Daily Answers

1-across – Drainage conduit shut up, second half first : DOWNPIPE

5-across – Nothing in arena apart from one flower : CROCUS

9-across – Wet nearly all round island : MOIST

10-across – Harbour extremes of ambition with job bringing in silver : ANCHORAGE

12-across – Academic all shy or nervous about clubs : SCHOLARLY

13-across – Declared set of furniture charming : SWEET

14-across – Certain popular trick experiment accomplished : INCONTESTABLE

18-across – Percussionist playing line gently, even with time running out : EVELYNGLENNIE

20-across – Democrat in error, not following one who’s achieved majority : ADULT

22-across – Hot joints in westward street unappreciated : THANKLESS

24-across – Pro with merit securing team’s first place in Texas : FORTWORTH

25-across – Bouquet from Casanova, romantic : AROMA

26-across – Make many holes in puzzle : RIDDLE

27-across – Note nonsense about man in court : CROTCHET

1-down – Servant in habitual action beneath vaults : DOMESTIC

2-down – Consider manner in speech : WEIGH

3-down – Bad temper in scheme restricting English trade union and church : PETULANCE

4-down – Groggy, finally managed rest after plain old hangover cure? : PRAIRIEOYSTER

6-down – Searches for origins : ROOTS

7-down – One frequently changing ruffled hem on lace : CHAMELEON

8-down – Nap in cosiest alcove : SIESTA

11-down – Weep over good artist, taken in by false prophet, becoming deviser of codes : CRYPTOGRAPHER

15-down – Payment order revolutionary varied : CHEQUERED

16-down – Interrupt hurried meal : BREAKFAST

17-down – Dealer upset to receive stone for songbird : REDSTART

19-down – Boss getting resistance after blunder : GAFFER

21-down – Pull with energy on large cloth : TOWEL

23-down – Manage to rise above hard time : EPOCH

1-across – Carp for instance about silly oaf’s heirs : COARSEFISH

6-across – Sort of poker for piercing : STUD

9-across – Claim I’m accepting about great boxer’s expertise : PROFESSIONALISM

11-across – Free place in Devon without hesitation filled by politician : EXEMPT

12-across – More intense sort, animated by annoyance, opening out : STRONGER

14-across – Champion put off about result : DEFENDER

15-across – Article linked to file involved in Michael Caine film : ALFIE

18-across – Fastening some tinsel at Christmas : LATCH

19-across – Nails, say, prepared for examination : ANALYSIS

21-across – Negative aspect in party extensive around north and south : DOWNSIDE

23-across – Fly from Spain after end of fortnight with groups : TSETSE

25-across – Law officer in amendment of note, nearly great : ATTORNEYGENERAL

26-across – Firm and even parts of estuaries : SURE

27-across – Informer with opportunity wanting new wife left alone : GRASSWIDOW

1-down – Metal helicopter losing height : COPPER

2-down – Sound fellows amid rising cheers giving satisfaction : ATONEMENT

3-down – One in race changing place – he’s in lead : STEEPLECHASER

4-down – Combine force and exercise : FUSE

5-down – Insufficient money for biscuit : SHORTBREAD

7-down – Dilute good article : THING

8-down – Slander upset cooks in Scottish town : DUMFRIES

10-down – Was Coppola smitten with yen to make this? : APOCALYPSENOW

13-down – Editor fighting over line retained by precious poet : EDWARDLEAR

16-down – Wasted time in loud ceremony, blushing : FRITTERED

17-down – Jokes about boy ruining initially smart clothes : GLADRAGS

20-down – Mature elm, diseased? Sad : MELLOW

22-down – Liquid tar we mixed : WATER

24-down – Leaves, not parking for a long time : AGES

1-across – Mad dogs in rather hard bargaining : HORSETRADING

9-across – Accommodated increase : PUTUP

10-across – Porcelain’s single feature covered by book article : BONECHINA

11-across – Sorry about piece inhibiting endless fun : REMORSEFUL

12-across – Source in good health : WELL

14-across – Stupid, miles behind inspector : DIM

15-across – Not on, cruelly dismissing verse in bossy style : OFFICIOUSLY

17-across – Bottle with nothing inside irritated northern film star : SOPHIALOREN

19-across – Right account about estate? : CAR

20-across – Spoils sound of stringed instrument : LOOT

21-across – Card from old English poet filled with love : PASTEBOARD

24-across – Guess clue wrongly in rush : SPECULATE

25-across – Time occupied by leading pair in return match : AGREE

26-across – The art involved in cookery is awesome : BREATHTAKING

2-down – Choose mother to protect one? That’s best : OPTIMUM

3-down – Individual in charge following us up very fast : SUPERSONIC

4-down – Story about British chart : TABLE

5-down – Presenter can run one ragged : ANNOUNCER

6-down – Desire degree? No pressure : ITCH

7-down – Top tips for explorer in good small aircraft : GLIDERS

8-down – Big early bid, working with energy, to make military crossing : BAILEYBRIDGE

9-down – Broadcast serial, top sad epic : PARADISELOST

13-down – Spot empty space at close range : POINTBLANK

16-down – Guy with role became unable to cope : FELLAPART

18-down – Saw traveller in lead : PROVERB

19-down – Facial expression after tea showing dissatisfaction : CHAGRIN

22-down – Handle danger, disposing of hydrogen : TREAT

23-down – Pretty odd members of club, then? : CUTE

1-across – Clean directors have total success : SWEEPTHEBOARD

9-across – Criminal met hero to make proposition : THEOREM

10-across – Bow string attached to metal, not unknown : INCLINE

11-across – Embrace electronic giant : HUGE

12-across – Man with ship at sea in simple part of world : HEMISPHERE

14-across – Pine tree in sound location in California : LONGBEACH

15-across – Give notice, restricting conflict : AWARD

17-across – Film actor free from pressure : LAYER

18-across – One old dam cracked, presaging disaster : DOOMLADEN

20-across – Conquering savage to capture hill : VICTORIOUS

22-across – Promotional piece yielding bravo for Britpop band : BLUR

24-across – Flower in spring, not large, in decline : SEAPINK

25-across – Employee of coffee shop in Italian city street area : BARISTA

26-across – Work by Joyce Grenfell initially in broadcast wins a keen fan : FINNEGANSWAKE

1-down – Bag some winnings at Cheltenham : SATCHEL

2-down – Start to express compassion, receiving information in crisis : EMERGENCY

3-down – Opening fortified wine : PORT

4-down – Strike on day, thus disrupting joint, showing sign of communism : HAMMERANDSICKLE

5-down – Historic album, unusually absorbing book on one part of Canada : BRITISHCOLUMBIA

6-down – Adequate account with chart about church power : ACCEPTABLE

7-down – Urge resistance in disreputable bar : DRIVE

8-down – Champion fed up before finish : DEFEND

13-down – Party lashed by wild rain, bane of Scottish city : ABERDONIAN

16-down – Article on a sundial designed in region of Spain : ANDALUSIA

17-down – Note to guard against one son becoming prodigal : LAVISH

19-down – Report flowed, written up with speed : NARRATE

21-down – Rubbish banter : CHAFF

23-down – Painful upset for god of love : EROS

1-across – Topple record in bout : DEPOSE

4-across – Revolutionary artist with stern passion : ARDOUR

9-across – Prisoners exercise force : CONSTRAIN

10-across – One assisting abbot earlier : PRIOR

11-across – Film derived from grand hit, say, had worked : AHARDDAYSNIGHT

12-across – Letter, last of sequence by saint in stack : EPISTLE

13-across – Resentment created by faulty information about love : DUDGEON

15-across – Idol in company with time for cigar : CHEROOT

17-across – Finish without large fight : COMPETE

18-across – Fussy, done with detail : OVERPARTICULAR

21-across – Dog going round in big rocket : CORGI

22-across – Dossier about dodgy scam I copy : FACSIMILE

23-across – Talkative, spiteful, interrupted by husband : CHATTY

24-across – Strain shown by architect connected with church : WRENCH

1-down – Take off from landing place : DOCK

2-down – Calling after drink for end of joke : PUNCHLINE

3-down – Planet mostly at one concerning aim for population limit : SATURATIONPOINT

4-down – Cross ground one day, bearing north : ANNOYED

5-down – Remain hard up due to struggle as novelist : DAPHNEDUMAURIER

6-down – Employing some devious ingenuity : USING

7-down – Led to suffer under sorrowful burden : SADDLE

8-down – Creep nervously round trap, lifting cover : PRETENCE

12-down – For chance to reform, giving up following trespass : ENCROACH

14-down – Height of delight about English verse : ELEVATION

16-down – Careful – your old-fashioned clothing split : THRIFTY

17-down – Confirm chlorine measurement : CLINCH

19-down – Soil in shortage lacking depth : EARTH

20-down – Border rising involving small network : MESH