Daily Answers

1-across – Land in Siberia, part of journey being discussed : STEPPE

5-across – Supporter covering grass for sporting occasion : BOATRACE

9-across – Announcement: target has been hit? : BULLETIN

10-across – Hunter put game on stick : NIMROD

11-across – In which babbling voices rant on? : CONVERSATION

13-across – See 23 : SAID

14-across – Round of leaflets ending in porch and I almost exploded! : MAILSHOT

17-across – Colour to match in gaol : PEAGREEN

18-across – A figure turns — on this? : AXIS

20-across – Knock back and forth : TATTARRATTAT

23-across – Scrabble has no guide, no further explanation required : ENOUGH

24-across – Lock up the little devil, having rejected classroom show of dissent? : IMPRISON

25-across – Possessions for forward delivery, ultimately : PROPERTY

26-across – Summary, like one this short, ends : DIGEST

2-down – Thunderstorm’s beginning, cling to hood : THUG

3-down – Officer’s faithful colleague decorated in unlimited expression of remorse : POLICEDOG

4-down – Range that’s 20 in film : EXTENT

5-down – Defensive attitude that may once have got Tiger Woods out of trouble? : BUNKERMENTALITY

6-down – One doubts a jerk will keep number up : AGNOSTIC

7-down – Brief stop : REMIT

8-down – In fitful pain, wine not finished: I’m surprised! One’s always at the bar! : CHOCOHOLIC

12-down – Partner of footballer always tackling scorer, one has a job : WAGEEARNER

15-down – Remarkable bird circling peak in Tibet : STARTLING

16-down – Chaser possibly? I’m not sure one’s a hunter : SEARCHER

19-down – Thick sauce and pieces of meat, but no starter served up : STUPID

21-down – Strike head of teddy bear : THUMP

22-down – Battle in Belgium on Sunday : MONS

9-across – With minimal change, criticise becoming fundamentally different : DISPARATE

10-across – Tedium seen in music regulars : ENNUI

11-across – Warning of danger to sailors : SIREN

12-across – Local Arab may say this about art without borders : NEIGHBOUR

13-across – Unique identifier seen when naked takes doctor aback : BARCODE

14-across – Cat and dog or cat and dog : WHIPPET

17-across – Guide for objective pronouns : USHER

19-across – See 22 down : BAR

20-across – What some of these eggs could turn into? : GEESE

21-across – Sad lover’s essentially missing you : SOLVERS

22-across – Shifting wet spot moves from Texas : TWOSTEP

24-across – Skinhead excluded from essential part of arithmetic schedule … : TIMETABLE

26-across – … and from standard type of phone : TOUCH

28-across – Expert in an exposed section of the stage : APRON

29-across – Move around in secure romantic alliance : LOVEMATCH

1-down – A date from the Gobi Desert : IDES

2-down – More confident after last item on menu is shark … : USURER

3-down – … and principal one in shipping lane? : MAINCOURSE

4-down – 11 may be eating a sandwich : SARNIE

5-down – One who criticises right to compete in vessel : REVIEWER

6-down – The limits of Maggie Smith’s network : MESH

7-down – Divorce de Monsieur et Madame? : UNCOUPLE

8-down – Primarily lacking integrity as reporter : LIAR

13-down – See 22 : BLUES

15-down – Early home fun : INGOODTIME

16-down – Port deserted by an idiot : TWERP

18-down – Stamp from Hong Kong having left in false alarm : HALLMARK

19-down – Game brawl regularly takes place in Swiss city : BASEBALL

22-down – Music for depression after pub crawl? : TWELVE

23-down – T-tarnished but reliable : TRUSTY

24-down – Some contraption that catches one unawares : TRAP

25-down – See 26 : TONE

27-down – Wall of laughter : HAHA

1-across – Found behind its initial: lion, perhaps, in dictionary : LOCATED

5-across – See 8 : WITHOUT

9-across – Vacant, the number one place to sleep on reservation : TEPEE

10-across – Ridiculous entertainment, nothing short in Hindu festival : MELODRAMA

11-across – Fine before shrapnel wound protecting the front in close range of Chamonix? : FRENCHALPS

12-across – One might be beaten in the ring, losing always in the end : EGG

14-across – Very modern jail wants cunning type put away : BANGUPTODATE

18-across – Dutch playing away, Northern Ireland’s cleverest attacker starts in defence : FORNICATRESS

21-across – A papal line : ARC

22-across – Run to fill golden pancake — in Italy, it’s the quickest way : AUTOSTRADA

25-across – Same thing, party whip involved in deception : DUPLICATE

26-across – So PM I return, pal? : AMIGO

27-across – See 2 : NITRATE

28-across – Seen in temper, case of volatile nemesis : AVENGER

1-down – If removed from existence, swell excuse : LETOFF

2-down – Blue substance — is this what officers get paid after dark, did you say? : COPPER

3-down – Architect built outstanding oratory primarily run by clerics : THEOCRATIC

4-down – Help? Never! : DOMEA

5-down – Fats hampering dad, soft rolls of that? : WALLPAPER

6-down – Considerable mess gone? : TIDY

7-down – Scholar of art and law in chairman up for test : ORALEXAM

8-down – So voice activation system unnecessary, obviously : THATGOES

13-down – Bargain — exchange rates in large company : HORSETRADE

15-down – Still waiting for nanny to collect you, go to bits : GRANULATE

16-down – Not always concerned with cool river : OFFANDON

17-down – Brilliant container for nut : CRACKPOT

19-down – See 8 : SAYING

20-down – See 4 : FAVOUR

23-down – Conclusion of some gastronome : OMEGA

24-down – Pass beautiful view, taking time out : VISA

1-across – Dance clubs serially introducing followers of Paddy Clarke? : CHACHACHA

6-across – Poor clue’s back to front : THIN

8-across – Refined tincture into which is dipped a second pen : COAUTHOR

9-across – It could go off with a bang in Hollywood this evening : TONITE

10-across – Chapel in Dumfriesshire bearing name of Roman city : LINDUM

11-across – Out of true love, lady finally managed hugs : BOSSEYED

12-across – Pasta rings: line in new Alien : ANELLI

15-across – Regret turning over like one reaching North Pole, say : EUROPEAN

16-across – Allowed bill to add up, so this wine sent back : MUSCATEL

19-across – The way to work round Emerald Isle sheep : MERINO

21-across – Rabbit initially trapped by African, then catching a dim-witted friend of his : BRERBEAR

22-across – Loveless woman of some allure to set about Valentine’s rival : THURIO

24-across – Strong liquor street bar had in short supply : STINGO

25-across – A prominent hole — the suspect … : ELEPHANT

26-across – … how should we respond? Not at all : DONT

27-across – See 26 : MENTIONIT

1-down – Something Indian women wear during public holidays : CHOLI

2-down – Someone for young athletes to look up to? Mo’s leaving town : ARUNDEL

3-down – Water, perhaps, let me think it’s deadly boring : HOHUM

4-down – Butler cracks enigmatic clue — so not hopeless! : CURABLE

5-down – Net is cast in a suspicious part of a defensive system : ANTISERUM

6-down – Rebellious set cuffing suspect seen to get nervous : TENSEUP

7-down – Commonly used as Frankfurter dips? : INTHEMAIN

13-down – Tutee not excited about nucleus of charged or, possibly, uncharged particle : NEUTRETTO

14-down – See 25 : INTHEROOM

17-down – Great disappointment for ice cream lover? Topping embellishment : CORONET

18-down – Queen’s name included in list for Swampy? : LERNEAN

20-down – Chap last in Tour: I don’t want any more cycling! : ROUGHEN

22-down – Personal training rep : TREVI

23-down – I’d find out which items are odd, perhaps even : IFNOT

9-across – Reason one is entertained by beer-swilling vermin? : RATIONALE

10-across – Singer of serenade, Lennon : ADELE

11-across – Extremity of foot on swine? : TROTTER

12-across – See 16 : AFFAIRS

13-across – Attractive person shaved for public display : EXPO

14-across – Sleeping around, breed regularly like rabbits? : BEDHOPPING

16-across – Possible shocker, business news : CURRENT

17-across – Reason Trump needs bottom wiped, incompetent US politician : SENATOR

19-across – Phrase, fast one working : EXPRESSION

22-across – Brandy, stuff knocked back : MARC

24-across – Very many in dish with 24 blackbirds, say? Then bird finally flew : PILOTED

25-across – Those in the pit not entirely fearful about God : TIMPANI

26-across – Thread referring to the night before : REEVE

27-across – Noble Swedish retailer, tucking into terribly poor stew, right to curse privately? : SWEARLIKE

1-down – The Spanish worm has filled comrades’ shoes : BROTHELCREEPERS

2-down – See 27 : ATROOPER

3-down – Training target absurd : POTTY

4-down – Most dangerous horse finally caught by girl in Kentucky Derby, perhaps? : HAIRIEST

5-down – God rises over local angel : SERAPH

6-down – Clue about a drink describing strong little tipple : HALFAPINT

7-down – Body removed from grave? Little sign : GEMINI

8-down – I’ve got your communication, as by some modem or nanotechnology? : MESSAGERECEIVED

15-down – Figure gathering spotted coats : SEVENTEEN

17-down – Why the limp position? : SHORTLEG

18-down – Tiny boy penning a song for a drink : TIAMARIA

20-down – Cut off old thumb : POLLEX

21-down – Pious type caging a wicked god, the brute : SADIST

23-down – Stylish sting : SMART