Daily Answers

1-across – A scream from hospital colleague? : COMEDIC

5-across – Cowboy film actress? : BULLOCK

9-across – Notes exactly as quoted by Greek character : MUSIC

10-across – Vacuous really, there’s McGonagall’s initial, shocking versifier : RHYMESTER

11-across – Auntie introducing brother-in-law, bighead in two minds? : BEEBLEBROX

12-across – Branch in tree cut down with blade, originally : LIMB

14-across – If for film, almost all of the data falsified : PROVIDEDTHAT

18-across – Flighty type introducing bishop to area of jazz? : SCATTERBRAIN

21-across – Review of current depravity : EVIL

22-across – Pretty essential publishing material in backward filthy gossip – OK for Rupert Murdoch? : FAIRDINKUM

25-across – European part of 23 down in reversible collars : SLOVENIAN

26-across – Complete trash : TOTAL

27-across – Winger heading for Everton put on Liverpool strip, say? : REDKITE

28-across – Blunted article buried in prehistoric material : EARTHLY

1-down – Get right hand of bride held by groom: marry finally : COMEBY

2-down – See 24 : MASTER

3-down – Slow jerks are elected : DECELERATE

4-down – Partial uprooting of baobab, or a Christmas tree : CAROB

5-down – Robin flying by, one word for it? : BOYWONDER

6-down – Number of Germans committed perjury : LIED

7-down – 26 wrong – or not? : OUTRIGHT

8-down – One held by cocktail stick on island, Micronesian nation : KIRIBATI

13-down – Distribute five-hundred little daisy chains : ADMINISTER

15-down – Handy lever I used, with day for installation : VERSATILE

16-down – A sibilant sound interrupted by conclusion of magistrate or judge : ASSESSOR

17-down – Parent supported by doctor, withering flower : MARIGOLD

19-down – Rough seas at first on boat : SKETCH

20-down – Yes, I’m cheerful ultimately – that represented? : SMILEY

23-down – Called ‘scope’, basically – is it? : RANGE

24-down – Fool to admit stupid, a powerful thinker : JEDI

1-across – Wistful writer’s riddle broadcast : PENSIVE

5-across – Leaves in hot water here? : TEAPOTS

10-across – Medicinal plant back at rear of nursery : BETONY

11-across – Relaxed popular class by a lake : INFORMAL

12-across – Joiner is topping worker : AND

13-across – It comes in banks in the main : SEAFOG

14-across – Flimsy material made of some rags : GOSSAMER

15-across – Even innards of basset-hound for the Villa! : ASTON

16-across – Having just one connection travelling via tunnel : UNIVALENT

19-across – Controlling influence of coach during time-off : RESTRAINT

21-across – Superior meal, seconds not required : UPPER

24-across – No farewell to learners. In no way : NOTATALL

26-across – Differs showing V-sign : VARIES

27-across – Furniture company no longer has active president : IKE

28-across – Tops and just one t-shirt for starters : SINGLETS

29-across – Unsure a gangster is holding president : REAGAN

30-across – Ruin half of Rhodes and Ilium : DESTROY

31-across – Massive group rowing in outskirts of Wallasey : WEIGHTY

2-down – Apparently singular snack for teams : ELEVENS

3-down – Facade’s terribly posh for New Town, initially : SHOPFRONT

4-down – Trip finding Venice on yacht, principally, taking a time : VOYAGE

6-down – Levi suffered somewhat, on reflection, gushing : EFFUSIVE

7-down – Jacket potato and red kale are their starters : PARKA

8-down – Dash over to meet a German to swap car? : TRADEIN

9-down – Jargon from flyer heard on the Big Breakfast? : PIDGINENGLISH

17-down – Whisky from wild archipelago without church : LAPHROAIG

18-down – A capital girl – by Jove – ripping! : SARAJEVO

20-down – Touchy leading economist with reason : EMOTIVE

22-down – Graceful and neat, oddly concealing limb : ELEGANT

23-down – Opposed to a bit from Keats, say : AVERSE

25-down – Arab picked up the vernacular : ARGOT

7-across – Minor ache around back of neck for seven days : WEEKLONG

9-across – A large interval – taken aback – for stew to appear : PAELLA

10-across – Direct line contributing to border : HELM

11-across – Newspapers etc misrepresented maiden trip : PRINTMEDIA

12-across – I remain moored at the outset in the same place : IBIDEM

14-across – First serving of strawberry crumble to appear still warm? : SMOULDER

15-across – Ancient British soldier in left-wing Ulster? : REDCOAT

17-across – Laudatory remarks? End one about college, retiring : ENCOMIA

20-across – Winter sports item that is catching cold fish : ICESKATE

22-across – Have joint responsibility for authorising function, by the sound of it : COSIGN

23-across – Peaceful action forbidden before church season – six apprehended : NONVIOLENT

24-across – Offload fire’s foremost source of fuel : FLOG

25-across – Attempt to snatch a type of light? That gets you imprisoned : GAOLED

26-across – Italian treats in Book Two about romantic novelist : BISCOTTI

1-down – Be similar to last of chamber group though name’s forgotten : RESEMBLE

2-down – Character in computer game about King getting quick look? : SKIM

3-down – Pageantry linked to high award or decoration : POMPOM

4-down – Waste container readily inscribed with name of former PM : SPITTOON

5-down – Revolting? Our bellies may be turned : REBELLIOUS

6-down – A policy about power as seen in Southern European area? : ALPINE

8-down – Good move to surface seeing capture of lake salmon : GRILSE

13-down – Upturn in cold lives sadly ending in poverty? Definitely : DECISIVELY

16-down – Snake study accepted by Commonwealth country? Not initially : ANACONDA

18-down – Painful nail? Odd thing to involve dispute : INGROWTH

19-down – Recording device starts to ruin every part of speech : REVERB

21-down – Pink binding for Beethoven’s Fifth or Ninth? : CHORAL

22-down – Sickeningly attractive copper still upset about end of murderess : CUTESY

24-down – Elevated halo often seen around this simpleton? : FOOL

1-across – Electrician touring a fine Arab island – and sites to see game? : SAFARIPARKS

9-across – Part of Highland outfit rushed to get behind a lot of shinty, say : SPORRAN

10-across – Novel park with area fringing British city : REBECCA

11-across – Good club first to last with new information in Dutch city : GRONINGEN

12-across – Form of intonation in island without excellent speaking, ultimately : TWANG

13-across – Startled on a regular basis to get Indonesian dish : SATE

14-across – Monitor replacement of open basket : KEEPTABSON

16-across – Place never analysed for currency? : PREVALENCE

19-across – Dishonest scheme infiltrating this campus : SCAM

21-across – Investigator twice beginning to tail flier : PIPIT

22-across – Nick by stream to get something resembling gold : PINCHBECK

24-across – In short, very good introduction in Spain for alternative to bacon and eggs? : GRANOLA

25-across – Leaving pair from the East around start of this conflict : OUTWARD

26-across – European has quip about set in broadcast in a basic way : ESSENTIALLY

1-down – Engineer to shake up new lot being dim-witted : SLOWONTHEUPTAKE

2-down – Fashion designer giving distant greeting : FARHI

3-down – Disown Green in a nervous state for all to see over energy : RENEGUE

4-down – Normal bargain to get vegetable : PARSNIP

5-down – Detective when snubbed has dry line about a counterargument : REBUTTAL

6-down – Retail accessory designed for one organising group’s parties etc : SOCIALSECRETARY

7-down – Habits in American games company from the south : USAGES

8-down – Profit or thing, say, with it to support 50% of commercial exchange : MARGIN

15-down – Economy concealing a collection of financial debts makes one wary : CAUTIOUS

16-down – Annoyance over time in transportation of oil? : PIPAGE

17-down – Account for former proposal to acquire centre for dairy : EXPLAIN

18-down – Colin is free to grab a new dessert : CANNOLI

20-down – Manage to reach party : MAKEDO

23-down – Section in shot elevating place for guests? : HOTEL

1-across – Unfortunately, Brit’s need to admit crime is a sign of lacking legitimacy : BENDSINISTER

9-across – Pacific hurricane goes around cape : FICHU

10-across – Puzzles Picaroon’s set taking time : MYSTERIES

11-across – About to come home, dashed to collect son : INSTORE

12-across – Hamlet’s struggle to hold bitterness back : VILLAGE

13-across – One small, revolving board unable to be taken off? : INIMITABLE

15-across – Cycling, go by places like Cheltenham : SPAS

18-across – One-piece garment American obtained from the east : TOGA

19-across – A health worker’s nursing five people expecting salvation soon : ADVENTISTS

22-across – On public transport, I’m not sure one goes on foot : TRAINER

24-across – Theatrical assistant’s article on supporting Starmer : PROPMAN

25-across – Inducement to speed or another drug with joint : HORSEWHIP

26-across – Lover of Kent tours Canterbury at first, getting puncture : LANCE

27-across – He stops twisting issue raised by Guardian for Labour representatives : SHOPSTEWARDS

1-down – Supports faction’s pre-strike motion : BACKSWING

2-down – Complex football tournament, one held by the Poles : NEUROSIS

3-down – A part cut by Head of Music Department : SOMME

4-down – Architect left hideous houses in country’s main city : NASHVILLE

5-down – Becoming crafty, keeping tabs on Mark : SEEMLY

6-down – Madonna’s part Aboriginal, but not originally from down under : EVITA

7-down – Where art lovers go, you said, racing to drink a lot of champagne : UFFIZI

8-down – Escorts family inside Poe’s mansion : USHERS

14-down – Trees burning somewhere in Hampshire : ALDERSHOT

16-down – Wraps Ralph Fiennes or Judi Dench in Turkish bigwig’s clothes : PASHMINAS

17-down – Seen tucking into breakfast roll, Eric Ambler : STROLLER

18-down – Hem of tiny trousers long or short? : TITCHY

20-down – Capital of Serbia south of Split : SUNDER

21-down – Very involved with small-label record one put out : INDEEP

23-down – People not drinking Riesling drained last of vermouth that’s horrible : AARGH

24-down – Tree bearing fruit twice a year? Wife sits beneath it : PAPAW