Daily Answers

1-across – Brief article in Paris Match coming to a point : LACONIC

5-across – What happens before weekend begins in sitcom : FRIENDS

9-across – Type of soldiers carrying indefinite number of sacks around : SANSSERIF

10-across – United stopping one getting beaten? This may be in the field : DURUM

11-across – Balm stolen from royal residence as a test : ORAL

12-across – Bedroom item which accompanies one for casual sex : NIGHTSTAND

14-across – Vehicle boxed in by Opel and Audi : LANDAU

15-across – Every 60 minutes, say, screening plug for Madonna : OURLADY

16-across – Preserve heart of famous game bird : TINAMOU

18-across – Incompetent way to leave tottering : UNABLE

20-across – Fail to observe Poe character in short story : CONTRAVENE

21-across – Front ripped off sheets in Times : AGES

24-across – Equally determined to display strength : ASSET

25-across – Fury — it’s aroused by what Apple sells : TISIPHONE

26-across – A partner pocketing £1,000 in contract : ABRIDGE

27-across – Hide in Greek island’s bottom right-hand corner? : SECRETE

1-down – Catch or miss nothing : LASSO

2-down – Prison I’m leaving for work in bars : CANTATA

3-down – I won’t keep mum’s food : NOSH

4-down – Material studied quickly in French includes a brief biog : CURRICULUMVITAE

5-down – Subversives located in the right place in this grid? : FIFTHCOLUMNISTS

6-down – River Test developed commercially : INDUSTRIAL

7-down – New Republican welcomed by Trump is promised land : NIRVANA

8-down – When dreams come true, perhaps, touring round sea : SOMEDAY

13-down – Outlined a foolish form of trade : ADUMBRATED

16-down – Two acts composed, penning old baroque work : TOCCATA

17-down – About to punch nurse, wild person off drugs : NONUSER

19-down – One hears something in the bath, topless : LUGHOLE

22-down – Joined in covers of single, one from ABBA? : SWEDE

23-down – Crude traders manage to bring down leader : OPEC

4-across – This writer returned to work with 8 in exploit : EMPLOY

6-across – Privileged noble — friend, 85, in east : PALATINE

9-across – Picture 87 obtained by Parisian art firm : FRESCO

10-across – Got 29 to come in supporting radical : PROCURED

11-across – Taker of risk with health, adult at home, 62, beset by threat to breathing : CHAINSMOKER

15-across – Enthusiastic supporter in church always, with 68 joining in : CHEERER

17-across – Former lover facing endless ordeal, when about 60 stretches out : EXTENDS

18-across – Craftsperson to scowl with girl, 5, getting in the way : GLASSBLOWER

22-across – 84 passed ultimately in examination with three­fold foundation : TRIPODAL

23-across – Mark made by pressing 75 into box : CREASE

24-across – 17 first class in concert that’s broadcast : PROCLAIM

25-across – Young bird has William, maybe, bowled over after 94 : PULLET

1-down – Bird flying out about 7 : TOUCAN

2-down – Quiet debauched man set about trapping 18 birds : PARRAKEETS

3-down – 56 joining cricket club are cut short at game : BACCARAT

4-down – English female, loud and un­friendly, squashing 20 with ability to achieve result : EFFICACY

5-down – 15 looking embarrassed about wise person making forecast : PRESAGED

7-down – 49 men brought up medical container : INRO

8-down – Journalist, 66, to be in a whirl : EDDY

12-down – 31 in terribly romantic marriage may be this : MORGANATIC

13-down – Social-climbing type entertains 74, with everyone getting a drink : SNOWBALL

14-down – Free entries allowing in 92 very hungry : ESURIENT

16-down – Posh car carrying daughter behind 47 toys : RAGDOLLS

19-down – Beat happy sound with 13 going north : LARRUP

20-down – 73 turning up work above : ATOP

21-down – Pool party after 3 : LIDO

1-across – Earth, what goes around the sun : HELIOS

4-across – Quickly get ahead after game : SNAPUP

9-across – What one might say after fleeing country : IRAN

10-across – Platforms attached to lorries, those managing to go in reverse : TAILBOARDS

11-across – Juice knocked back with endless food from another planet : JOVIAN

12-across – Greek woman in Paris punches chin furiously : HELLENIC

13-across – Abstract making leverage to impress European Commission leaders : PRECISING

15-across – Smack fly on the rebound : TANG

16-across – Flag adopted by Bantus in Kenya : SINK

17-across – Old cop, having secured lighter and ciggy in the end, lights up on a clear night : STARRYSKY

21-across – Extremely big girl, very cold having left boozer finally : GALACTIC

22-across – Saturnine flash on Venus, for example : MOROSE

24-across – Drained after tight run-out, remaining calm : UNTROUBLED

25-across – Dark energy ready for NASA? : DIME

26-across – Stop following characters central to sissyish arrangement : SYSTEM

27-across – Draw in boundary, one cut off by post-impressionist : ENDEAR

1-down – Cups turning up in time for port : HARBOUR

2-down – All finally on reel, you mean, filming Bambi — it’s a wrap! : LUNGI

3-down – Stumbling into us, head of gov­ernment having entered, trips : OUTINGS

5-down – See 6 : NEBULA

6-down – Neptune: a ball in pieces circling a remarkably hollow luminous cloud : PLANETARY

7-down – Extra fat bear has lost weight : PADDING

8-down – Spun thing, as gripped by mercurial spinners, say? : FISHINGTACKLE

14-down – Constellation where Uranus etc misplaced : CENTAURUS

16-down – Mars visited by leader from Epsom, a town in Surrey : STAINES

18-down – Beastly male duck, flipping fast : RAMADAN

19-down – By the sound of it, money only for a subcontinental area : KASHMIR

20-down – Tailor finished off dressing butt : ATTUNE

23-down – Top, top game : RIDGE

1-across – Bird box has string : SPARROW

5-across – Order her gift and ring worker : FIGHTER

9-across – Office anger around men at the back : POSTERIOR

10-across – Bits of poetry from writer’s American rubbish : IAMBS

11-across – Director hurt when going over shot : DRAM

12-across – Keep stiff and carry on : STRONGHOLD

14-across – Pick up one old lover for bit on the side? : ANNEXE

15-across – Warms up again — run races to conserve energy : REHEATS

16-across – See 21 : POPPINS

18-across – Peer into 27 annual : YEARLY

20-across – In ring take in swinging punch : ROUNDHOUSE

21-across – Banks employed her pimp: any pros let go : MARY

24-across – Met in New York, perhaps old prince getting ‘date’ : OPERA

25-across – What’s limiting hairdressing? Girl’s small mirror : HANDGLASS

26-across – One pardoning former addict smuggling cocaine : EXCUSER

27-across – Americans pull and make out when going back : YANKEES

1-down – Tasty dish mostly ordered with a starter of pasta : SAPID

2-down – One blackbird’s heading over spot to sit on fence : ABSTAIN

3-down – Smoke half of joint, then kip : REEK

4-down – Strange how he let Mrs sit back on chair for painting : WHISTLERSMOTHER

5-down – Bond that’s top secret : FORYOUREYESONLY

6-down – Setting out third piece in auction with a lot in the sale? : GOINGCHEAP

7-down – Closed with maiden, cricketer we hear gets draw : TOMBOLA

8-down – Lives on borders : RESIDES

13-down – Inside after going to pubs : BEHINDBARS

16-down – Penny, excited with love, grabbing partner’s bottom, having endless sex drive : PURPOSE

17-down – He wrote notes by page with cryptic clue on : POULENC

19-down – Greenery in meadow following season : LEAFAGE

22-down – More than one sure pharmacy’s closing: couple of tablets needed? : YESES

23-down – Local not for an alcoholic drink : AGIN

8-across – Name sewn into footballers’ underwear : KNICKERS

9-across – Spare time occupied with last letters in mailbox and cabinet : EXTRA

10-across – One hears the Queen’s off fish : ORFE

11-across – Jack: knave covered by queen? It’s on the way? : TARMACADAM

12-across – Smothering people in manure is rational : COMPOS

14-across – Activist carrying bomb, bully : DOMINEER

15-across – Hot inside wide heat-resistant receptacle : ASHTRAY

17-across – Eccentric return of stuttering Labour Party? : ODDBALL

20-across – Most bubbly girls drained from glasses, help to drink last of champagne : GASSIEST

22-across – Fairly attractive … : PRETTY

23-across – … wire broken in old office equipment : TYPEWRITER

24-across – Belligerent god in paradise, rather laid back : ARES

25-across – Scottish town’s appearance in news? : NAIRN

26-across – Spruce: tree roughly three feet : TRIMETER

1-down – Rising endlessly, Finland’s river, one that’s vast : ENORMOUS

2-down – Came by a roundabout route to 24 down : ACME

3-down – See 12 : MENTIS

4-down – With a leg either side, sit and read novel : ASTRIDE

5-down – Still cold, shivering male tucked in? : BECALMED

6-down – Within a board, reform ain’t possible : ATTAINABLE

7-down – Rolls may be kept here : GARAGE

13-down – Shop that’s opening, one in mount­ainous route over lake : PATISSERIE

16-down – Jack, queen, king, ace: no trumps anomalous? : ABERRANT

18-down – Educated general quaffing dry wine : LETTERED

19-down – Giant finally caught by David, say — that’s the law : STATUTE

21-down – Unspecified individual in company on edge : ANYONE

22-down – Not quite finding a space for oatmeal cake : PARKIN

24-down – Top secret monkey? : APEX