1-across – Fixes tennis nets after slice returns : FASTENS

5-across – Tempted to carry Olympic torch, at last took faltering steps : LURCHED

9-across – Mused around at home? It’s necessary : NEEDSMUST

10-across – Analyse possible pass across the pond : PARSE

11-across – Enjoy dropping rubbish and go back for 3 : LIKE

12-across – See 11 : FALLINGOFF

14-across – 3 one might have with tea : APIECE

15-across – Mischief in Kenya, oddly so : KNAVERY

16-across – Company board rebuilt city : CORDOBA

18-across – See 14 : OFCAKE

20-across – See 5 across out to find another date : RESCHEDULE

21-across – See 11 : ALOG

24-across – Scale camel’s head and leg? : CLIMB

25-across – Diminished Richard IV gone inside, having stepped down : ABDICATED

26-across – Blarney Stone finally located next to trees : EYEWASH

27-across – No more metal for a spot on : EXTINCT

1-down – Terminal Five is not always ‘Ladies First’ : FINAL

2-down – Boozer up for 3? I can’t hear you : SPEAKUP

3-down – Could be a yes-or-no challenge : EASY

4-down – Classic fare is great success, including an American Smooth — about time! : SAUSAGESANDMASH

5-down – Dangerous thing, a short weekend? : LITTLEKNOWLEDGE

6-down – Note conclusion of atonement in punishment and remorse : REPENTANCE

7-down – Growth for one in hospital getting no more treatment : HORMONE

8-down – Climbing weed on Stephen Cook : DEEPFRY

13-down – Swirling in a box: hope and fear : XENOPHOBIA

16-down – Boat picked up sea forecast : CORACLE

17-down – Break in hostility after war game ends : RESPITE

19-down – Amount of explosive is what 23 may have, covering nothing : KILOTON

22-down – One waited for dog to come back separately : GODOT

23-down – Caledonian mother leaving something for luck : SCOT

1-across – See 12 : ESPIONAGE

6-across – See 26 : CLAMP

9-across – What’s answered when one’s going woof or oink, say : THECALLOFNATURE

10-across – Criticise one of those billed : RAIL

11-across – Vessel behind it travelling west during wonderful trip : ACTIVATE

14-across – Yellow and black half of nut in aromatic plant : LEMONBALM

15-across – Engineers told you so! : THERE

16-across – Problem supporters backing United : SNAFU

18-across – Silent voices restored originally, Lebanon rebuilt : NONVERBAL

20-across – Small, small, small amount of money invested in tea plant : SWEETPEA

21-across – Second: first no more! : STOP

25-across – Modern time, looking back, in roistering and a crash? : ROARINGTWENTIES

26-across – Two items of seafood pinched by cat, not one — unfortunately one can’t get away with it : WHEEL

27-across – Best turkey drunk, according to Spooner? : TOPFLIGHT

1-down – Fragrant substance produced when badger scratches head : ESTER

2-down – Politician’s bearing setting one up for devotion : PIETISM

3-down – Fine wine unopened : OKAY

4-down – Those at the front in detachment lining up and climbing over the hill in Scotland? : AULD

5-down – Under oath, a bond for removal : EFFACEMENT

6-down – A scream muffled by shout for old competitor : CHARIOTEER

7-down – A meeting about usual borders getting praise : ADULATE

8-down – Gradual increase ultimately in diamonds, a thousand in ring : PIECEMEAL

12-down – Guardian site desperate to bandage wound around paper’s leader — investigation of some concern? : INDUSTRIAL

13-down – Fill out forms with age in green, originally : GAINWEIGHT

14-down – Tons carried by girl, hideous lump to lift a back-breaker? : LASTSTRAW

17-down – See 19 : AVERAGE

19-down – Mean when in a temper initially, money handed over in card game beginning to escalate : BATTING

22-down – Put one in letter box? : POSIT

23-down – Exchange prisoners sent up : SWOP

24-down – Not entirely used up, culinary dye : ANIL

1-across – One helps to get a seat for someone standing : ELECTOR

5-across – Supported DUP, the old leaders having gone : UPHELD

9-across – Almost lose it, as one will with last jigsaw piece : HAVEAFIT

10-across – Engendering invasion by America of constituent state : CAUSAL

12-across – Attitude of cynic from Tyneside given seats at random : NEGATIVENESS

15-across – Note on a cross in register: free of charge : NONTAXABLE

17-across – Toilet water unavailable in station : LOO

19-across – Key was first put in the wrong way : DEL

20-across – Would-be rulers not yet loving society? : PRETENDERS

22-across – Winter sportsperson in form takes extraordinary run : FIGURESKATER

26-across – Where most are by midnight, assuming resistance is instinctive : INBRED

27-across – Primarily a lovable rogue : ABOVEALL

28-across – Surgery ultimately stops feminist looking older : GREYER

29-across – East Ender’s caught peculiar part of anatomy : EARDRUM

1-down – Parrot house south of city : ECHO

2-down – Resent messenger dropping round : ENVY

3-down – Call for small missile to tip unfavourable balance : TRADEGAP

4-down – Dish from Agra, it appears : RAITA

6-down – Plea from competitor having once changed sides : PRAYER

7-down – Yachtsmen moved by these seasonal tales? : EASTERLIES

8-down – Criminal should lose accom­modation made for his children, maybe : DOLLSHOUSE

11-down – Rent regularly appended to account for lodgings : BILLET

13-down – A Parisienne, fading away when imprisoned, not improving : UNEDIFYING

14-down – Not allowed to enter, being ill : INELIGIBLE

16-down – Apprehension remains after troops turned up : ARREST

18-down – Quick check when finished : ONCEOVER

21-down – Briskly move coke ashes for building blocks : BREEZE

23-down – Proceed at leisure, having skill to rake in millions : AMBLE

24-down – Standard cut by one or two? : PAIR

25-down – Colour choice : PLUM

1-across – Convincing bonus involving a collection of 7 with no beginning : PLAUSIBLE

6-across – Something tossed to erstwhile president interrupting erstwhile monarch : CABER

9-across – Row about origin of ginger cat : TIGER

10-across – Mental aberration — losing head — in spell of bad weather : RAINSTORM

11-across – Time’s coming up for instructions to cobbler : LASTORDERS

12-across – Addict — one accessing website? : USER

14-across – Warning to amusing person : CAUTION

15-across – Cut the middle out, having had haircut outside : SHORTEN

17-across – Time to level about gym featuring acrobat’s apparatus : TRAPEZE

19-across – Undertaking to stick out : PROJECT

20-across – Strike copper with substantial volume : CUFF

22-across – Corrupt love securing endless period : ADULTERATE

25-across – Dreamtime in which folk actor hugs former Tory leader : MIDSUMMER

26-across – Get together, backing train losing both ends : UNITE

27-across – Root 26 across in the Home Counties : SWEDE

28-across – Took part, bearing left, and finished : COMPLETED

1-down – Telephonist’s beginning to ring round for part of flower : PETAL

2-down – Bark in distress about love offered to Universal Artists : ANGOSTURA

3-down – Preachy type with two little homes round about Day One : SERMONISER

4-down – Composer’s waste disposal unit containing old fishing equipment : BORODIN

5-down – Those who have left after fourth part of Peter Grimes, upset : EMIGRES

6-down – Shell is something for detective to crack : CASE

7-down – Weep about securing adequate reserves : BOOKS

8-down – Involuntary behaviour leading sometime chancellor to painter : REMBRANDT

13-down – Gay 10 mouse with halo slipping : HOMOSEXUAL

14-down – Musical involving a search for burial places : CATACOMBS

16-down – Believer receiving punishment from practitioner : THERAPIST

18-down – Prevalent 23 improbably in charge : ENDEMIC

19-down – Turned cheek to dour traveller : PILGRIM

21-down – Sweet but unsatisfactory compromise : FUDGE

23-down – Correct journalist in pieces? On the contrary : EMEND

24-down – Fibre supplying 19 across with energy : JUTE

9-across – Something in girl’s hair, daughter after an order designed to keep nits away? : ALICEBAND

10-across – Not suitable to sleep in tutu, skirts removed : UNAPT

11-across – See 22 : HISTORY

12-across – Pudding-head in antiquity, a dummy : REPLICA

13-across – See 17 : LIFE

14-across – Shipping magnate playing blinder aboard vessel : VANDERBILT

16-across – Tyre on, classic surrounds fine in the end : RETREAD

17-across – True, a singular teaching on the workings of Congress? : AFACTOF

19-across – Sheep penning the Guardian’s business, back in time : FOUROCLOCK

22-across – Achieve something extra­ordinary in Spooner’s fishy puzzle? : MAKE

24-across – Greek character for all to see left working alongside another? : UPSILON

25-across – Stimulating originally, if not dull : SUNLESS

26-across – Topping, terrific in game shows? : ICING

27-across – Stone in rain, clean after a pummelling : CARNELIAN

1-down – Of course, I’m learner originally trained under master of composition! : BACHELOROFMUSIC

2-down – In a tizzy, is this fury in the extreme? : HISSYFIT

3-down – Joint group of musicians set up : TENON

4-down – Travelling north, one US state consumed by another, in short — here’s a third! : MARYLAND

5-down – Song and dance and wine fancied a lot! : ADORED

6-down – Huge tailless fish, one of those seen at funfair : BUMPERCAR

7-down – Middle Eastern paste I see in container, spicy at heart : TAHINI

8-down – Footballer’s quality in game ulti­mately missing, what’s on the end of famous boot? : STRAITOFMESSINA

15-down – Dreamboat with cross to bear, gone less delusional : SEXONLEGS

17-down – Bananas can rest on top of yellow branches of tree? : ANCESTRY

18-down – Flyer detailed every second part of final figures : TRAPEZIA

20-down – Happy it’s inferred to hold information — not mentioned : UNSAID

21-down – Punk shaved, fancy trousers folly : LUNACY

23-down – Up in garret, needed key : ENTER