Daily Answers

8-across – Turns up by river with great self-confidence : COCKSURE

9-across – A temptation said to diminish : ABATE

10-across – Astonish with unfinished trick : STUN

11-across – Runner, having consumed pork pie, first to go into spasm : FIBRILLATE

12-across – Aristocrat getting substantial return from ape : GIBBON

14-across – One supplying information that E = R, maybe? : SQUEALER

15-across – Cause unrest? A crowd suppresses it : AGITATE

17-across – Less vivid second city : PALERMO

20-across – Flagship bearing right? : STREAMER

22-across – Back unknown plant : BETONY

23-across – Receiver receiving dodgy, initially rum, deal from snake : FERDELANCE

24-across – Strike a light! : LAMP

25-across – Date to vex proverbial patience? : TRYST

26-across – Investigator’s ploy involving hollow cats and dogs? Hardly : SPITTING

1-down – Unduly upset, getting into brief liaison of little significance : FOOTLING

2-down – Like to participate in streaking : AKIN

3-down – Fashionable hand warmer on top of cake : MUFFIN

4-down – Prolix poetic production penning personal problem : VERBOSE

5-down – Tyrant’s glacial university reform : CALIGULA

6-down – Pop perhaps returning letters received from legislators : PARLIAMENT

7-down – Insect let loose on another : BEETLE

13-down – Incomplete tea set Darby smashed, revealing what he and Joan have seen? : BETTERDAYS

16-down – Sacred building sheltering a priest’s last model : TEMPLATE

18-down – Second Greek letter inscribed in memorial : MONUMENT

19-down – Salty islanders losing heart to Norway : BRINISH

21-down – Score one less than this? : TWENTY

22-down – Piece about monarch’s proposed divorce : BREXIT

24-down – Reluctant to sin? Not initially : LOTH

8-across – Long nail securing unsigned church regulations : CANONLAW

9-across – Prayer shawl initially bagged by hunter : ORISON

10-across – See 24 : LEAD

11-across – Huge creature in pram, wheels buckling : SPERMWHALE

12-across – Papers in a sack, remained : ABIDED

14-across – Scatter around about ten cuttings : EXTRACTS

15-across – Flexible performer gave voice about my flips and tumbles, primarily : GYMNAST

17-across – Extra soft back, hard in the middle, possibly? : PERHAPS

20-across – Wretched party game : BASEBALL

22-across – Block housing administrative subdivision for beverage dissemination officer : BARMAN

23-across – Description of some bread, how else, in large fragments : WHOLEGRAIN

24-across – Bound to need clue, one of a pair for a start? : JUMP

25-across – Flier placed in mailbag — and erroneously : GANDER

26-across – Make thin mice eat a soup : EMACIATE

1-down – Media distribution officer gets money for each item afloat, it’s reported? : PAPERBOY

2-down – Highway environmental hygienist, one howling on a Greek island, did you say? : ROAD

3-down – Fail to break record that’s exclusive : CLOSED

4-down – See 2 : SWEEPER

5-down – Australian native came across the empty sleeping car in America : ROOMETTE

6-down – Stuffing reindeer, I demonstrate less love, as gastronomical hygiene helper : DISHWASHER

7-down – Work, blah blah blah, less abundant for sanit­ation consultant : TOILET

13-down – Private school ultimately feeding parent, though not one daughter, as education centre nourishment technician : DINNERLADY

16-down – Condition of livestock causes amazement : STAGGERS

18-down – Colleague in amateur team finally welcomed by head : PLAYMATE

19-down – See 7 : CLEANER

21-down – Retreat a mockery —that’s about right : ASHRAM

22-down – Male embraced by senior citizen who loves men and women, as recycling operative : BINMAN

24-down – European agreement in ancient Hindu follower : JAIN

1-across – Casts, securing fish within seconds : SLINGS

4-across – Ace shot wading bird, then rook : SNIPER

9-across – Whiten part of fence : PALE

10-across – Expert on 8 etc seeing maid put on weight : GRAMMARIAN

11-across – Socrates, for example, put little time into lesson : MORTAL

12-across – Huge blunder in cape I piece together the wrong way : TERRIFIC

13-across – Right to enter acknowledgment of guilt : ADMISSION

15-across – Health problems as medication’s losing initial power : ILLS

16-across – Pitch players rejected : CAST

17-across – English journalists in emergency call for strong drinks : ESPRESSOS

21-across – Outside shopping centre, deal in weak drink : SMALLALE

22-across – Tolerate litigant being interrupted by loud fellow : SUFFER

24-across – Noticeable, it’s said : PRONOUNCED

25-across – Island centre for steel bands : ELBA

26-across – Sounds from clutch perturbed 8 : CHEEPS

27-across – Style of acting characteristic of princely madness : METHOD

1-down – Including a fine duck, serves up main courses? : SEAFOOD

2-down – Part of inside story that is translated : IDEST

3-down – Laughs with endless delight during group’s performances : GIGGLES

5-down – What’s in name? Romeo tragically passed away : NOMORE

6-down – Page with pieces, very small ones : PARTICLES

7-down – Prepares interpretations about 2 : READIES

8-down – Kinds of words found variously in other solutions : PARTSOFSPEECH

14-down – Cheekiness or laziness involving son rather than daughter : INSOLENCE

16-down – With no end in sight, came by rich material : CAMBRIC

18-down – All that’s left is to have occupation outside university : RESIDUE

19-down – Part of proverb identifying possible reason for buyer’s remorse : OVERBID

20-down – Endless scrutiny you reported over politician’s deal as unscrupulous seller : GAZUMP

23-down – Husband with ego upset family : FLESH

1-across – Quarterback in France about two miles out, in the shade? : TURQUOISE

11-across – Chin and a toe injured down the pub : INTHELOCAL

12-across – Resorts for personal assistant : SPAS

13-across – Land that’s promised half the drug : CANAAN

14-across – Smartly eccentric nobody regularly dismissed : KOOKY

15-across – 30 initially and one other state : OHIO

16-across – Girl goes round front of ancient necropolis : SAQQARA

19-across – Bird — one with appeal : PIPIT

21-across – WW2 headquarters in Europe nearly out of the sun : SHADED

23-across – Great ruler’s home is active : PADISHAH

25-across – Share home improvements : DIVVY

26-across – Sheep returning round one gallows : GIBBET

29-across – Restrain Lutoslawski’s humour — it’s showing signs of age : WITHHOLD

32-across – Cool-hearted and more generous craftsman : BOOKBINDER

33-across – Old Gore has to speak out to Clinton — here? : OVALOFFICE

35-across – Irish lad exchanges money for grand birds : SEAGULLS

37-across – Told a descendant of Fatima : SAYYID

38-across – Cubism regularly presents Palestinian coins : ZUZIM

39-across – Puts forward and petitions for street backing : SUGGESTS

42-across – Repeatedly state: Talisman : GRIGRI

46-across – Oil company associated with spill — one needing reform : EXXON

47-across – Tide’s out and up! : STIRRED

49-across – Independent English or Scottish kingdom : FIFE

50-across – Holidaymaker in Cornwall returning type of shirt : EMMET

54-across – It can remove errors — no problem : ERASER

55-across – * Small former colony’s ritual dance : HAKA

56-across – * Fancy cord twisted backing CV : DECORATIVE

57-across – Christie’s Orient Express finishing food cut to shreds : JULIENNES

2-down – Scandinavian university with American wing : UPPSALA

3-down – Nissan model remains on the Great North Road : QASHQAI

4-down – Fall on the same day and time in Bow : OCCUR

5-down – * It flies to the boundaries of Ethiopia : ELAL

6-down – * Popular member of a 60s’ group? : KINK

7-down – * Essential oil for bosom, even? : OTTO

8-down – Owner may regularly discover pottery : WEMYSS

9-down – Oil ring round graduate : JOJOBA

10-down – 31 days in France and Spain for the dance : MAXIXE

17-down – Half the holiday homes are of use : AVAIL

18-down – Sparkling team gets draw : VIVID

20-down – Young lovers changing boots : TOYBOYS

22-down – Acknowledging prince’s no good : HAILING

23-down – Those captured outside first brought in to discussion groups : POWWOWS

24-down – Gods with some plant yielding vapour : DITTANY

27-down – Breakfast crockery suggested for old Scottish copper coins : BODDLES

28-down – For a short time, an American warship forces past : THRUSTS

30-down – Nickname of state or, possibly, shire : HOOSIER

31-down – Poor weather troubled idler : DRIZZLE

34-down – Relict’s vow : WIDOW

36-down – Opponents accepting question for stage play : EQUUS

40-down – Small figure missing from coin made of clay : EARTHEN

41-down – Pedigree blocked by one fan of TV series : TREKKIE

43-down – * Attacker’s assistant : RAIDER

44-down – Monkey injured rogue right away : GUENON

45-down – Purgative from island vegetable : IPECAC

48-down – Leading two oriental rickshaws to Shinto gateway : TORII

51-down – Lame adult on island : MAIM

52-down – Speaker’s empty, turning up empty : TEEM

53-down – This year’s pilgrimage : HAJJ

1-across – How poet’s day starts, absorbing French from novel : MODERN

4-across – Forceful politician enters — what a jerk! : EMPHATIC

9-across – Prepare miners for war in horrid place : ARMPIT

10-across – Fellow standing by rebuffed love for soul queen : FRANKLIN

11-across – Unabashed lad in disorderly drama : ANIDEALHUSBAND

13-across – Writing abridged by men who’ll require the accusative case? : PROSECUTOR

14-across – Flog some 7 down : VEND

16-across – Main actor having field day : LEAD

18-across – A typical Telegraph reader backs party making disclosures : REVELATORY

21-across – Guides use the facilities in Scottish island, it’s reported : INDIRECTSPEECH

23-across – Ten years of life slipped away in games : TWENTIES

24-across – Bikini-clad star reads a Sun slur in shock : URSULA

25-across – A bit of practice time, so you must reverse park : YOSEMITE

26-across – Set about to finish fantastic story : LEGEND

1-down – Day to eat American beef : MOAN

2-down – Opera singer to perform part, taking 30 seconds : DOMINGO

3-down – Dancer drops letter opener, we hear? : REINDEER

5-down – Tramp is embracing your noble lady : MARCHIONESS

6-down – Perfect way to be virtuous : HONEST

7-down – Breaking through rickety gate, I’m going to farmland : TILLAGE

8-down – Might an old man always holiday across the Atlantic? : CANADADAY

12-down – A little money to pen charming account one’s added to letters : ACUTEACCENT

13-down – Friend is pocketing millions before tax — this generates fortunes : PALMISTRY

15-down – Health service not privatised? That makes you happy : CAREFREE

17-down – See 24 : ANDRESS

19-down – Reform Church of England could obstruct : OCCLUDE

20-down – Expert satisfied with a raise for now : PROTEM

22-down – Fat, heartless landowner up north : LARD