Daily Answers

1-across – Charm overturning plot with desire : BEWITCH

5-across – Sea dweller taking sides about 50% cut in medical branch : LOBSTER

9-across – Female flying on the previous day : REEVE

10-across – As a result of which least died horribly? No! : DEADLIEST

11-across – Heath Robinson, or Heath-Robinson? This makes it the latter! : STROKEOFGENIUS

13-across – One affording basic protection from water throughout Oxford? : OVER

14-across – Dog keeps energy in for mauling : PEKINESE

17-across – One leading following across Red Sea? Ludicrous, we won’t hear of it! : DEAFEARS

18-across – Skirt courts carriers of hotel drinks : MINI

21-across – What the king of Blefuscu said upon bumping into the king of Lilliput? : ITSASMALLWORLD

23-across – Gooseberry’s offspring? Result of one getting together with partner cut short sport in outfit : KIWIFRUIT

24-across – Mischievous chap partially responsible for Piper Alpha : RALPH

25-across – Our number one’s own number one? : ROYALWE

26-across – Where to seek sounder French article with panache : INSTYLE

1-down – See 18 : BARS

2-down – Why we mean, athletic cheats will pay for dalliance? : WHENTHECATSAWAY

3-down – TV quiz required its opening … : THEBOX

4-down – … its closure may reveal its location : HIDDEN

5-down – Eco-friendly motorist thus fared badly entering shelter : LEADFREE

6-down – Here view the latest part of round motors : BULLETIN

7-down – See 2 : THEMICEWILLPLAY

8-down – Spits in this revolutionary eating place : ROTISSERIE

12-down – Cheat pro with admission of Germany victory : HOODWINKER

15-down – Significant outbreak of flu follows uprising of old domestics : SENSEFUL

16-down – See 4 : TREASURE

19-down – Excess that is working up muscles : GLUTEI

20-down – See 6 : BOARDS

22-down – See 13 : SHOE

1-across – Part of service delivering freight by order : FIGHTERCOMMAND

8-across – Is life in Italy musical? : EVITA

9-across – Enterprising fellow – as such, with change of pole, holding capital : NOSLOUCH

11-across – Lost Mary’s instrument : CELESTE

12-across – Eagles to represent Che : ERNESTO

13-across – Success in the Guardian came from much reflection : WHITE

15-across – CD disguised as red silk : LASERDISK

17-across – Writing missive not finished after half a month : NOVELETTE

20-across – Am assuredly desirous of being the respected senior : DOYEN

21-across – Volume of traffic? : OMNIBUS

23-across – Offensive weapon as flood defence : SANDBAG

25-across – Report of dreamy Walter’s walk causes temper : MITIGATE

26-across – Leave posh American lawman with cheese : GOUDA

27-across – Vague quality of natural impulse surrounding princess’s head : INDISTINCTNESS

1-down – Victoire! Door opens – West door, actually : FRENCHWINDOW

2-down – Seek information which may be mixed : GRILL

3-down – Gas disperser is model of listener: he will … : TEARSHELL

4-down – … abandon silence for Ruth : RENDELL

5-down – Food in the 10 with 3 : OYSTERS

6-down – How 13 part of 16 laid claim to daughter of … : MYOWN

7-down – … marshal keeping piano out of sink, which can’t be helped : NECESSITY

10-down – Reverser’s convenience, like horse heard by girl : LOOKINGGLASS

14-down – See 6 : INVENTION

16-down – Not the one in the 10 correct, including Ken D : REDKNIGHT

18-down – Is Parisian intact in church law? : TESTACT

19-down – Great ship’s quarters with flower put in : EASTERN

22-down – Having spirit without energy, I need a pancake : BLINI

24-down – Batman starts cattle disease : BRUCE

1-across – Stop, for example, horse eating root containing sulphur : ROADSIGN

5-across – Swimmer has to dry back : TURBOT

9-across – King held in admiration during conflict finds easy victory : WALKOVER

10-across – Chinaman given English coins : CHANGE

12-across – Food right for the oven : ROAST

13-across – Direction taken by spaceman or the astronomer : NORTHEAST

14-across – Manufacture smooth gift for the soppy lot : MILLSANDBOON

18-across – A cold fish claiming she’s failing : ACHILLESHEEL

21-across – Neighbours, perhaps, like this: a poet and artist : SOAPOPERA

23-across – Storm before the showers? : MARCH

24-across – Expecting to find a 5 in part of crossword : GRAVID

25-across – Quality of goddess in wood : FIVESTAR

26-across – Model, a dolly : SITTER

27-across – Spurs’ misery at the finish : EGGSHELL

1-down – Pot – container upturned : REWARD

2-down – A carnival vehicle appearing amphibious? : AFLOAT

3-down – Reform this law or its public demonstration? : SHOWTRIAL

4-down – Air evidence hanky wasn’t used? : GREENSLEEVES

6-down – Doubly empty state having injected heroin? Yes! : UHHUH

7-down – One stops leaks on top of a blue house : BUNGALOW

8-down – Elmer Fudd’s dealing with the singing of Sylvester’s foe? : TWEETING

11-down – Is a punch in the stomach so awesome? : BREATHTAKING

15-down – Carol’s sleep male disturbed during shift : DREAMLESS

16-down – Our neighbour has to maintain a certain force to produce methane : MARSHGAS

17-down – Bird, common type pinching monarch’s bottom : PHEASANT

19-down – Toss last of butter in with last of margarine : WRITHE

20-down – Where hymn performed by word of mouth, sung : CHORAL

22-down – One may be stuffed, none survive : OLIVE

7-across – Silver complement perhaps to 23, singularly warmer : LONGJOHN

9-across – Bell of Breton origin : BRONTE

10-across – Burns’s spirit has reprised 18’s oeuvre : DEIL

11-across – Several workers’ joint occupation : TENANTSHIP

12-across – What happened nearly 130 years ago to Greek character at the end of every game – a bloomer from hell? : THETAY

14-across – See 24 : WEDDINGS

15-across – Funny fellow with dam to dam again : WEIRDO

17-across – Darling dog comes in when there’s fruit on the ground : ANANAS

20-across – Old country hero aids reform : RHODESIA

22-across – Second right for German playwright : BRECHT

23-across – With wine about, silence golden for politician : CLARESHORT

24-across – How 40s celebrate Burns week ending giddy with excitement : RUBY

25-across – See 12 : BRIDGE

26-across – Centre section on a certain island : TREASURE

1-down – Predict how to succeed cutting wood : FORESHOW

2-down – The same old bird heard to say one left : EGAL

3-down – Apt line-up of solver : WORTHY

4-down – A number in lottery at new place on Thames : ABINGDON

5-down – Read other than arts subjects with monitor : CONSCIENCE

6-down – Way to get round horses – pearls? : STRING

8-down – Nul points is proverbially encouraging : NONEWS

13-down – Michael after Lew and Leslie? : THIRDGRADE

16-down – See 12 : DISASTER

18-down – Insert fish – mine was Trout : SCHUBERT

19-down – Disburse to boy or girl with solvers’ entry : PAYOUT

21-down – Boy or girl monster reported on line : HILARY

22-down – Take first innings and field afterwards in Yorkshire : BATLEY

24-down – Former part of county – C on Y, say : ROSE

1-across – Aims to get it back within turns : MOTIVES

5-across – Cordovan article with small jet frame : LEATHER

9-across – Giving one run’s close on getting opener out : DONOR

10-across – Toast is behind drink : BOTTOMSUP

11-across – Mass uproar when gold’s in uncontrollable descent : FREEFORALL

12-across – 1817’s issue? : JOEY

14-across – Very frightened by a direction to pile on points : AWESTRICKEN

18-across – Something petty officer once announced at end of the line? : SMALLCHANGE

21-across – Vessel that carried naught to speak of : ARGO

22-across – Nothing reflected spot on lacy item without end product of flax : LINSEEDOIL

25-across – Celestine’s component symbolised by little Señor : STRONTIUM

26-across – Saw first team’s second reversal : AXIOM

27-across – New coinage that’s not 18 : NEOLOGY

28-across – 1918? : COPPERS

1-down – Setter’s having faithful dog cooped up to make 18 : MODIFY

2-down – Maker of 5 across’s 18 : TANNER

3-down – Elevating island on condition that one clergyman can be confirmed : VERIFIABLE

4-down – As judge’s robes when changing ends : SOBER

5-down – Alternatively, not very new or newish old language : LATELATIN

6-down – Greeting from a boat? : AHOY

7-down – Stop on way to Brighton’s pads : HASSOCKS

8-down – Salesman with a dark side of Chinese philosophy that’s good for making good : REPAYING

13-down – Officer’s bad idea to run off in secret : AIDEDECAMP

15-down – Background’s disturbed in the metropolis : ETHNICITY

16-down – When special force gets wrong killer : ASSASSIN

17-down – Organ developed in treeclimbing animal : KANGAROO

19-down – Arctic cap doesn’t have a right to regulate : POLICE

20-down – Animals having a set in 18 : LLAMAS

23-down – Tree rising with power from grounds of university : SUMAC

24-down – Open in Berlin and Oldenburg, initially : UNDO