8-across – Date of historic score, with combinations of sixes : EIGHTEEN

9-across – 10, or part of 24 down : SPRING

10-across – English novel a player pens, for example 1 11 : LEAP

11-across – See 1 down : EIGHTYFOUR

12-across – Proverbial loser in 10 24 down regularly scrapped with partners initially : WEEPER

14-across – Issue of Trump, in part, dividing a piece of the US : AMERICAN

15-across – Like promise broken, broken by male like Boris : UNKEMPT

17-across – Member of jury in recent trial — treason involved? : SENATOR

20-across – Iron hook smashed large stone : KOHINOOR

22-across – Even you, in old-fashioned way, decorate fabric : TIEDYE

23-across – Left author to judge paper again, for instance : REDECORATE

24-across – Setter might produce them, ending off this month with a little extra added : YAPS

25-across – Inexperienced cowboy cut end of rope : GAUCHE

26-across – Eg clue that’s really simple and good? Brendan’s not without method : GIVEAWAY

1-down – Datebook? : NINETEEN

2-down – Party official, one in US government shortly before Trump’s termination : WHIP

3-down – Try again in seat occupied by male : REHEAR

4-down – Result of exchanging letters from an Indian city before 1st of March : ANAGRAM

5-down – Sweater I reknit, so to speak : ASITWERE

6-down – Dissolute scholar, learner I punish at college : PROFLIGATE

7-down – Soul of an MP disturbed about what UK’s abandoning : PNEUMA

13-down – It’s contested quadrennially, bringing power and official place to live : PRESIDENCY

16-down – Romantic female role today for model : PROPOSER

18-down – Dweller on mountain, one seeking gold in 10 24 down : OLYMPIAN

19-down – Impeach, as a restraint, in hearing : ARRAIGN

21-down – Difference between 2020 and 2019, at some point : ONEDAY

22-down – See 8 : TWELVE

24-down – See 10 : YEAR

1-across – Make less iron, perhaps : DECREASE

5-across – One article carried by climbers primarily? : ICEAXE

9-across – Such a tyre goes soft? Extremely likely : CROSSPLY

10-across – A poet caught out, being a bit of a heel? Quite the opposite : TOECAP

12-across – Castrate last of brood — Siamese not seeing Thailand once : DESEX

13-across – Shows respect for lethal weapons : CROSSBOWS

14-across – 21 against installing electronic warning light : BEACON

16-across – Refreshingly, very little said against Queen’s Counsel : ADVISER

18-across – Pongs include body odour in antelopes : REEBOKS

20-across – Far from comfortable, condemned characters in purdah : HARDUP

22-across – Resigns from pop group Blue : STEPSDOWN

23-across – Kick out English footballer who’s dropped ecstasy once : EXPEL

24-across – Hobnob, perhaps, as writer that is keeping the big man on board : BICKIE

25-across – Point needed after City game : LACROSSE

26-across – Take stock, with unhappy result : RUSTLE

27-across – Note mistake’s third to appear in clues — they’re seldom spotted : RECLUSES

1-down – Went off, you might say, for a number of years : DECADE

2-down – State arbitrators have seized some of this puzzle’s content? : CROSSREFERENCES

3-down – Cricket team making opposing players run back and forth : ESSEX

4-down – Musical’s essential element : SILICON

6-down – Combining two different styles shows some balls : CROSSOVER

7-down – Having contrary understanding of what might be a super 19 : ATCROSSPURPOSES

8-down – Recording disc certain to generate publicity : EXPOSURE

11-down – Not one of the 21 formerly used for counterirritant : MOXA

15-down – B___ sick as a parrot? No, a finch : CROSSBILL

17-down – Returning at first reluctantly, almost becomes part of the woodwork : CROSSBAR

19-down – See spinner’s over : SPOT

20-down – Stone Age tool? Joiner would be in heaven, oddly : HANDAXE

21-down – Using rifles, shot 15s, say : FLIERS

23-down – Register as nurse with reduced capacity : ENROL

8-across – Who grabs waitress’s bottom? Of course, I don’t know : SNATCHER

9-across – Warning over university restricting theological study : ORELSE

10-across – I’m surprised, say, given notice : EGAD

11-across – Charge finally dropped, a politician is revealing : INDICATORY

12-across – Stuns those trying food, putting tonnes away : TASERS

14-across – Intrude with spring to break lock : TRESPASS

15-across – Nature of fuel for Renaults and Citroëns? : ESSENCE

17-across – Earl, during riotous scenes, to look older : SENESCE

20-across – Fights set off and most scattered : SPARSEST

22-across – Say really continental va-va-voom is back : ASSERT

23-across – Phrasing a line in book : DICTIONARY

24-across – Knocking on cottage door frames : AGED

25-across – Respecting exclusive work at last : RESOLE

26-across – Red gender-fluid clothes for cash payments : TRANCHES

1-down – Like to straddle animals, or like 21 across answers here : ANAGRAMS

2-down – Only half diligent boss : STUD

3-down – Is the president of Switzerland to put on swanky demeanour? : CHAIRS

4-down – Seize and devour wine, cutting loaf : PREDATE

5-down – Real Charlie somewhere in Greece : CONCRETE

6-down – Bedroom frolics set back? I suggest we should brood : SEXTUPLETS

7-down – Underworld figure thus raised flag : OSIRIS

13-down – Curse big businessman, one installed in shop : EXECRATION

16-down – Singer fine with drugs? They have reservations : CHEROKEE

18-down – Pulled up floor may be so : CARPETED

19-down – Princess famed when running out of a capital city : ATLANTA

21-down – Outrage entering place to live together : PAIRED

22-down – Still off touring US location : ANYWAY

24-down – Roar conductor’s welcomed with a bow : ARCO

9-across – Brother smothering body part in 8 28 : CARMELITE

10-across – Little publicity for doctor : PROMO

11-across – Jamaican music, pattern of notes around ghetto originally : RAGGA

12-across – Bloomer on radar, so wrong : AARONSROD

13-across – Work out second Beatles number : GETBACK

14-across – Nothing revolutionary in the Butcher of the Somme coming down hard : HAILING

17-across – Flipping mug is our leader : BORIS

19-across – From a long way out, service returned : FAR

20-across – File letter for audition? : QUEUE

21-across – Premier League initially probing drugs cheat — some effect : DOPPLER

22-across – Lights out not later than beginning of evening — black, of course : BYEBYES

24-across – Bug in 8 28, once whipped? : CHANTILLY

26-across – Smalls shown by not entirely loyal supporter : TRUSS

28-across – See 8 : CREAM

29-across – Is leading Tory in Mr Johnson ultimately to fail in his duty? : MISGOVERN

1-down – Tree competitor polled : ACER

2-down – Book fair, fair! : BRIGHT

3-down – Bone found in tart as stirred into dinner, say? : METATARSAL

4-down – Take over a century to separate foursome following the leader of government : HIJACK

5-down – Cupid after lips of some looker : SEARCHER

6-down – See 25 : SPAN

7-down – See 23 : YOURLIFE

8-down – Cosmetic: measure of volume impressing wrinkly a lot : COLD

13-down – Mouth commercial rot : GOBAD

15-down – Top foreign figure is not surpris­ingly being discussed : INQUESTION

16-down – Imagine pub’s out of stout : GUESS

18-down – Rifle unloaded, safe to carry a gun : REPEATER

19-down – Noted window cleaner almost catching priest’s member : FORELIMB

22-down – Fresh-faced youth is not out after bowled over : BOYISH

23-down – Absolutely what happens in Russian roulette? : YOUBET

24-down – Fifty having flown, see bird : COCK

25-down – Period I spent in the morning, initially wasted : TIME

27-down – Not all there, Johnson glibly lied : SONG

1-across – Charm sweetheart briefly during date : SEDUCE

4-across – They might mix in resort with short greeting on return : SPATULAS

9-across – Where some might deal cocaine to a crime ring : CASINO

10-across – Dance fan second to last in Strictly Come Dancing : FLAMENCO

11-across – One might create a scene in public, as VIP treatment inept : PAVEMENTARTIST

13-across – Bugger! Burst water pipe, right? : WIRETAPPER

14-across – Indian place put starter of rice in oven : AGRA

16-across – Forward’s head to score goal : SEND

18-across – Company after energy that’s natural and non-polluting : ECOLOGICAL

21-across – Kinky man, Roger, with condom that’s standard : COMMONORGARDEN

23-across – One found in hanging basket, a rose sprayed with cheap stuff : AEROSTAT

24-across – Sexy old girlfriend going for outfit that’s blue : STEAMY

25-across – What poacher might do to get American bird : KILLDEER

26-across – Underwear stores empty around shopping centre : SMALLS

1-down – Item of clothing accordingly getting designer label : SOCK

2-down – Having no love makes couple give up hope : DESPAIR

3-down – Questions to do before exams : CONTESTS

5-down – Stop and help crazy pair of Yanks outside : PULLTHEPLUG

6-down – Watches money invested in banks : TIMERS

7-down – Connecting line doing tattoo : LINKING

8-down – Deficit quick to come down : SHORTFALL

12-down – Bank on no charge to cough up : EXPECTORATE

13-down – Old comedian to attempt joke : WISECRACK

15-down – Get on grass, let me see plant : AGERATUM

17-down – One turning up on time wearing model’s clothes revealing figure : NUMERAL

19-down – White sign over bouncer : CUEBALL

20-down – River running through Germany twice flooded : DOUSED

22-down – Bowled OK, conceding runs : BYES