1-across – Male animal a thousand and eight, perhaps, or roundabout : ROEBUCK

5-across – At first, stink smelt — when one did so? : SNIFFED

9-across – Clear water, say, lid removed to keep cold : LUCID

10-across – Finished, leader in charge having some appalling defeats : OVERCOMES

11-across – Poem seen as nonsensical magic words : OPENSESAME

12-across – Someone pretentious reviewing Japanese art, less than perfect : SNOB

14-across – How one’s eyes could implode in a serious way? : HUMOURLESSLY

18-across – Tip taken from beak joining nurses for parties : HOOTENANNIES

21-across – More difficult, far more than a day’s work : ROME

22-across – Old shooter is caught doubled up in embrace of US girl, artist : DISCCAMERA

25-across – Back massage to accompany promiscuous 19 as acts of titillation : BURLESQUE

26-across – The case of the gigantic beast? : TRUNK

27-across – Artist taking single vessel into China : MATISSE

28-across – Artist’s bloody outstanding rotating tree : GORMLEY

1-down – Deodorant that’s sweet covering bottom of genital region, finally : ROLLON

2-down – Artist into 18 16 : ESCHER

3-down – Nude stupid to wobble about, it’s beyond question : UNDISPUTED

4-down – Artist — something cocked up? : KOONS

5-down – As net unravelling about artist, it decreases : STEAMIRON

6-down – Very short distance by which winger misses header : INCH

7-down – Artist’s taken in hand by a supporter? : FEMINIST

8-down – Identification not written down, Ottoman governor in call for help proves defiant : DISOBEYS

13-down – Supporter has complaint about new player : BENEFACTOR

15-down – She’s enslaved artist in temple, topless : ODALISQUE

16-down – More than one angel fish swallowing ruler, 100 cm : CHERUBIM

17-down – Soldier given list of duties, short of a bunk : TOMMYROT

19-down – Another story that’s translated through incomplete personality : SEQUEL

20-down – Relies on mystery, ultimately, this artist? : BANKSY

23-down – Good to support Conservative member — it’s his policy : CLEGG

24-down – County wards have them : BEDS

9-across – Original pots blended with rye : PROTOTYPE

10-across – Withdraw permission : LEAVE

11-across – African country with king called 19 : MALIK

12-across – See 22 down : ANDNEXTTO

13-across – Tense having nothing wrong with it : PERFECT

14-across – It takes religious folk to be spicy : PIMENTO

17-across – Object of throw-in at last pull on line : TOWEL

19-across – Redcoat’s movement between wars : ART

20-across – Shade of debauchee exposed by all within : ROYAL

21-across – In due course getting a pound on the side : LATERAL

22-across – New posh doctor with home note prescribing anaesthetic : NUMBING

24-across – Nelson writing for paper? : COLUMNIST

26-across – Scouts something to do with colour? : TROOP

28-across – Beheading priest is a crime : ARSON

29-across – More haste to produce stable food : HORSEMEAT

1-down – Plans to subvert unwanted mail : SPAM

2-down – It’s not so hot in clink : COOLER

3-down – Reserves magazine on river Amazon, perhaps : BOOKSELLER

4-down – Bully for you! — first took part in races : TYRANT

5-down – It’s exactly like a slow : DEADSPIT

6-down – See 20 : BLUE

7-down – Nothing but desire without consideration : WANTONLY

8-down – See 19 across : DECO

13-down – Suffixedly seeking endearment : PETAL

15-down – Hamlet’s mother’s request to 19 across : MOREMATTER

16-down – Regulator for prisoner in camp? : OFLAG

18-down – See 15 : WITHLESS

19-down – None left, which is good : ALLRIGHT

22-down – For a poet’s epitaph — Tarantino volunteer undertaxed at source : NATURE

23-down – See 22 : ILOVED

24-down – Pit company against drink, keeping little time : COAL

25-down – See 24 : MINE

27-down – Way to follow Psycho? : PATH

9-across – Longing in Italian song lost in translation : NOSTALGIA

10-across – Boo Haydn piece? He might, in retrospect : YAHOO

11-across – Stick with this career, building electric organ : CLINGTO

12-across – Either way, lead soprano opens pianissimo during horn blast : TOPSPOT

13-across – In this Wagner’s at last at home with 8’s overture : RING

14-across – Corner boy and jazz leader Bilk grabs instrument : JACKHORNER

15-across – Doh! Mozart’s right for Dutch city : UTRECHT

17-across – Moi? Play vibrato in a London venue? : OLYMPIA

19-across – So 5’s last seen about to hug bodyguard, creating ill feelings : SICKNESSES

22-across – Tonight’s the last one for millions : PROM

23-across – Simultaneously in the past bum note intruded : ATONEGO

24-across – More content in 14’s sweet outstanding harp variation : HAPPIER

26-across – Crowd’s singing extract from Czech anthem : CHANT

27-across – Strange non-U murmur and honk emerging from it? : KRUMMHORN

1-down – See 25 : ANDCIRCUMSTANCE

2-down – He puts over title song and airs, moving like Italian man : ASSIGNOR

3-down – Archbishop repeatedly playing 7 tonight : LANG

4-down – Unaware 13’s remix comprised another worker : IGNORANT

5-down – Composer tonight to put in husky voice : BARTOK

6-down – My Schubert opening lifted fake US work : SYMPHONY

7-down – Cabbie’s initial invitation for composer tonight? : CHOPIN

8-down – A gent got furious with drummer in last part of 13 : GOTTERDAMMERUNG

16-down – In agreement with 13 there’s one by Liszt tonight : CONCERTO

17-down – Finished tonight’s main venue’s acoustic repairs? : OVERHAUL

18-down – Left in charge by very large, grand entrances … : PORTICOS

20-down – … about every hour in Beethoven’s Ninth 6 : CHORAL

21-down – Sorry for resurrecting heartless key — it’s weird : SPOOKY

25-down – One of tonight’s regulars makes one compact disc per annum : POMP

1-across – Explorer John heading off to the west on journey to see island : TOBAGO

4-across – See 19 : YELLOW

9-across – Still standing character, elusive beast : YETI

10-across – Stabbed from the right, a politician critical : DEROGATORY

11-across – Harsh cricket side confronting opener : OFFKEY

12-across – John’s John didn’t lie when condemned : CANDLEIN

13-across – Force of life with droopy nuts getting treatment down below : CHIROPODY

15-across – See 19 : ROAD

16-across – The biter bit : TICK

17-across – Those not out are unable to walk after bowled : BLACKLEGS

21-across – One passing on information concerned with French leader — sinner, might you say? : REFERRER

22-across – Result, finished effort : UPSHOT

24-across – Small mice at sea, scattering — seeing this? : SIAMESECAT

25-across – The assassin’s assassin in a shade of red : RUBY

26-across – John’s in deal that’s dodgy : DANIEL

27-across – Knitting pattern barely grasped, a stretch when spinning : ARGYLE

1-down – Time passed quickly, held up by the incomplete ordinal : TWELFTH

2-down – See 19 : BRICK

3-down – Unsteady on a horse, encouragement given to it? : GIDDYUP

5-down – Motor home finally, beginning to glide into square : ENGINE

6-down – Tit well off with old tailless bird : LITTLEOWL

7-down – Outstanding grammar ultimately, weirdo’s imperfect tense : WORRIED

8-down – John’s getting stick reading Reptile at every bite? : CROCODILEROCK

14-down – John’s John Glenn, perhaps? : ROCKETMAN

16-down – See 12 : THEWIND

18-down – Token reply : COUNTER

19-down – John’s Hello Emerald City? : GOODBYE

20-down – Fish starts to weaken, riding on the high seas : WRASSE

23-down – John’s most challenging word, it seems: not entirely kind, really hollow : SORRY

7-across – One not necessarily looking to buy a tanker without resistance : BROWSER

8-across – Jar from pub, steeped in exotic aroma : AMPHORA

9-across – 0.25 of a yard by 1.25 yards, being hollow : DELL

10-across – First of the invading Mohicans changing into outer wear : MACINTOSH

12-across – Tree potentially provides answer — hard growth : ACORN

13-across – Local party takes Rouen — alternative backed out slur : INNUENDO

15-across – Work round infected matter : OPUS

16-across – One that descended to inspire a physicist to invest money in booze? : APPLE

17-across – Chanel’s chief unfashionably fashionable flaw : CHIP

18-across – Explosive heard burying fighting tanks, missiles etc : HARDWARE

20-across – Utter failure, Jamie’s last dessert : BOMBE

21-across – Scruffy sitcom character wants new hospital department part : COMPONENT

22-across – Symbol, which a fraudster might own : ICON

24-across – Rocky argued about Penny being a better model? : UPGRADE

25-across – Leave head’s unwelcome visitors outside NEC complex : LICENCE

1-down – Forfeit, not attack, fish : ORFE

2-down – Birds roll from side to side in swaying sycamore tops : SWALLOWS

3-down – Broken arm nursed by blokes he’s tailed : MERMAN

4-down – Controversial artist with little money, powerless to achieve distinction : EMINENCE

5-down – Plate showing Church of Rome losing half of its members, consecutively : CHROME

6-down – Cheeky formality — no way : ARCH

11-down – Crepe woven with article-free Milan fabric : CRIMPLENE

12-down – As a most radiant star might be pursued by male : ALPHA

14-down – Rubbish left out for chauffeur : DRIVE

16-down – Moreover, securing a prisoner with a snake : ANACONDA

17-down – Crossword setter? Agreeable type switching two adjacent letters : COMPILER

19-down – Affectedly modest object : DEMURE

20-down – Nevertheless, can interrupt : BUTTIN

21-down – Elevated room without energy limits : CAPS

23-down – Topless beefcake poser’s wear that hurt? : OUCH