Daily Answers

8-across – Sweet thing, a magnificent sea reflection? : DEMERARA

9-across – Fine muscular swimmer : HUNKY

10-across – Stretch of road I took, underground passage : ADIT

11-across – Act entitled to be amended — where to ratify it? : DOTTEDLINE

12-across – See 18 : FENCES

14-across – Business heading west in report, move premises : RELOCATE

15-across – Driven thing with little power, sadly Blair not in control : RELIANT

17-across – Troll, rather ugly, immediately starts texting platitudes : TRUISMS

20-across – Where it may get windy, paper in government department secured by device that grips : CLIFFTOP

22-across – Introduction of cog with a square tooth : CANINE

23-across – Grounded supporters don’t allow scoundrels to follow Colchester United, initially : CUBANHEELS

24-across – See 2 : DOOR

25-across – See 15 : ROBIN

26-across – Lad needing a rise, struggling in paid work : SALARIED

1-down – Speaking budgie, oddly, gets hostile attention? : BEADYEYE

2-down – Very close hybrid of rodent and ox : NEXT

3-down – Animals with long faces sleep upside down : PANDAS

4-down – Attack row of cages : BATTERY

5-down – One coaxing Turner to capture daughter : WHEEDLER

6-down – Change of tone, when fifty overwhelmed by disease : INFLECTION

7-down – Seal discussed, little one owned by the Crown, perhaps? : CYGNET

13-down – Fabric he altered with large cut for religious leader : CHIEFRABBI

16-down – Producing a score, composer at first in love : NOTCHING

18-down – Make up scene with demons dancing around marshland : MENDONES

19-down – Calm down, feeding vegetables to animal : APPEASE

21-down – Slat by tradition letting some rays through? : LOUVRE

22-down – Total outsiders accommodated by patient man : CASTLE

24-down – See 9 : DORY

1-across – In back room, rare vodka highball served thus? : OVERARM

5-across – Stay after passport centre makes a bit of a mess : SPLODGE

9-across – This way acceptable to back sadistic pervert : SICKO

10-across – Deck tours guided by Meat Loaf, Cher, Jagger and Bowie? : ROCKDUETS

11-across – Wrecking old city besieged by poor design : DESTROYING

12-across – See 2 : GUY

14-across – It’s essential to back newspaper feature after plan is redrafted : SPINALCOLUMN

18-across – Adieu, extinct bats! There’s something wrong : INEXACTITUDE

21-across – Note abbreviated sense of humour : SOH

22-across – Signed off, old and detached : DISENGAGED

25-across – How a lady starts getting excited, with hesitation : HALTINGLY

26-across – In advance, securing room to manoeuvre a murder victim : EARLO

27-across – Don’s trip with boy : SLIPSON

28-across – Hides from this attempt to imprison queen : TANNERY

1-down – Edison contrived a legal position for play : ONSIDE

2-down – 13 following Hendrix, an apology for manly affection? : EXCUSE

3-down – Doubtful this could make Carol happy : APOCRYPHAL

4-down – See 26 : MORAY

5-down – Support an old Sodomite’s offering early in auction : SECONDLOT

6-down – Legendary demon upset one who reportedly perished with the 26 4 : LADY

7-down – Dared to drop a clue for eg ‘exhume something unpleasant’ : DREDGEUP

8-down – Trying volatile gases to suppress the female principle : ESSAYING

13-down – See 6 : MONDEGREEN

15-down – With which one is naked and free : NOTHINGON

16-down – See 2 : KISSTHIS

17-down – See 2 : MEWHILEI

19-down – Your mate regularly seen chasing silver markets : AGORAE

20-down – Folly of designer cut when cold outside : IDIOCY

23-down – Country messing with one genotype? : EGYPT

24-down – Do not hit girl! : MISS

9-across – Encapsulating the ultimate in pomposity, standard rubbish from the right — here, primarily? : TORYGRAPH

10-across – Too much in flash slogan : MOTTO

11-across – Most keen to put a copper on trial : ACUTEST

12-across – Honest sight is 14 20 : ANAGRAM

13-across – See 23 : GRID

14-across – Choice from over there? It can’t be helped : ONEOFTHOSE

16-across – Dull and grey outside in a storm : TEDIOUS

17-across – Cut uniform with cap : FLATTOP

19-across – Missing starter, brush up on very meaty dish : OXTAILSOUP

22-across – Salmon, royal survivor of the sixteenth century? : PARR

24-across – Religious festival a jot warmer : WHITSUN

25-across – Reportedly return as Jeremiah, perhaps? : PROPHET

26-across – Endless trouble recalled about a relative of hip hop : RAGGA

27-across – For example, Georgian monarch welcoming a novelist from Ireland : EASTERNER

1-down – Open lock possibly underhand? : STRAIGHTFORWARD

2-down – A place for learning in class cut — for our misspelling? : GRAUNIAD

3-down – Match a shade short : AGREE

4-down – Battle wound acquires bandages : HASTINGS

5-down – Bargain, 50% off price to get hold of jalopy : CHEAPO

6-down – Just one militant maintaining lead in primaries : IMPARTIAL

7-down – Time to plug in dry old music player : STEREO

8-down – Standard inside edges in Melbourne getting team out, error unfortunately inspiring paceman initially : ROOMTEMPERATURE

15-down – West possibly observing struggle in Balkan city : MOVIESTAR

17-down – Shabby swimmer lagging behind : FRUMPISH

18-down – Edit it and change instruction : TEACHING

20-down – See 14 : THINGS

21-down – A number of numbers written up, three quatrains and a couplet? : SONNET

23-down – General practitioner worried about current network : POWER

1-across – Do up theatre about five in the morning : REVAMP

5-across – Pope briefly hosts American twice in private : HUSHHUSH

9-across – OK to take drink after hitch? : THUMBSUP

10-across – Guide without staff or work : OEUVRE

11-across – Initiate bold moves in weak state : DEBILITATION

13-across – A worn-out old loco initially missing from station : AWOL

14-across – Express knows about unit that makes flight easier : NOSECONE

17-across – Mike tours English zoos from a bygone age : MESOZOIC

18-across – Millions extracted from newspaper unions : TIES

20-across – Result of ten drums Thor hammered? : THUNDERSTORM

23-across – Fruit in perfect condition around island state : HAWAII

24-across – Reserve the best dessert : ICECREAM

25-across – Furtive little paddler with time to board launch : STEALTHY

26-across – Bet Europeans pursue tug : YANKEE

2-down – Fine choreographer tackles forerunner of foxtrot : ECHO

3-down – Animal found by learner driver in winding Lima road, squashed : ARMADILLO

4-down – Ignore idiot in lead over 26 : PASSBY

5-down – Cowboy spoils gaps in school day : HOPALONGCASSIDY

6-down – Small bed on this irritated Caledonian : SCOTTISH

7-down – Frequent hard worker steals uniform : HAUNT

8-down – Overcame stable director injecting horse : SURMOUNTED

12-down – Good man holding tiny bottle loved one : SWEETHEART

15-down – Tin protects a river craft : CATAMARAN

16-down – Author is on TV, restless about Spanish article : NOVELIST

19-down – Humour Buffalo Bill lassoing writer : COMEDY

21-down – Animal in Africa, one invading cities : NYALA

22-down – Philanthropist’s thank-you note : TATE

1-across – Comic film’s aired, cutting a shot : EDUCATING

6-across – See 1 : RITA

8-across – Result of hit subordinate’s interrupted live : BLACKEYE

9-across – Giving away little vest in gymnastics supplies : STINGY

10-across – Way to travel — use your legs! : STRIDE

11-across – Make weak tea, brewed after I returned? : EMACIATE

12-across – Fixing two wheels, mend moped : MOONED

15-across – Awards one’s received running dodgy business : GOINGSON

16-across – Hiding mint sauce here, we’re told : ONTHELAM

19-across – Appropriate and odd aspects of Ezra Pound : NICKER

21-across – Begged problem child to get older differently : IMPLORED

22-across – Plagiarism in Private Eye a bit naughty : PIRACY

24-across – Fond of binding religious books together : INTOTO

25-across – Troubles of new group we’re leaving Valentine’s gift : NEUROSES

26-across – Once England’s No. 1 gallery intended heartless cash flow analysis : BANK

27-across – See 26 : STATEMENT

1-down – Acclaim stimulant powder from the south : ECLAT

2-down – Leaderless party’s attempt to charm people? : UNCTION

3-down – Singer performing lead, that of Eurydice : ADELE

4-down – Wings of iconic bird raised, making main threat : ICEBERG

5-down – Development, for example, raised standing : GESTATION

6-down – Toper finally sick in bars : RAILING

7-down – Trashed Hitchcock work: it requires balance : TIGHTROPE

13-down – Figure raised in Arab land, first person with a drink problem : OENOMANIA

14-down – Joyful composer touring carnival site : DELIRIOUS

17-down – Poor wine stores in raised area : HILLOCK

18-down – Miraculous food cook cuts for sainted figure : MADONNA

20-down – Wear out staff, in essence : CORRODE

22-down – Spin doctor due to be no fan of Congress? : PRUDE

23-down – This man’s involved in court case : CHEST