7-down – Study O-Level Sociology essentially from the beginning : DENOVO

13-down – Case dismissed by one dressed in leather? : OUTPATIENT

15-down – Drink from unopened barrel : RUM

17-down – Is that Bambi heading off for shelter? : AWN

19-down – Cricketing legend Amiss sleeps it off : SOBERSUP

20-down – Hassle travelling around India for Victorian women? : SHEILAS

22-down – Book is on time in the end : ATLAST

23-down – TV doctor eating a very large fish : WAHOOS

25-down – Breaks wind quietly inside : GAPS

26-down – Serving of Navratilova lost shape : OVAL

1-across – Nothing’s deferred in old combats? Exactly : JUSTSO

4-across – Discourage three consecutive semitones : DEFLATE

9-across – One caught by bad fortune on the end of traffic jam abroad : CONFITURE

10-across – I’m not sure Lorraine’s friend shows taste : UMAMI

11-across – Iris controls this small animal, not quite needing a vet? : PUPIL

12-across – Punches possessed energy? This could cover a shiner : LAMPSHADE

13-across – Blair’s enforcers, lacking aspiration, hope light touch works : THOUGHT

15-across – See 13 : POLICE

17-across – Period of inactivity takes place after return of exams : STASIS

19-across – Function of fellow who’s been sunbathing? : TANGENT

22-across – Promise to keep silent on most of official questions put to voters : REFERENDA

24-across – Toy boxes fit finally for release : LETGO

26-across – Trouble afoot after leader’s ousted in Labour organisation : UNION

27-across – Bugs in house – indefinite number of parasites : HANGERSON

28-across – Baking ingredient I’d picked up, having big mince pies : DOEEYED

29-across – See 21 Down : STROKE

1-down – Small ball on grass for kitty : JACKPOT

2-down – You heard cracking jokes upset Dawn : SUNUP

3-down – Rishi’s welcoming possible remedy for leaks : SPILLAGES

4-down – Invent flipping sweet wrapping paper : DREAMUP

5-down – Some workers, due for rises, creating conflicts : FEUDS

6-down – Scary fall from husband getting into a part of the bed : AVALANCHE

7-down – Left 23 minus a hundred : EXITED

8-down – Intelligence securing extremely useful European fast-track possibilities : BULLET

14-down – Cheeky oaf occasionally filling in profile : OUTOFLINE

16-down – Most desperate for company to sell wine supply, not whiskey : LONELIEST

18-down – Wanting a dance, shy drunk is coordinated : SYNCHED

19-down – See 8 : TRAINS

20-down – Batter opening for team runs a little bit : TROUNCE

21-down – Reason king wears drag – it’s a hit for the court : GROUND

23-down – Top taken off alcohol, desperate for it : RANDY

25-down – Linesman heading for Tottenham’s area, with Saints on ball : TASSO

9-across – Extract money from tooth after Penny’s opposed : POLAR

10-across – English party talk is complicated : ELABORATE

11-across – Henry’s wearing odd socks, put to selling shoelaces here? : TUCKSHOPS

12-across – Game played beside the fire? : POKER

13-across – Stock market activity performed under the table : FOOTSIE

15-across – Mark’s a player with no handicap : SCRATCH

17-across – Chief of Police thrown out of club, say : UTTER

18-across – Deep 23 evenly flowing west : SEA

20-across – Toast bread : BROWN

22-across – Perfectly holding body of fighters with tug : TOWBOAT

25-across – Striped pastel covered in shade to a large extent : GREATLY

26-across – Very fond of husband’s orange top, not pants : HOTON

27-across – I’m stopping horrible racists with swords : SCIMITARS

30-across – They tend flowers Ivan oddly swapped with queen : GARDENERS

31-across – Still taking days returning toy : TEDDY

1-down – Good time follows single and double : SPIT

2-down – Failure of power gives rise to censorship : BLACKOUT

3-down – Weapons and gifts exchanging hands : ARMS

4-down – Enthusiasts choose to enter river and start to swim : DEVOTEES

5-down – 1,000,000 donkeys – that’s loads … : MASSES

6-down – … 10001000 story is similar? : COMPARABLE

7-down – Promote book: ‘Egypt on Vacation’ : MARKET

8-down – Support or prohibit defending base : BEAR

13-down – Able to eat trout regularly with food : FRUIT

14-down – Russia repelled, firmly established without capital being hemmed in : SURROUNDED

16-down – Dear Mel … : HONEY

19-down – … most annoyed doctor rang – it’s about tablet : ANGRIEST

21-down – Cryptically, draws in a direction away from port : OUTWARDS

23-down – Wife rates sexy member of Pink Floyd : WATERS

24-down – One sampling bit of salsa covered in potato : TASTER

26-down – Mercury eclipsing face of Uranus and Earth? That’s immense : HUGE

28-down – 10 across taking time – hint? : IOTA

29-down – Island broadcaster on air : SKYE