1-across – Muse about everything and that’s including work : CALLIOPE

5-across – Quite rigid about quarter-to-five finish : DEVOUR

9-across – Possibly puts on airs – not down to earth : UPSTAIRS

10-across – Appears in control of beasts : STEERS

11-across – Scattered picadors reassembled : SPORADIC

12-across – Picture little short of new business : FRESCO

14-across – Not educated poorly – restate that : ILLITERATE

18-across – This place was nothing out-of-the-way- : WASHINGTON

22-across – Paid patient attention : NURSED

23-across – Devotee of a single party after a time : IDOLATER

24-across – Not all would describe risk taking as a bloomer : IBERIS

25-across – To put in order for gear is no problem : ORGANISE

26-across – Query filling up bag, though it’s intended for packing : GASKET

27-across – A sticker for a conservationist group, admitting the 500 present : ADHERENT

1-down – Swear about none. That’s the way! : COURSE

2-down – The French boy’s corrective punishment : LESSON

3-down – The first person forming a band in West Africa : IBADAN

4-down – Chaff by itself to ingest if idle : PERSIFLAGE

6-down – Royalty will accept the unknown luxury food he compels one to produce : EXTORTER

7-down – Remain too long because of support given : OVERSTAY

8-down – Concerned with shops’ returns : RESTORES

13-down – Being in a muddle, small daughter is told what to do : DISORDERED

15-down – Head of State travelling by air – so trendy : SWINGING

16-down – Those assuming moneylenders to be soft-hearted : USURPERS

17-down – Salvation for an individual in deep water? : LIFELINE

19-down – Many get permission to unite : CLEAVE

20-down – All out assault : STRIKE

21-down – Sartre’s letters giving rise to apprehension : ARREST

1-across – Good lord, that’s Agatha taking a turn on the ski slope : CHRISTIE

5-across – Society at best is hilarious : SCREAM

9-across – Keeping up? You can by going round : BUOYANCY

10-across – Blues numbers, perhaps : EIGHTS

12-across – Do some of your best in goal : STING

13-across – River rodent in simple story : NARRATIVE

14-across – Financial agreement to let prize-winner’s money include half a dance : HIREPURCHASE

18-across – Captivate Sir Peter in the foyer : ENTRANCEHALL

21-across – Artisan’s counter-occupation with the judge’s seat : WORKBENCH

23-across – A girl almost ordinary : NORMA

24-across – Prohibition after the ancient Greek : THEBAN

25-across – A striped comic moseyed along : TRAIPSED

26-across – A look-alike, sometimes dead : RINGER

27-across – Brainy brother tucking into a healthy breakfast : CEREBRAL

1-down – Play it again in snub for Picasso, say : CUBIST

2-down – Fleece that is very new : ROOKIE

3-down – A Nash girl depicted making imaginary pass : SHANGRILA

4-down – Peruvian stock too hot to handle : INCANDESCENT

6-down – A cockney’s mate in the country : CHINA

7-down – Exotic, in the improved state : ETHNICAL

8-down – Some hot stuff said to have assembled : MUSTERED

11-down – Hack, after a swig of beer, gets a punch : DRAUGHTHORSE

15-down – Caught the beast in drug plant : CELANDINE

16-down – Not potable, but are wet as can be : SEAWATER

17-down – Ship’s doctor takes time to fish : STURGEON

19-down – It removes, if soldiers are around : ERASER

20-down – Pass up the French composer : HANDEL

22-down – Beat interrupting live rap : BLAME

1-across – Laments about flowers for virtuous statues : PLASTERSAINTS

10-across – Pulpit in Italian city nearly used by Salvation Army for dance : TAMBOURIN

11-across – Fish for birds : PERCH

12-across – Mr Average is a model following the ninth in Miss West’s family diagram… : MANIN

13-across – See 12 : THESTREET

14-across – … or on the American lady writer in German house, after applause : CLAPHAM

16-across – See 14 : OMNIBUS

18-across – Single but still on board : UNMATED

20-across – Fast runner doesn’t sound honest : CHEETAH

21-across – Georgian building, perhaps, with water laid on : BATHHOUSE

23-across – Public money for Ulysses? : GRANT

24-across – Cowboy’s home in the kitchen? : RANGE

25-across – Tommies with hearts and diamonds converted to religion : METHODISM

26-across – Return of theology coming in to symbolise temporarily : FORTHEPRESENT

2-down – French article: My dance, monsieur? to Herb : LEMONBALM

3-down – Make love at the golf club? : SPOON

4-down – Slip on slip? : ERRATUM

5-down – Oarsmen in trouble on the Ligurian Sea : SANREMO

6-down – Lack of ability to compete in composition : IMPOTENCE

7-down – See 22 : THREE

8-down – First time doctor up to being in charge of anaesthetists, periodically tabled : ATOMICNUMBERS

9-down – Question to the watch about hostile advance? : WHATISTHETIME

15-down – The birth of heraldry? : HATCHMENT

17-down – Unit of the Territorials with beasts on either side : BATTALION

19-down – Dickens’s Bentley driven initially on liquor up a tree : DRUMMLE

20-down – Cathedral rendering of 13 in Durham : CHESTER

22-down – 9 at 23 across 20 down? Little difference from other point under canvas : TENTO

23-down – Explanation for a topcoat : GLOSS