Daily Answers

1-across – Awkward sod, Tim Henman, getting a reprimand : ADMONISHMENT

9-across – Oddly, mean to host activity for summer? : MATHS

10-across – High cost with monarch’s hosiery : STOCKINGS

11-across – Court judges politician with fury in America : UMPIRES

12-across – Distance, say, a horse-drawn cart goes to the west : YARDAGE

13-across – Like a pleasure-seeker in the disco, dancing : HEDONISTIC

15-across – Girl left behind, as Americans say : LASS

18-across – Disorder in dining room : MESS

19-across – Complimentary strong drink for a non-conformist : FREESPIRIT

22-across – Return to clergyman, crossword setter and model : REVISIT

24-across – Captain Scott’s starter – smoked fish : SKIPPER

25-across – Flowery shrub from Hyde Park employee, as some say : HYDRANGEA

26-across – What lazy person does, spreading lies about Democrat : IDLES

27-across – Trips in Tulsa Chilean organised : HALLUCINATES

1-down – Some want iPod, especially in the UK and New Zealand? : ANTIPODES

2-down – An incorrect character in London-to-Leeds road race : MISPRINT

3-down – Homes for Robin and Jay, perhaps? : NESTS

4-down – Synopsis of plot beginning to shift Conservative policy : STORYLINE

5-down – Manufacturers of extreme bits of magenta kitchenware – ridiculous! : MAKERS

6-down – Indian regularly ignored assent from German warrior : NINJA

7-down – Attack American president no. 41 or 43 : AMBUSH

8-down – Drug dealers losing head, or theatre workers : USHERS

14-down – Trained tiger cats, using a cunning plan : STRATEGIC

16-down – Bizarrely cool Paris citadel many tourists visit : ACROPOLIS

17-down – In shop, Tim is this person with a half-full glass? : OPTIMIST

18-down – Planet, hardly empty, with soggy ground : MARSHY

20-down – Batter is extremely tough and impetuous : THRASH

21-down – Attack flipping idiot, in trouble : ASSAIL

23-down – Party very upset – Kamala drained alcoholic drink : VODKA

24-down – Son with French bread where tapas may be served : SPAIN

1-across – 8’s more likely to break – some might say bust – a US server : TAYLOR

4-across – Companion to Donner und Blitzen can upset in the German : DANCER

8-across – Oxford don who likes a post-coital cuddle : SPOONER

9-across – 8’s eggs and fibre in batter : JOEROOT

11-across – Thousands and thousands initially inside place where 1/21, 9, 10, 12/20 and 24/26 might be seen : GRANDSTAND

12-across – Scorer seen in 8’s crystal ball : BETH

13-across – Note reverberated within? : BREVE

14-across – Conquered lands and advanced with old leaders of resistance losing dogfight : NEWWORLD

16-across – Condensed e.g. copyright’s length first, and reduced credit : ELLIPTIC

18-across – ‘Principle’ is anyway alien to X : TENET

20-across – See 12 : MEAD

21-across – Smoked, having first of rations cut, made ready for winter : FURTRIMMED

23-across – Announce withdrawal of lawsuit? : DECLAIM

24-across – Skipper below her best, according to 8 : HEATHER

25-across – Conduct unbecoming when Carlisle gets together with a zealot : SLEAZE

26-across – See 24 : KNIGHT

1-down – Post-operative bottles one drinks? : TOPER

2-down – You end a riot? Capital! : YAOUNDE

3-down – Missed alarm as a result of those faced by 9 and 24/26 – permit to include its first : OVERSLEPT

5-down – Have nothing to do with nothing in returning prima donna : AVOID

6-down – Buffalo Bill back before a boar shot : CARABAO

7-down – Crowd’s customary welcome for 9 includes seedy motel vacancy : ROOMTOLET

10-down – 8’s judicious bet on England 9 : DANNYCARE

13-down – The faithful repudiate abridged Bible extract : BELIEVERS

15-down – Plant’s advice on how to make Britton grow? : WATERFERN

17-down – Baby eluding changing : INDULGE

19-down – Worry about Facebook owner’s identity tracker : NAMETAG

21-down – See 1 Across : FRITZ

22-down – A special occasion for an online rant? : EVENT

9-across – Test of speed or another drug right before whizz : HORSERACE

10-across – One of twelve leaders in junta uselessly rowing over roles : JUROR

11-across – One in the 25 in Republican state : RAVER

12-across – Attempts to pen bovine I had in compounds : TRIOXIDES

13-across – Traveller lets this setter run in 9 the wrong way : HIRECAR

14-across – Mocking woman who’s educated about parting thus : SATIRIC

17-across – Join the 25 of opera company with Otello, but not Rossini hero : METOO

19-across – According to Carol, Holly’s partner gives name of London 25 : IVY

20-across – One’s finished strategic game? Swot hasn’t finished : GONER

21-across – Cat about to drink mixed gin joins the 25, perhaps : SIGNSUP

22-across – Clergymen you shouldn’t have over tucked into treats : CURATES

24-across – Comedian gets hot, berated drinking litres in the 25 : WITHCHILD

26-across – Periodically dodges arrests about intimidating people : OGRES

28-across – Some languages don’t allow you to translate into French : BANTU

29-across – Ever so odd maverick made a quantitative error? : OVERDOSED

1-down – Daily paper ignored by rocker, say : CHAR

2-down – One who shouldn’t be drinking in 25 : DRIVER

3-down – They’re critical of French players, including right back : DETRACTORS

4-down – Cricketer’s 25 : BATTER

5-down – Girl enters bank in a careless manner : REMISSLY

6-down – Mythical warrior’s 25 : AJAX

7-down – Key part of a crossword 25’s framework : GRIDIRON

8-down – Maybe supplies with 25 members : ARMS

13-down – Idiot’s striking head, showing swollen areas : HUMPS

15-down – Expert using 25s in row about good 25s : TIGERWOODS

16-down – Comedians in 25s, say : CARDS

18-down – Parisian in donning hose tenses up : TIGHTENS

19-down – Troublemaker running round upset teacher is put in detention : IMPRISON

22-down – Food for e.g. Jersey girl who’s upper-class in 25 : CUDGEL

23-down – Party in 25 : THRASH

24-down – Flycatchers with wings in wreckage and rubbish : WEBS

25-down – Youngster in pride embraces liberal society : CLUB

27-down – In America, follower of 25 in ground close to Atlanta : SODA

7-across – Handle cross from the right – then hit on the counter : DOORKNOB

9-across – Set includes finale from Freddie Mercury for example : PLANET

10-across – Risky moment to discard jack : IFFY

11-across – Instrument in crate partner opens : SQUEEZEBOX

12-across – Split’s extremely Croatian – filled with passion : CLOVEN

14-across – Small functions initially giving warm, intimate feeling : COSINESS

15-across – President I see hosting supporter’s meeting with starter for Manchester City : ABRAHAM

17-across – See 15 : LINCOLN

20-across – Cuppa, no milk – son replaces last of hot water? : BLACKSEA

22-across – Gasp on getting into tub : BREATH

23-across – I time chat about taking R and R whimsically : ARITHMETIC

24-across – Hence almost red raw : SORE

25-across – Broadcast of TV show, Porridge for instance : CEREAL

26-across – Showing Europe’s upset about vote : EXPOSURE

1-down – Volkswagen is on order for driver, say : GOLFCLUB

2-down – Occasionally Barry may host : ARMY

3-down – Agreement of terms for you and Aardman – Nick Park oddly overlooked : UNISON

4-down – Party time for those who’ve been on white powder? : APRESSKI

5-down – A celebrant working in place of worship : TABERNACLE

6-down – Criminals regularly flood bogs on the outside : FELONS

8-down – Lad eating unlimited lunch – keep children’s party favourite? : BOUNCY

13-down – Somehow leave cult leader to try meat : VEALCUTLET

16-down – Skilfully hiding rising chaos in congress : ASSEMBLY

18-down – Connected to writing an American volume on biggest part of Amtrak railway : LITERARY

19-down – See 8 : CASTLE

21-down – Retired doctor breaking into concrete storeroom : LARDER

22-down – Writers describing record muscles : BICEPS

24-down – Band remains supporting Oasis, essentially : SASH

1-across – Sort of low belt round double depth bikini bottom : SADDISH

5-across – The woman’s quote about dissident : HERETIC

9-across – Set free, soldier goes inside : RIGID

10-across – Describing a thing, possibly a mandolin : ADNOMINAL

11-across – The main means of taking a break from Tom’s joint? : CRUISESHIP

12-across – Bank drop reported : TIER

14-across – Antihero, used inventively, is taught to go outside : HOUSETRAINED

18-across – Determination of agent back on detachment : PERSEVERANCE

21-across – Wearing clothes of Young Conservative? : CLAD

22-across – See 17 Down : ACCOUNTING

25-across – House builders would get fired here : BRICKKILN

26-across – Part of the film host’s run : EXTRA

27-across – Never losing heart over test stage of Apollo mission? : REENTRY

28-across – Retire on getting free drink? : RETREAT

1-down – Smart southern Leith almost takes on the church : SPRUCE

2-down – Not quite useless, arthritic disease is a shelter : DUGOUT

3-down – In hell, pretended to be ill : INDISPOSED

4-down – Many a sheep strays, wasting energy : HEAPS

5-down – Name of female turning thirteen : HENRIETTA

6-down – Party politician dominated by royal’s main circle : ROMP

7-down – Figure sun on particles causes strain : TENSIONS

8-down – State the American tone applied to song and dance : COLORADO

13-down – Unhappy back beat material : MALCONTENT

15-down – Spy chief frantically clutching end of drainpipe spout : SPEECHIFY

16-down – No character shown when one’s depressed : SPACEBAR

17-down – Artistic Bill Telling’s making up the numbers : CREATIVE

19-down – Pitt: crazy old English creep! : TIPTOE

20-down – Composed hashtag: ‘no hospital – horrified’ : AGHAST

23-down – Proprietorial type of drug missing date : OWNER

24-down – Descend slope and start to test for take-off : SKIT