1-across – This woman, they say, needs my body : MASSEUSE

5-across – See 2 : SQUARE

9-across – Original Koppites, given to wit, round on exploiters : SCOUSERS

10-across – Outlet where Samson was eyeless, headless and confined by lawyers : BAZAAR

12-across – No opening for cyber-physiological style? : IONIC

13-across – Contract bidding : TENDERING

14-across – Cave in Bethlehem, one up a diversion, taking one hour : EATHUMBLEPIE

18-across – Slaying one gannet; one tern revived : ENTERTAINING

21-across – Kicked by departing Inuit, was it? : ICEBUCKET

23-across – Joe of 18 26 : ORTON

24-across – Last attempt to go out with it : TRENDY

25-across – Like a fiddler’s elbow in a donut blender : INANDOUT

26-across – What-d’you-call-‘im’s spray gun? : MISTER

27-across – Bound to give the baby a squeeze : SWADDLED

1-down – Maverick, valedictory Western role for Monroe or Gable … : MISFIT

2-down – … disaster – so ran a sequel: Here Come the Rangers! : SLOANE

3-down – Soft spot for bosun or midshipman? : EASYCHAIR

4-down – Evidence of confinement with hard labour : STRETCHMARKS

6-down – Tremble at fault’s failing : QUAKE

7-down – What inspired pin-up to enter love feast? : AGANIPPE

8-down – Roger eagerly brewing tea for this prime minister : EARLGREY

11-down – How soon will women combine with unity? An enigma : ANYMINUTENOW

15-down – The first murderer slept here? : LANDOFNOD

16-down – Progressively elevating sloth in episcopal joints? : SERIATIM

17-down – Society meeting the objective in Merseyside : STHELENS

19-down – Hot, wearing bikini in Scotland : ATHOLL

20-down – Eleven as one : UNITED

22-down – A French precipitation, they say, is hardly the thing : UNDUE

1-across – Boat that’s easier to move : LIGHTER

5-across – Blind actors hide behind it : CURTAIN

9-across – Trance over cover stories told by Chaucer? : CANTERBURYTALES

10-across – Learns to lose initial gains : EARNS

11-across – Reckless lawman embarrassed by wickedness : DAREDEVIL

12-across – The turn of a doctor to act, having swallowed steak: a real advantage : TRUMPCARD

14-across – Company professional comes back into civil service : CORPS

15-across – What’s yellowish from Pitlochry? : OCHRY

16-across – Making haste in trade, which is not good for workers : SWEATSHOP

18-across – Salt I sprinkled on chap’s magic stones : TALISMANS

21-across – Dishonest scheme to copy, cutting credit : CAPER

22-across – Two-way trading for charity? : BRINGANDBUYSALE

23-across – Tory journalist vindicated : RIGHTED

24-across – A big blow for English MP entering a quiz! : TEMPEST

1-down – Finest and most delicate cat lies around : LACIEST

2-down – Kind and supporting the hungry guest’s desire : GENEROUSHELPING

3-down – This religious philosophy requires that they must hold bent hoops : THEOSOPHY

4-down – Fanatical artist attracts an offer : RABID

5-down – The vehicle reaches the crest in this case : CARTRIDGE

6-down – Assessed time taken by favourite going north : RATED

7-down – It’s everywhere, but very disorganised : ALLOVERTHEPLACE

8-down – Seen rising to embrace street lady’s top for cuddles : NESTLES

13-down – Avoided alcohol as a cause of dishonour when lying in a bed : ABSTAINED

14-down – Disaster: cat on moving clay stops miaowing initially : CATACLYSM

15-down – Strong ale brewed once a month : OCTOBER

17-down – Faultless Polish : PERFECT

19-down – Sounds like place is an eyesore : SIGHT

20-down – Stop short of sabotage, but put your foot in it : SABOT

1-across – Slides and photographs taken for talk : CHUTES

5-across – Buffer state head meets East European : POLISHER

9-across – Current member’s snobbish, hollow and cocky : IMPUDENT

10-across – Sailing ship makes bay from the sound : BARQUE

11-across – One has placed an order for The Times : CHRONOLOGIST

13-across – Bow taken by little bird? : KNOT

14-across – Rings for ties, American style : SLEEPERS

17-across – Pleased to have one of these flowers, in short : GLADIOLI

18-across – Animal producing beef, good cut : ROAN

20-across – Resigning, reputation having fallen : STANDINGDOWN

23-across – Monastic, or of this world? : OBLATE

24-across – Gun to make soldiers safe, reportedly : REPEATER

25-across – Accelerator can noisily exceed 100 mph? About right! : BETATRON

26-across – That lot banked gold, the result of speculation : THEORY

2-down – Low sound and soft to carry with difficulty : HUMP

3-down – Cut right at end, perhaps : TRUNCATED

4-down – Drink to keep girl on the right lines : SHERRY

5-down – Find touch : PUTONESFINGERON

6-down – Slurred song, gathered round musical instrument : LIBELLED

7-down – Son to Holy Joe is a rare youth : SPRIG

8-down – Horseman breaking a rein, out of the hunt : EQUESTRIAN

12-down – Made to hold in one’s wind, perhaps : INFLATABLE

15-down – Father in tears at time of birth : PARENTAGE

16-down – Bully leading batting order in game : DOMINEER

19-down – Dish in lively nightclub is heartless : HOTPOT

21-down – Lake’s former name is name taken by a state on the up : NYASA

22-down – Take a dim view of mole’s noise : PEER