1-across – Income from a bit of preaching to be about death : PREBEND

5-across – Irishman cut short by East European controversy : POLEMIC

9-across – Theatre of the obscenely rich : LYRIC

10-across – A boat can cross a river : CATAMARAN

11-across – The sly Tory can’t possibly be associated with Carrington : LYTTONSTRACHEY

13-across – Incline to be a cad : HEEL

14-across – Fresh and vigorous, you get the endless flu going round : YOUTHFUL

17-across – Lawrence and Eric had to be restrained : TETHERED

18-across – They may be open to receive weapons : ARMS

21-across – Fiction adapted, say, for the stage : THEFORSYTESAGA

23-across – Student has to eat without bare essentials before being on it : BREADLINE

24-across – Funeral lament in cathedral, for example : ELEGY

25-across – Not having sex first night out, exercise inspires 9 : EUTERPE

26-across – About time Rolling Stones provided capital cover : STETSON

1-down – Post from Eastern Europe : POLE

2-down – Old village tradesman’s preference? : EARLYSETTLEMENT

3-down – Old name for stir : EXCITE

4-down – Modest climb down without 1 down : DECENT

5-down – Request a small charge : PETITION

6-down – Scourges a holy one among sacrificial victims : LAMBASTS

7-down – With the deceptive charm of public relations, the monstrous woman is something irresistible : MARCHOFPROGRESS

8-down – Sods can fly? Unlikely – there’s little substance to it : CANDYFLOSS

12-down – Cardboard saint upset in Kent? : WHITSTABLE

15-down – Legal instrument? : RECORDER

16-down – Sweat displayed by an Oxford dreamer : PERSPIRE

19-down – Capital required because the name is included : ATHENS

20-down – Being a religious ascetic, one needs somewhat less energy : ESSENE

22-down – Only not exactly king of 18 : LYON

1-across – School teacher upset about hours being changed : CHARTERHOUSE

8-across – With a directorship – after flotation? : ONBOARD

9-across – No ordinary member of the force : SPECIAL

11-across – After multiple gigs new trio perform without restraint : RUNRIOT

12-across – Attractive artwork : DRAWING

13-across – Measure is about right length : METRE

14-across – Ideal material for a plinth? : BASEMETAL

16-across – Scattered once, never to get together again : RECONVENE

19-across – Keep silent about Mother’s bankruptcy : SMASH

21-across – Communicates devilish skills : IMPARTS

23-across – Port of granite construction : TANGIER

24-across – Failed to deflate : LETDOWN

25-across – As played by the advanced tennis player? : NETGAME

26-across – Presumably one needs to be in fighting form for this : CLASSWARFARE

1-down – It can be arranged for ministers : CABINET

2-down – It makes a man keen on money and a woman on food : AVARICE

3-down – Its ups and downs may be studied by the pilot : TIDETABLE

4-down – Demolish what’s soundly built : RASED

5-down – Sort of bowler where one expects a furled umbrella : OVERARM

6-down – What winter sportsmen may need to reach their peak : SKILIFT

7-down – Tribunal where service charges are settled : COURTMARTIAL

10-down – The price of a suit? : LEGALCHARGES

15-down – Somehow resent accepting little bribe : SWEETENER

17-down – Major city investment : CAPITAL

18-down – Contracts for northern shafts : NARROWS

19-down – Possibly train as a singer : SINATRA

20-down – Stir it in a football crowd : AGITATE

22-down – Strength is rising afresh : SINEW

1-across – What imprisoned blacksmith did when cell door wouldn’t lock? : MADEABOLTFORIT

8-across – Coach tour, perhaps, on first Tuesday : TUTOR

9-across – Curse on flower box : EXECRATE

11-across – Direct speech : ADDRESS

12-across – Traveller with some over for fur supplier : TRAPPER

13-across – Lose faith in pleas? : LAPSE

15-across – Duck below bedcover : EIDERDOWN

17-across – Flat singer following steady course : EVENTENOR

20-across – Thanks to politician, first automated port in Florida : TAMPA

21-across – Believe credulously in bird : SWALLOW

23-across – Small patrol bringing in first roe-deer : PRICKET

25-across – Control precipitation after break : RESTRAIN

26-across – Receivers often showing other side of coin : VERSO

27-across – What jockeys should be prepared for in starred resorts? : STARTERSORDERS

1-down – Accidentally use tiller and aim weapon? : MITRAILLEUSE

2-down – Old-fashioned American lawman and model journalist : DATED

3-down – Conformity to treaty : AGREEMENT

4-down – Supervise bishop’s position? : OBERSEE

5-down – Stood round and negotiated : TREATED

6-down – A core development in sheath : OCREA

7-down – Descriptive of member of upper class giving peak performance : INTOPFORM

10-down – Business deals over right answer to lawsuits : TRANSACTIONS

14-down – Widespread plant, ever-changing : PREVALENT

16-down – One who rescues a dog : RETRIEVER

18-down – Prison affording fresh opening : NEWGATE

19-down – Feels unhappy about trees : REPINES

22-down – Dead queen seen on a subsequent occasion : LATER

24-down – Irish foot-soldier needing some thicker neckwear : KERNE