1-across – Dictator broken by dismissal,rub salt in wound : PUTTHE

4-across – Peer offering testament on seafood,shortly : SQUINT

9-across – Sea monster finishing off Balearic islands? : ORCA

10-across – Pressure on America if a shambles,to all appearances : PRIMAFACIE

11-across – See 1 : BOOTIN

12-across – See 22 : THEWOODS

13-across – Will claims Dick works near building site? : BRICKYARD

15-across – See 21 : RAGE

16-across – Deal stuffed,by the sound of it? : PACT

17-across – Good to see message about humanity originally attributed to monastery : WATCHABLE

21-across – Party leader has admitted tellin’ stories to lose the plot : FLYINTOA

22-across – Particular area,part of body doctor showed: foot : NECKOF

24-across – Having curbed expression,1-0 ahead of an Italian team : INTERMILAN

25-across – Bluenose Republican in scumbag : PRIG

26-across – Sun features European article in reports : RELAYS

27-across – Credit given to journalist via bank : BYLINE

1-down – Issue hurdling boat in discipline with obstacles : PARKOUR

2-down – Dead round : TOAST

3-down – Old money has Ivy League member in clover,say : HAPENNY

5-down – One not drinking alcohol,tiniest amount of Cinzano spat out by duck? : QUAKER

6-down – Very soon plague carrier brought a flame : INAMORATA

7-down – Play with leading character in turmoil,case of denial in general : TWIDDLE

8-down – Spectacular drop as champion hits the canvas,Ali’s arms held up : VICTORIAFALLS

14-down – Ridge in black rock for insect : COCHINEAL

16-down – Used up,looking at new token for beer : PILSNER

18-down – Grant that’s secured absolutely not for the French clergy : CANONRY

19-down – Beastly and brave rule on ineffective banks : LEONINE

20-down – Squat where food processor stored by operative : STUMPY

23-down – Afford to listen to island? : CAPRI

5-across – Where hopeful suitor Lee’s practised? : HOUSES

6-across – Rider revealed as demanding type gets marching orders : GODIVA

9-across – Investigator many rejected for not showing emotion : STOLID

10-across – The runs unfortunately going round,one discovers : UNEARTHS

11-across – Head of family better off to begin with : CAPO

12-across – Opposes how new stadium is to be built : WITHSTANDS

13-across – See 5 : OFILLREPUTE

18-across – Rubbish,mush! Weather’s awful outside,not hot : WASTEPAPER

21-across – Very rich man in Bow area not academic : ELON

22-across – China on the same wavelength but no-one else,it’s said : SOULMATE

23-across – Making every effort for tax cheat and boor : ALLOUT

24-across – Be amorous with sound from lower school covering : SMOOCH

25-across – What clearly is time for British to get promotion : ADVERT

1-down – Beginning of game offering respite for put-upon schoolkid : BULLYOFF

2-down – I object to Old Bill initially taking wife in field : MEADOW

3-down – Whitewashes pay for drink : COVERSUP

4-down – Follower of Romeo with attractive quality holding one boob : SIERRA

5-down – Finishing off his work : HITMAN

7-down – Suckers with a local Tory grandee : APHIDS

8-down – Crude! Is past being diverted by such elements of humour : CUSTARDPIES

14-down – One paid to attend clean form of entertainment? Maybe not : LAPDANCE

15-down – Depression? That could be Everton : THEBLUES

16-down – Well-publicised article – doctor getting into a lot of trouble : FAMOUS

17-down – Gripped by desire,occasionally touch stripper : LOCUST

19-down – National hero working in shop : TELLON

20-down – Country club for golfers admitting women : RWANDA

8-across – No beer,as Dicky is on the drink : SEABORNE

9-across – North American news,plus tip from family nurse : NANNY

10-across – Jams broadcast giving access to the underworld : STYX

11-across – <span>Old capital,</span><i>per se</i><span>? Polish virtually</span> : PERSEPOLIS

12-across – Fellow at stern is very cold : FRIGID

14-across – Negative Frenchman in hot region abroad : NORMANDY

15-across – Name involved in racial slur,like ‘brainbox’ : CRANIAL

17-across – Spotted cloth by rocks : BLOTCHY

20-across – Neglectfully late wrapping present? Fine : ETHEREAL

22-across – Line intersecting Sussex and Kent,etc. lacks power : SECANT

23-across – Put out hot vents that are concentrated on prey? : CROSSHAIRS

24-across – Wind in roof – oh no! : FOHN

25-across – Unrefined group needs to change its direction : CRASS

26-across – Rule soundly applied to trip that puts a damper on things : RAINFALL

1-down – Don’s shaking,etc,being ensnared by siren : LECTURER

2-down – One is,in a different form,unknown mountain-dweller : IBEX

3-down – Experience drug overdose,getting support : TRIPOD

4-down – Carriage direction : BEARING

5-down – Part of the whole embarrassment of ‘relating’ : INTEGRAL

6-down – Criminal in court – man’s not at all like Keats! : UNROMANTIC

7-down – Male milk producer is over a lot : MYRIAD

13-down – Biscuit from Sandy’s pile : GINGERSNAP

16-down – In a way,Brummie is attached to your old gemstone : AMETHYST

18-down – Husband with bear grip : HANDHOLD

19-down – One large cut is limiting ex-queen’s capital : ALGIERS

21-down – Number of times to see the heartless grasping filthy rich : THRICE

22-down – Finch wrong to restrain runner : SISKIN

24-down – Relief : FAFF

1-across – Curious way to row : STRANGE

5-across – Compartment in 16 where birds fight : COCKPIT

9-across – Loud isn’t very soft : FAINT

10-across – Say a word such as “it” at church : PRONOUNCE

11-across – Ruthless traders like places with tourists : ASSETSTRIPPERS

13-across – God’s sign of the end of winter,reportedly : THOR

14-across – Intellectual bookworm initially gripped by Le Carré novel : CEREBRAL

17-across – Non-metric standard for beard and paper : IMPERIAL

18-across – Area of land when returning from Dover-Calais : ACRE

21-across – Ethical procedure affecting cod-piece factor : CODEOFPRACTICE

23-across – It may ‘elp to seal : SELLOTAPE

24-across – Wine temperature fine : TOKAY

25-across – Plastic cups material from messy home at the heart of the Pyrenees : STYRENE

26-across – Introduction of policy agreements suits everyone : PLEASES

1-down – Very loud,but ultimately quiet : SOFT

2-down – Appleyard points out reason for interruption to match : RAINSTOPPEDPLAY

3-down – Spice Girls’ foremost fan – me,at first : NUTMEG

4-down – Scandalous revelation from former model : EXPOSE

5-down – Singing fellows from Switzerland in more trouble : CHOIRMEN

6-down – Dealer,one shedding tears about publisher : CROUPIER

7-down – Liquorice sweets obtained from spacecraft token : PONTEFRACTCAKES

8-down – Article and manuscript on the little people for those very folk : THEMSELVES

12-down – Domestic flights : STAIRCASES

15-down – Houston regularly invested in island wood tar : CREOSOTE

16-down – Bomber will distort route : WARPLANE

19-down – Settle differences – or is it cosmetic? : MAKEUP

20-down – Law suit finally disposed of – for a figure : STATUE

22-down – Where to see toned bodies? Covers of glossy magazines! : GYMS

8-across – Cut flowers arranged around it over in shop : BOUTIQUE

9-across – Almost mate,having backed capture : ENTRAP

10-across – Man on board eclipsing second most powerful Russian once : TSAR

11-across – Penalties for pupils getting one plus six wrong : EXPULSIONS

12-across – Decorate sides of bridge and what it overlooks : BEDECK

14-across – Close bonds providing coverage for retirement : NIGHTIES

15-across – Noble and outstanding saints protecting church : DUCHESS

17-across – Expert in fix put at risk : MENACED

20-across – Express sorrow about large error so unlike good worker : SLOBBISH

22-across – Can eye present case,any part of which can be this : OPENED

23-across – Began after I confused student about it : INSTITUTED

24-across – Contemptuously react – gratuitous advice sent back? : SPIT

25-across – Tolerate European poet,quintessentially English : BROOKE

26-across – Eastern family with disease barely surviving : EKINGOUT

1-down – Philosopher’s wedding preparation initially cancelled : ROUSSEAU

2-down – Member of famous quartet proclaimed as celebrity : STAR

3-down – Narrow escape from destruction of quakes : SQUEAK

4-down – From bunch of letters in squares,ponder answer : RESPOND

5-down – Female garment,for instance,both down and up in new fiction : NEGLIGEE

6-down – Script with typo? Calm performance barely finished : STRIPTEASE

7-down – Part of Labrador first named in indigenous language : PAWNEE

13-down – Jumble in the box I twice show : EXHIBITION

16-down – It’ll transform us into superpower – some work essential : SHIFTKEY

18-down – Honoured in retirement Aussie sprinters,holding flag up : EMERITUS

19-down – Demolish or rebuild the 2 or 10 : SHATTER

21-down – Extra material tailors put inside vessels : LINERS

22-down – Decree from old king or queen followed by uproar about article : ORDAIN

24-down – Little good to be found in evil omen : SIGN