Daily Answers

8-across – We are obliged to break out to capture accessory : THANKYOU

9-across – Love being turned over after kiss — it’s a gas! : XENON

10-across – See 2 : LOPE

11-across – Cutter’s instrument is very cutting : RAZORSHARP

12-across – Animals in some hardship, possibly : HIPPOS

14-across – Extreme indignation risk : ENDANGER

15-across – Central assembly couple have a hug : EMBRACE

17-across – Do-it-yourself sea trip is a long and lonely time : YEARSOF

20-across – See 17 : SOLITUDE

22-across – See 6 : ANDONE

23-across – See 6 : DALMATIANS

24-across – Heartbroken part in screen role voluntarily rejected : LOVE

25-across – Cat in conversation chain : LINKS

26-across – Sweet thing in extremely delicate meringue skirt : DEMERARA

1-down – Brag aloud, quiet about one’s element : CHROMIUM

2-down – Beast’s antler cut and twisted at the end, almost gaping : ANTE

3-down – Where to find knickers here, one could say : CYPRUS

4-down – Irregular pulse stopped by snoring, of which this is an example : PUZZLES

5-down – Where to study cattle crossing? : OXBRIDGE

6-down – Many people from Croatia in this movie : ONEHUNDRED

7-down – False U-turn maybe supported by Spain : UNTRUE

13-down – Fox trapped by mother owls? : PARLIAMENT

16-down – Nice gesture to go out with? In a way, yes : COURTESY

18-down – Drunk Romeo slurping up French wine is not a discriminating consumer : OMNIVORE

19-down – Over and above part section of house : VERANDA

21-down – Nothing clear about this prediction : ORACLE

22-down – Pretend to be like birds heading north : ASSUME

24-down – See 24 across : LORN

7-across – One enforcing law from on high set free by doctor : MOUNTIE

8-across – Yellow knife seen regularly against dish : CHICKEN

9-across – Turn back to discuss tackle : SKIT

10-across – Further behind horse, a bridle : HACKAMORE

12-across – Head of monastery housed by token primate : CHIMP

13-across – Again, check on Jack’s mate? : REASSESS

15-across – Warm pieces reversed : SNUG

16-across – Appliance — of ice pack in bra? : CHEST

17-across – See 20 down : SHOT

18-across – Testament very recently penned by setter, appropriate thing to say : MOTJUSTE

20-across – Pain in the neck, a don wants to batter molecular biologists : CRICK

21-across – See 20 : ANDWATSON

22-across – See 8 : KIEV

24-across – See 16 : FREEZER

25-across – Club welcoming in king after retreat — like King Mark : CORNISH

1-down – See 14 : JOCK

2-down – Seen nightly, a performance apart from this? : ANYTHING

3-down – See 17 : BISHOP

4-down – Barbarian passing round rugby posts in game : PHEASANT

5-down – A burden in the other half of clues? : ACROSS

6-down – End of the month coming up, give up : CEDE

11-down – Layers from jazz great, first and last two missed : CARPETERS

12-down – Showing willingness within small firm? : CANDO

14-down – Broadcasting polemicist, white knave hit screens : SHOCK

16-down – One of a pair held aloft, as a fisherman might? : CASTANET

17-down – Cheese pieces under flipped eggs : STINKING

19-down – Finds book : JUDGES

20-down – Blasted thing, clergyman reportedly on crack : CANNON

21-down – A heart of white rose hollowed out — Yorkshire flower : AIRE

23-down – See 2 : ELSE

9-across – Tommy’s one holding sway over quiet period : ROCKOPERA

10-across – Stars taking part in noteworthy drama : HYDRA

11-across – Pygmalion’s work put away during social event : GALATEA

12-across – Giant encyclopedias omitting various parts of Aeneid : CYCLOPS

13-across – Hoard cents and yen : CACHE

14-across – Pale individual in police department put off : POSTPONED

16-across – Sit in a hot gloomy complex composing tales : MYTHOLOGISATION

19-across – Short piece about fuel returns in old sporting venue : COLOSSEUM

21-across – Woman’s accepting order for old author : HOMER

22-across – Corner used to be hard for bunk : HOGWASH

23-across – Film game broadcast over part of Italy once : ETRURIA

24-across – Right way back from waste processors : RENAL

25-across – Deceptive foreign articles had inspiring name : UNDERHAND

1-down – Like Beckett’s work to Mike, inhaling smoke in retreat : TRAGICOMIC

2-down – Cecil is crazy, beginning to talk Latin, that is : SCILICET

3-down – Daring copper ignoring melancholy : BOTTLE

4-down – Rhea’s product, literally : HERA

5-down – Such vanity, writing about lying under daffodils! : NARCISSISM

6-down – Hummus maker, rustic wearing fancy cape : CHICKPEA

7-down – Setter’s in a tuxedo, performing for neighbour : ADJOIN

8-down – Regularly miss receiving a Republican’s spoils : MARS

14-down – He was bound to rock expert writer on the Guardian : PROMETHEUS

15-down – They’re used after passing entrance deck about noon : DONORCARDS

17-down – Old boys reportedly get to grips with a problem : OBSTACLE

18-down – Evil overcomes leader of Titans, like all the gods : IMMORTAL

20-down – What banks do about, for instance, celebrity : LEGEND

21-down – Dash to besiege Arab capital : HARARE

22-down – Old king doesn’t finish idol : HERO

23-down – Collection of old poems mostly summed up : EDDA

8-across – Reject hard line taken in deal : THROWOUT

9-across – Guide well short of capital : USHER

10-across – Expensive footballer, a fair whack? : HIGH

11-across – Members affected by this blow, a thousand perceived the wrong way : KNOCKKNEES

12-across – Beat meat, just cut : HAMMER

14-across – A suspicious device packed with explosive gas carried out : ACHIEVED

15-across – Money once invested in extreme elements of execrable school : EDUCATE

17-across – See 10 : STRIKER

20-across – Honeysuckle left suspended, getting half of rain : LONICERA

22-across – Effin’ Jeffrey Archer novel? : LORDOF

23-across – Parting words making Oates laugh : HASTALUEGO

24-across – Piece: one nailed by fiddle : COIN

25-across – Cotton reels I lost, some rolling over : LISLE

26-across – Love poem about heart in euphoria, might Oxford get into it? : OVERSHOE

1-down – Finch finally back with swallows in country : THAILAND

2-down – Gravy: cook put a sock in it : DOSH

3-down – See 24 : WORKER

4-down – Affected country, one sat upon : OTTOMAN

5-down – Money stolen, lead fired : BUCKSHOT

6-down – Light fluffy rice inspiring old maestro : CHANDELIER

7-down – Current activity that’s unproblematic : BREEZE

13-down – See 19 : MACKINTOSH

16-down – See 22 across : THEFLIES

18-down – Buttonholing doctor, notice awfully sad face? : EMOTICON

19-down – Showman: Tory wet repelled by one : CAMERON

21-down – Old people welcoming end of political authority : ORACLE

22-down – Eye dish : LOOKER

24-down – Beauty bedding a fit provider of social service : CASE

1-across – About to stop bandits with a naughty retailers’ trick : BAITANDSWITCH

10-across – Cast do care — that largely figures : OCTAHEDRA

11-across – 20 across content to look a pillock : OKAPI

12-across – Defy British party : BRAVE

13-across – Fraud succeeded, turning over liberal : SWINDLING

14-across – Expenses claims politician tried at first to make excuses : EXEMPTS

16-across – Element of fear oddly gone but I’m unhappy boxing : TERBIUM

18-across – Roughly spoken bloke’s eaten enough to be comfortable : EASEFUL

20-across – Safari for one brother involves disagreements with sweetheart : BROWSER

21-across – Guard resembled Luxembourg’s new leader : LOOKAFTER

23-across – It’s stupid — both rejected retiring : TIMID

24-across – Agree without speaking about old woman — she won’t settle : NOMAD

25-across – Keeping on temporary accom­modation : RETENTION

26-across – Do angels have to do it after start of show? It’s a bit naughty : SHARPPRACTICE

2-down – Time to go in a smarter direction — they’d like to have lunch with workers : ANTEATERS

3-down – Nameless brown weed in US lake : TAHOE

4-down – Perhaps exposed campers to insult, surrounded by fanatics : NUDISTS

5-down – Like Britain in decline — capital’s revolting : SEAGIRT

6-down – That one may work or not — dire! : INORDERTO

7-down – Film wildlife — only the second omnivore : COATI

8-down – Easily beguile Donald with this? : DOUBLEDEALING

9-down – God to blame ultimately in drama : DIEGOMARADONA

15-down – Spin doctor, you might say, is poisonous : PUFFADDER

17-down – Current issue involves money — first clue one probably won’t enjoy retirement : INSOMNIAC

19-down – Novice priest breaks down and loses restraint : LETSRIP

20-down – Chance to get hold of Irish teaching assistant — it goes to father’s head : BIRETTA

22-down – Drive round? We won’t be moving at this rate : OOMPH

23-down – Article ignoring centrist’s clear belief : TENET