Author name: crosswordanswers

1-across – The guy I call out is spiralling : HELICAL

5-across – Cleopatra cheated a bit and got it in the neck : TRACHEA

9-across – Hell-bent, without divorcing at first, to get separated : RIVEN

10-across – My dear, in cooking find a herb : CORIANDER

11-across – Unpredictable ending of talks with rebel leader in revolt : SURPRISING

12-across – To begin with, take a little curry powder : TALC

14-across – Fighting soldier’s back to be embraced by beautiful woman, with tears : BELLIGERENT

18-across – Medical procedure: very backwards and not original : COLONOSCOPY

21-across – Delighted in a blanket, by the sound of it : RAPT

22-across – Perhaps one-all game of defence : DRAWBRIDGE

25-across – Woodworkers in favour of organic compounds : FORESTERS

26-across – Gruff hazard for undesirable poster : TROLL

27-across – It’s soothing to find one empty pub in a restored mall : LIPBALM

28-across – Discarding the cover to fix disc? Yes! : ECDYSIS

1-down – This is why we hear unorthodox view : HERESY

2-down – Uniform consignment with half the shop gone : LIVERY

3-down – Suspect carton starting to burst with illegal stuff : CONTRABAND

4-down – Grasshopper mostly in position : LOCUS

5-down – Top star with rogue nation director : TARANTINO

6-down – See 23 : AWAY

7-down – Dry death foiled by being this : HYDRATED

8-down – After foolish day, financial centre gets winter warmth : APRICITY

13-down – Water creature starting to twitch indeed, lacking water : DEHYDRATED

15-down – A European tucking into refined meal that’s light : LASERBEAM

16-down – Ignoring the odds, profane 4 can be derisive : SCORNFUL

17-down – Show approval for role reversal nonsense : CLAPTRAP

19-down – Vile musical abandoned by a Spice Girl : ODIOUS

20-down – Areas dealing with charity : REALMS

23-down – Drinking tea used to be method to lose weight : WASTE

24-down – Essentially bypassed quiet bay to reach land : ASIA

9-across – Leader of Latvia wears crown, of course : PLATE

10-across – President in jumper and First Lady in extremely special shirt : ROOSEVELT

11-across – Flier for very strong tea to begin with in church : CHAFFINCH

12-across – Funny and strange – 10cc cover Mahler’s overture : COMIC

13-across – Pattern exciting clients : STENCIL

15-across – Boys in blue score! Shot going over heads of Portsmouth players : COPPERS

17-across – Note car reversing on motorway : MINIM

18-across – Contemporary novel : NEW

20-across – Perfect business transaction from Apple? : IDEAL

22-across – French mathematician swapping units of temperature with messenger : COURIER

25-across – 100 scream over rock tune : CENTURY

26-across – By 1pm and 2pm? : TIMES

27-across – Chief supports electricity supplier shielding live : MAINSTAYS

30-across – Ignores party with roasted nuts : DISCOUNTS

31-across – Diamond I kept back to stay longer in sack : LIEIN

1-down – 2.7183 + 25 ÷ 3.1416? That’s impressive : EPIC

2-down – Sailor wearing favourite article to get food : FAVABEAN

3-down – One’s bound to land planes here or off bases : SERF

4-down – Diarist starting to learn first note as soul singer : FRANKLIN

5-down – Romantic turn by husband in time I see : GOTHIC

6-down – Understanding each plan to oust Conservative : PERCEPTION

7-down – Setter’s down then setter’s up: that’s a hysterical person : MEEMIE

8-down – Regarding the ear of alien – top third is missing : OTIC

13-down – Total bill for tree : SUMAC

14-down – Red’s issue? No midfield covering international work : COMMISSION

16-down – Character from The X-Files caught out by soil : SULLY

19-down – Wife juggling cake – it’s most eccentric : WACKIEST

21-down – Copied foreign character, delighted to be outside : EMULATED

23-down – Expose Sunak suspiciously hiding millions : UNMASK

24-down – Book by scientists about oxygen on island : ROMANS

26-down – Neat British cartoonist : TIDY

28-down – Rugby club taking part in Jerusalem : SALE

29-down – Without hospitals : SANS

1-across – Vegetable makes sleep sweeter : SUGARSNAP

6-across – Old Irish families providing short items for certain calendar pages? : SEPTS

9-across – College is following plan to get around one path to disaster : COLLISIONCOURSE

10-across – Popular film is back in place : SITE

11-across – Claim he transmuted carbon — hoping for gold? : ALCHEMIC

14-across – Porter, perhaps — individual secured by my tip? : BEERMONEY

15-across – Editor probing hospital litter : SEDAN

16-across – Start working before being ready? : ONSET

18-across – I brought in people with US railway fuel : BIODIESEL

20-across – Judge, after hesitation, blocking less contaminated source of dodgy evidence : PERJURER

21-across – It’s not enough for side dish : FLAN

25-across – Carry on after collapse of business etc, getting very little money : SUBSISTENCEWAGE

26-across – Party occupying most of a remarkable place for orgies and such : SODOM

27-across – Ridiculous suggestion but diary’s misinterpreted : ABSURDITY

1-down – Dismisses British neurologist : SACKS

2-down – Sweet cake allowed to be consumed by spectators : GALETTE

3-down – Country demoting the leader in downfall : RAIN

4-down – Unsophisticated in turning up embracing a fellow : NAIF

5-down – Possibly fine component of shrubbery in which there’s a particular spot : PENALTYBOX

6-down – Random person not readily moved to accept Charles Trenet at first : STOCHASTIC

7-down – Religious figure in decline turned up in burial site of kings : PYRAMID

8-down – Petition for zone around North African location at first — this one? : SUEZCANAL

12-down – Lack of skill represented as immature : AMATEURISM

13-down – I get ecstatic, I start to admit — not bodily present? : INABSENTIA

14-down – Nonsense from America about job pursuing record website content : BLOGPOSTS

17-down – Flashed in street, wearing loose garment : STROBED

19-down – Upset is limiting blooming options for study : SYLLABI

22-down – Craving affection, with rise in desire after cuddling of Parisian : NEEDY

23-down – Leader abandoning extra responsibility : ONUS

24-down – Comedian’s eccentricity not OK when making sarcastic comment : JEER

1-across – Still dressing old ladies, say, in white top : SNOWCAP

5-across – V&A wins time : AGAINST

9-across – Factory owner to be informed about answer : WONKA

10-across – A kitchen item in France covers area not fit for diners : UNEATABLE

11-across – Lengthier struggles to secure government approval : GREENLIGHT

12-across – Republican American with energy between the sheets : REAM

14-across – Unseen Observer article with lines knowing about everything : FLYONTHEWALL

18-across – Repeat drama’s opening being performed by theatre set : ACTIONREPLAY

21-across – Perhaps bearded cockney is impractical : AIRY

22-across – Was a swinger’s large behind pinched by huge policemen? : OSCILLATED

25-across – Dubious hearing air Holst composed drinking whiskey : SHOWTRIAL

26-across – Harsh words with husband during breakfast, perhaps : OATHS

27-across – Smart to limit use of computers etc in office : SITTING

28-across – Spooner’s legwear tear? It comes from a thorny bush : ROSEHIP

1-down – Waste money earned in Kent? : SEWAGE

2-down – They could make a pound for cats : OUNCES

3-down – New designer stores bound to seek new entertainment : CHANNELHOP

4-down – Two Guardian setters and a quantum whiz : PAULI

5-down – Ancient king’s popular record opening with Let It Be : AMENHOTEP

6-down – Bit of pot inhaled by urban terrorist : ANTE

7-down – Entitled fellow rejected good Parisian lover : NOBLEMAN

8-down – Soldiers in high heat also stripped off winter gear : THERMALS

13-down – Bling or diamonds grabbed by male shaking with pride : MEDALLIONS

15-down – Stampeding rhino’s shot with gun : ONRUSHING

16-down – Rapid mammals seizing donkey and badgers : HARASSES

17-down – Greatly admired solicitor to get going : STARTOUT

19-down – Senate’s leader has tiny individual issue when running : STITCH

20-down – Trouble concentrating? Getting drink makes sense : ADDSUP

23-down – Slacker student features in newspaper article in Bild : IDLER

24-down – Case of best pupil having periodical lapses : ETUI

1-across – Unit heard brief alarm not long after St Andrew’s Day? : DECIBEL

5-across – Put under wraps say for cardinal : INTEGER

9-across – Ready to drop, dropping guts? : ALLIN

10-across – Sewn to the buckles — that might sharpen things up : WHETSTONE

11-across – Some bread and cream? : UPPERCRUST

12-across – Fracture that’s the same! : SNAP

14-across – Poser: one put on underwear, nearest pants : BRAINTEASER

18-across – Fancy quality seen in 21,4,5 down : FLOWERINESS

21-across – Bit of bitter? : HALF

22-across – Bottom pinched by old backing group, bacchanalian lot : WASSAILERS

25-across – See 26 : INTESTINE

26-across – Internal part embodied by 15, 9, 6, 5 down : SMALL

27-across – A murder most foul — there’s a hammer behind it : EARDRUM

28-across – Home Office credo perverse — right to vote, perhaps? : FREEDOM

1-down – Contact laid? : DIALUP

2-down – A margin crossed by companion’s ruler : CALIPH

3-down – One going for apple pockets rank bananas for a nicker : BANKROBBER

4-down – Cow nearer bottom of hill? : LOWER

5-down – Fundamentally, skill lacking at first, one missing in particular? : INESSENCE

6-down – Check flower : TEST

7-down – My rectitude : GOODNESS

8-down – Again sell story about old flame : REEXPORT

13-down – Matter found under bottom of cups in period of over a month — glasses cleaner? : LENSTISSUE

15-down – Brutishness is around country defended by broken man : ANIMALISM

16-down – See 28 : OFCHOICE

17-down – Researcher investing £2 in ad : POLLSTER

19-down – Carrot artist served up : REWARD

20-down – Shelter unknown number in a favela : ASYLUM

23-down – Two females have bound a bundle : SHEAF

24-down – Plucking out odd bits, it is hairy for Nicholas, say? : TSAR