8-across – Indian resort put on a real spread for poacher’s hunting ground? : GOALAREA

9-across – Scrub part of moustache at hairdresser : HEATH

10-across – Left in spa,smooth as a baby’s bottom : BALD

11-across – Following rubdown with oil – everything not quite working : FUNCTIONAL

12-across – Quit following Cameron’s first split : CLEAVE

14-across – Owners developed mantra for those who produce history’s first draft : NEWSROOM

16-across – How lovely! Cute! At last,it follows that setter’s wonderful : AWESOME

18-across – Promotes risk of unprotected sex in one library in Edinburgh : INSTILS

21-across – It’s monstrous if that man is preceding one drawn to light : BEHEMOTH

23-across – Make bigger or smaller resolution? Checks out on the radio : RESIZE

24-across – The first hot combos bent picks : TOOTHCOMBS

26-across – Harp on after lady loses heart : LYRE

27-across – Symbol of intention to marry sent back by the-love-that-dare-not-speak-its-name : STONE

28-across – First-rate novel includes things that are untrue : EARLIEST

1-down – Andrew,once at Number 10,managed comeback after box office passed bill : BONARLAW

2-down – Happy to gallivant,swallowing drop of LSD : GLAD

3-down – <i>Zuppa inglese non è niente?</i> : TRIFLE

4-down – Firing last of women in hiding … : CANNING

5-down – … which leads to her arrest and transportation : THAT

6-down – Chosen ones regrettably sour at five : FAVOURITES

7-down – That which raises pitch overwhelms ambassador in budget : CHEAPO

13-down – Refusal to choose teetotaller’s way out : ABSTENTION

15-down – Competition’s finale to follow Test team’s victory : WIN

17-down – Bellow’s return in part of Bloomsbury : MOO

19-down – Would-be Iron Lady rusts badly after Soviet limo reverses : LIZTRUSS

20-down – Put 9’s head : CHAMBER

22-down – One as vain as 19? Last to arrive,first to depart : EGOIST

23-down – Martyr – a sorry reflection – choked prayers : ROSARY

25-down – Dear revolutionary – and its leader : CHER

26-down – Set down in language without first thought : LAIN

7-across – Edges of empire sacked by Egypt’s last queen : PERIMETER

8-across – Told ally to lose three pounds before tomorrow : TODAY

9-across – Bring this novel for Leo,perhaps : BIRTHSIGN

10-across – Reportedly failing,fell : FLOOR

12-across – Some thoughts on Gabonese Bantu language : TSONGA

13-across – Always,come rain or shine,tongue in cheek? : ACROSTIC

14-across – In bits,heads to America : ASUNDER

17-across – Earliest of begonias continued blooming : BLASTED

20-across – Free money for Americans,with short notice : BUCKSHEE

22-across – Goes off round centre of Damascus and swelters : ROASTS

24-across – Delicate international agent put on weight : WISPY

25-across – Exciting yet gloomy study of roots : ETYMOLOGY

26-across – Brief question for bachelor in automobile : QUICK

27-across – Oblique signal in setter’s work : CROSSWORD

1-down – Einstein retrospectively taking legal action over equation’s origin : GENIUS

2-down – Lustrous,wingless bug : LISTENIN

3-down – Parched after cycling in area south of Suez : REDSEA

4-down – Loose gravel’s slippery stuff : VERGLAS

5-down – See you doffing cap a lot : OODLES

6-down – Fossil fuel left dons suffering agonies : GASOLINE

11-down – Offer and appraisal both turned out to be unwritten : ORAL

15-down – False promise goads nurses : SPURIOUS

16-down – Authentic beach huts oddly disappearing : ECHT

18-down – Buys barrier to stop litter droppers : SWALLOWS

19-down – Familiar with your sib’s butt trouble : PERTURB

21-down – Roger backing strike for change in Russia : KOPECK

22-down – Lacking vigour in harem is shameful : REMISS

23-down – Chasing game,regularly dispatching zebras and big cats : TIGERS

8-across – Rock purveyor we will make rude noises about : JEWELLER

9-across – Sprinter in bar bent back to grasp nuts : UBOLT

10-across – Scots knew England’s garden? : KENT

11-across – Author as boxer,could one say – heavyweight : CHESTERTON

12-across – Childish type,endlessly dim,breaking equipment : KIDULT

14-across – Invite to relax and steal from church? : TAKEAPEW

15-across – Indistinct notice with garish border : SHADOWY

17-across – Slander,heartlessly audacious in itself : ASPERSE

20-across – Cathedral search resolved: it’s right in the centre : CHARTRES

22-across – God posed with big pot of tea : SATURN

23-across – Screen addict perhaps,one contorted with grimace : CINEMAGOER

24-across – Youngster spends year on benefit : BOON

25-across – Suddenly discover hotel is losing pounds : HITON

26-across – Short walk in once moving moonlit scene : NOCTURNE

1-down – One hard man,he was involved with Ezra initially : NEHEMIAH

2-down – Considered a soft fabric : FELT

3-down – Dwelling on tense vote in favour : PLACET

4-down – Sad that Spain has invaded a foreign port : TRIESTE

5-down – They don’t make the film,dates having been switched : OUTTAKES

6-down – What we are called in explosive competition : TOURNAMENT

7-down – Time goose should be cooked in foil : STOOGE

13-down – Hunt neared ground,positioned for concealment? : UNDERNEATH

16-down – Distortion isn’t commonly cosmetic : WARPAINT

18-down – Aching to suppress German city university : SORBONNE

19-down – Stagger about,‘run out’ replaced by ‘stumped’ : ASTOUND

21-down – The peak hour,dinner time? : HEIGHT

22-down – Uncompromising boss ultimately deceived on Radio 4 : STRICT

24-down – Start to bash away in contest : BOUT

1-across – Dad,a fellow from the east country : PANAMA

4-across – Trader’s personal claim to be old-fashioned baggage-carrier : IMPORTER

9-across – English bishop with a set of holy books misbehaving : ERRANT

10-across – Rafter collapsing around one – start to panic in dangerous building : FIRETRAP

11-across – Conceder,person out to establish agreement : CORRESPONDENCE

13-across – Mum’s getting fish served with one type of cheese : MASCARPONE

14-across – Money concealed by finance director : CEDI

16-across – Part of race said to be European : LAPP

18-across – Oh no,a Trump,terrible – being not quite one of us! : PROTOHUMAN

21-across – Jump about,having inclination for housework? : SPRINGCLEANING

23-across – Like stage performance with old piano – unpredictable,not right : OPERATIC

24-across – Birmingham’s first game,getting hammered : BLOTTO

25-across – Request put away in foyer? : ENTREATY

26-across – Home is hotel with land at the back : HEARTH

1-down – Dutch artist painted minor works : PIET

2-down – We in Paris,full of hesitation and very edgy : NERVOUS

3-down – See 1 : MONDRIAN

5-down – Chum accommodating one relation,not gross,in apartment : MAISONNETTE

6-down – Some food revoltingly served up – ham? : OVERDO

7-down – Unconventional centre hosting European dramatist : TERENCE

8-down – Agent revealed – around lunchtime? – possible reason for lack of appetite : REPLETION

12-down – Wonderful piece of writing showing power? : SUPERSCRIPT

13-down – Maiden not well,holy person with one unwanted burden : MILLSTONE

15-down – Material bad – hence lousy for covering : CHENILLE

17-down – Sign left includes X : PORTENT

19-down – Lizard in open country impeded by idiot : MONITOR

20-down – Male occupying home,troublemaker who should not be let loose? : INMATE

22-down – Invader,giant somewhat heartless : GOTH

1-across – Wife desires charming women … : WITCHES

5-across – … valour is boring her – ordinary and primarily ‘macho’ : HEROISM

10-across – E-copy : ECHO

11-across – Tale of servitude recalled in reels : CINDERELLA

12-across – One in five heading to Open are seeds : QUINOA

13-across – Remain on the right side of suspicious cook – porky but harmless? : WHITELIE

14-across – Way to find a giant,live,and chat about man’s missing head? : BEANSTALK

16-across – Censors essentially blue tale : STORY

17-across – Barnaby ousts Romeo and takes Juliet – he’s a trier! : JUDGE

19-across – INXS provided Yates’s first shoot up : INTENSIFY

23-across – Barbarian,turning good guy,with trimmed locks – he’s chasing foxy type? : HUNTSMAN

24-across – Move to try and cover King’s naked glee after fling : CASTLE

26-across – Ventures boundless flair inspired by coaches : BUSINESSES

27-across – Once partner is following,beginning to introduce glimpse of billy goat : IBEX

28-across – One holding up the line returning skins again? : SLEEPER

29-across – Trailers way back,after about 5½ days travelling west : ADVERTS

2-down – Add in what I did here,as stated : INCLUDE

3-down – Summit’s within Worcester,centrally,elevated : CROWN

4-down – Use charm to control tendency to avoid pressure : ENCHANT

6-down – Barrier dropped to protect pupil : EYELID

7-down – Toast peer performing in musical dramas : OPERETTAS

8-down – Rise up,capturing aged warrior : SOLDIER

9-down – White dominance troubling viewers : SNOWBLINDNESS

15-down – Dark approaching,tenses,one male,alone at the end : NIGHTTIME

18-down – Odd you twice caught group of students drawn in by unframed Dali : UNUSUAL

20-down – Overlooked,start off angry,swear endlessly inside : EXCUSED

21-down – Most rewarding transposing soprano flute line : FULLEST

22-down – This setter’s regularly upset with contrary editor’s delay : IMPEDE

25-down – Catch spots orally : SEIZE