Daily Answers

1-across – Type of crab a long time in retreat : HERMITAGE

9-across – The Parisian put on 21, right away : BEETLE

10-across – Forgetting a 21’s on, or is off : SCORPIONS

11-across – Once again sinks back : SPIDER

12-across – Dorothy cut 18 about 9, 11 or 13? : ARTHROPOD

13-across – Swinging Sixties model’s out of fashion : SHRIMP

17-across – Eg 2 or 9 runabout after part exchange : CAR

19-across – Atmospheric phenomena going round our area : AURORAE

20-across – Joy, perhaps, as adult child entertains mother : ADAMSON

21-across – Mafia boss with no love for Trump : CAP

23-across – Something delicious drunk in 10 17 across : NECTAR

27-across – Ransack home outside university : SEAURCHIN

28-across – Do well getting duck cooked in its own fat? : CONFIT

29-across – French department’s given the runaround initially : TORTOISES

30-across – Unreal images screened by one idol, anonymously : EIDOLA

31-across – Be doing what Puck’s done? That would be troublesome! : BESETTING

2-down – Lead someone’s cortege : ESCORT

3-down – Changes seamlessly from 13, cooking duck for one : MORPHS

4-down – Journey taking in too much for three-legged one : TRIPOD

5-down – Do long trips on a boat : GONDOLA

6-down – Stay in front, using one’s loaf to slyly look up answer first : KEEPAHEAD

7-down – Most dull and uninspiring diet’s got agitated about ‘seconds’ : STODGIEST

8-down – 18 by the Queen, breaking into cancan? : TERRAPINS

14-down – 17 acrosses able to be moved around without gas : BARNACLES

15-down – Eg 10 and 11s doctors had in 17 acrosses : ARACHNIDS

16-down – Mother meets daughter in Texas city that she left earlier : ARMADILLO

17-down – HDMI feature included in device controls : CEC

18-down – Blame US chat shows? : RAP

22-down – Solvent working at once : ACETONE

24-down – Model with topless career : TURTLE

25-down – Rock school? It’s rocking! : SCHIST

26-down – French novelist working as Hebrew judge : GIDEON

9-across – Would-be president, say, apt to speak frankly, scoffed : CANDIDATE

10-across – I run after a male pal : AMIGO

11-across – Communicate what means little, time after time : TWEET

12-across – Diehards bring up a drug, oddly : REARGUARD

13-across – Lots of politicians do OK on links and connexions : PARTIES

14-across – A part of Trump’s issue in one state, or all of them : AMERICA

17-across – First to go on board with partners securing success : WHITE

19-across – Ordinary man’s book abridged : JOE

20-across – Legislative assembly, in practice, following call to attend : HOUSE

21-across – Serious disloyalty from maverick senator : TREASON

22-across – Votes completely screened by machines : BALLOTS

24-across – Grouped together in plot around illegal scheme : BRACKETED

26-across – Answer about a NE state : REACT

28-across – Pence in Wild West got the brush? : SWEPT

29-across – Public behind attempt to win playing trick : OVERTRUMP

1-down – GA’s neighbour with limitless vote for old tax : SCOT

2-down – Some voting early, having shifted from neutral : INGEAR

3-down – Lots of data about slight Southern squalor : FILTHINESS

4-down – Turn up old form of address for Georgia writer : HARRIS

5-down – Guided the wrong way, knowing state of successful 9 : DELAWARE

6-down – Called, sought election? Good : RANG

7-down – Dessert from flipping United States — I ruin it : TIRAMISU

8-down – Supporting Democrat as president : FORD

13-down – Bird — it is south of where some in flock gather : PEWIT

15-down – Axe the liar, needing change — cheer up, bigly : EXHILARATE

16-down – States opposed omitting conclusion : AVERS

18-down – Repeatedly runs bad treaties : ITERATES

19-down – Judge joining outside court as meeting place : JUNCTION

22-down – Ordered new leader with extra heart? : BIDDEN

23-down – Drop a question that, in part, is not clear : OPAQUE

24-down – President in wilderness : BUSH

25-down – A 19 down in Kentucky for Coolidge’s girl : KATY

27-down – Character flaw seen in party politics : TYPO

4-across – Flipping jazzy piece — it’s just a number in musical style : GARAGE

6-across – Create division among staff welcoming a teacher back : POLARISE

9-across – They want specific fare for one boarding vehicles : VEGANS

10-across – Lots dare sporting figure-hugging attire : LEOTARDS

11-across – Rendering standard line in opera I perform : NORMALISING

15-across – Engineer hadn’t really emptied water supply : HYDRANT

17-across – Mondeo car in America has built-in music player : OCARINA

18-across – People seeking money in careers stupidly following crossword setter : MERCENARIES

22-across – Feel dazed, as you can in all these across solutions : SEESTARS

23-across – Expose buttocks, encasing right one in a bit of armour : MORION

24-across – Treats like Italian tomatoes or miscellaneous items : SUNDRIES

25-across – Driver’s anger on London-to-Leeds journey? It’s not real : MIRAGE

1-down – A male, say, picked up an order of business : AGENDA

2-down – Eagles maybe perfect circling isle on rocks : HOLESINONE

3-down – Italian artist’s staff sacked agent : MANTEGNA

4-down – Fashion house awarded hot, extremely classy clothes : GIVENCHY

5-down – Shifting gear keeps career up in this industry : RAGTRADE

7-down – Touching up during summer nights : INRE

8-down – Tablets, we hear, providing comfort : EASE

12-down – Italian footballers on British grass produce a cross : INTERBREED

13-down – Asian islander assuming rising current in undulating plain : FILIPINA

14-down – The French queen tours American lakeside city : LAUSANNE

16-down – Revolutionary artist developed modelling framework : ARMATURE

19-down – Last couples in Hampstead beckon this sexy guy : ADONIS

20-down – Revered figure with multiple lives : ISIS

21-down – Loaf, one maybe baked in a tin : BEAN

1-across – One of two books US male adapted : SAMUEL

5-across – Polite and restrained doctor: our odd epithet suggests Dr Crippen, principally : DECOROUS

9-across – Drink with doctor about to show some a cheeky side? : HALFMOON

10-across – Outdoes frequent fake news tweeter? Success at last! : TRUMPS

11-across – Golly! So stern, after beating a politician like Trump? : SNOLLYGOSTER

13-across – Content to catch a real murderer? You’ll need to run fast! : HARE

14-across – Short small red salad ingredient dipped in pea soup? Heaven! : PARADISE

17-across – Nothing to get by describing begin­ner on stringed instrument : OTOSCOPE

18-across – Function held in premises in Epsom : SINE

20-across – Trump finally replaced by Biden, at first perhaps he talks tripe? : BLATHERSKITE

23-across – Sign garage needs vacating by small car : GEMINI

24-across – Fertilisers Charlie values : NITRATES

25-across – Could be bent double agent? Not the chap Blofeld shot : FOLDABLE

26-across – Convenience store primarily secures money with one cash handling company : LOOMIS

2-down – Jelly made from seaweed or a fish : AGAR

3-down – Opens zip in front of underwear : UNFASTENS

4-down – Watch as diver is stopped by knockout : LOOKON

5-down – Fellow can sleep around with lead actor : DONALDPLEASENCE

6-down – Queen maybe taking online bloody class! : CATEGORY

7-down – First stripper’s top having been shed excites debauched old men? : ROUES

8-down – Aunt’s plane’s taken off for Nice? On the contrary : UNPLEASANT

12-down – A sticker getting top to bottom covered by ‘Must see you later in Spain’ : HASTALUEGO

15-down – Outlaw carrying weapon, not a dead duck : DESPERADO

16-down – Warning one doctor that’s accepted back in National Front supporter? : FORELIMB

19-down – Suspect plot is one created by Shakespeare : PISTOL

21-down – For group of criminals, regular choice of store is Aldi : TRIAD

22-down – Fairy Queen penned by Greek character : PERI

8-across – Doctor is OK keeping lean, probably : ITHINKSO

9-across – Soak leaving biscuits for musical family : AMATI

10-across – Monster so revolting or repulsive, ultimately : OGRE

11-across – A tad higher, crackers in front of you : RIGHTAHEAD

12-across – Accountant has left biscuit, 15 : MAROON

14-across – Minor notices sons poaching duck: that’s not right : SMALLADS

15-across – Shade found parking between river and sea : DEEPRED

17-across – Short shelf, so shiny and grey : SILVERY

20-across – Unshaven redhead tucked into bourbon : WHISKERY

22-across – 12 fibre : STRAND

23-across – Winger breaking Cantona’s strawberry hobnob : FRATERNISE

24-across – Kid with tribe’s written off vehicle : DIRT

25-across – Large drink … : STOUT

26-across – … for which bar charges suspect : GUINNESS

1-down – Decline food served up with squashed fly : STAGNATE

2-down – See 24 across : BIKE

3-down – Film about sport, Alpine challenge : SKIRUN

4-down – Block leftists finally in Tory gain : CONGEST

5-down – Sliced food, shortcake could I be? : PASTRAMI

6-down – Wash organ munching old biscuit : BATHOLIVER

7-down – Coarse part of biscuit? : RIBALD

13-down – Labour currently in workplace? : OPPOSITION

16-down – Condemn cost of employing manager? : EXECRATE

18-down – Biscuit inspiring uprising in country, tempt fate : RUNARISK

19-down – Plant grains, scattered round bottom of driveway : SYRINGA

21-down – Torment two animals, the first tailless : HARASS

22-down – Beautiful second cake without filling, almost delightful : SCENIC

24-down – Timeless Florentine writer, European : DANE