Daily Answers

1-across – Hero of poem : HIAWATHA

5-across – Start series of 20 games poorly : SETOFF

9-across – Fish can do on lines : JOHNDORY

10-across – Short article on what sounds like unlawful crowd : THRONG

11-across – Tight finish : CLOSE

12-across – It shows what’s to be sung then – my composition about the woman : HYMNSHEET

14-across – Cold counter containing cod? : STANDOFFISH

18-across – US state: join copper going through it : CONNECTICUT

21-across – American bandleader’s open-air restaurant : TEAGARDEN

23-across – To rub out is simplicity once end of rubber’s held : ERASE

24-across – Draw French artist framing original for gallery : MAGNET

25-across – Target in range on circling island : AMBITION

26-across – Par got by an Australian golfer : NORMAN

27-across – What can make lemon melon and peach cheap? : ANAGRAMS

1-down – Commandeer hospital, one overlooking London, say : HIJACK

2-down – Choreographer has unfortunately not returned : ASHTON

3-down – Intended recipient of letter to speak to key European : ADDRESSEE

4-down – Unfeeling, like Hannah or Ethel? : HARDHEARTED

6-down – Distinctive character of Harriet Hosmer : ETHOS

7-down – Only note in old old song : OSOLEMIO

8-down – Avoid argument with cast : FIGHTSHY

13-down – Magician in Florentine banking family – note title brought up : MEDICINEMAN

15-down – Creating large male band : FATHERING

16-down – Northerner once seen flying along the track? : SCOTSMAN

17-down – Threaten to close, wind up : ENDANGER

19-down – Airman out of place in yacht station : MARINA

20-down – Evil trap set up for game : TENNIS

22-down – Ring any number in region : ARENA

1-across – Assign new tasks to dyer, Pole, at work : REDEPLOY

5-across – A model island, in the existing circumstances : ASITIS

9-across – Woodland plant’s unusual name, distinct from all others : ANEMONE

10-across – Country hotels, new and old : LESOTHO

11-across – Item of furniture in friendly professor’s office : EASYCHAIR

12-across – Sing version with new opening : YODEL

13-across – Show good girls old harmonica : MUSICALGLASSES

17-across – According to the circumstances at sea, became shy, or otherwise : ASTHECASEMAYBE

19-across – Friend wearing very large gems : OPALS

22-across – This person can’t sleep – I can son, I’m drunk! : INSOMNIAC

23-across – Impress English party : ENGRAVE

24-across – Old boy’s remedy, not easily understood : OBSCURE

25-across – Bark and fight close to doghouse : SCRAPE

26-across – Wise having been involved with best places to visit online : WEBSITES

1-down – Lecturer from Linacre, a dermatologist : READER

2-down – Slip into clubs, perhaps, in formal gear : DRESSSUIT

3-down – Ban professional writer : PROSCRIBE

4-down – How a week passes without planning ahead? : ONEDAYATATIME

6-down – Impertinent, fool entering empty study : SASSY

7-down – Carried child, daughter, following onset of exhaustion : TOTED

8-down – Very clean, showing no sign of acne? : SPOTLESS

10-down – Tarzan in story old Greek translated : LORDGREYSTOKE

14-down – Scaremongers unfortunately describing end of horror film : ALARMISTS

15-down – Nickname: bore quits, upset : SOBRIQUET

16-down – Aristocrat – save one on steamship : BARONESS

18-down – Admission made by expert touring about with small son : ACCESS

20-down – Foreman blowing top in rage : ANGER

21-down – Rascal has most of large prawns : SCAMP

1-across – Amazing acrostic about a country : COSTARICA

6-across – Bitter note : SHARP

9-across – Regular time for episode : EVENT

10-across – Actor, terrible at reading : TRAGEDIAN

11-across – Defiant remark from habitual drunkard present : SOTHERE

12-across – Speaker at rear of lady chapel : ORATORY

13-across – Queen attending stage play : VICTORIASTATION

15-across – It bore forbidden fruit – in legend, fewer took bananas : TREEOFKNOWLEDGE

18-across – Elected barrister to sum up : INBRIEF

20-across – Manipulates western points of view : WANGLES

22-across – French chemist varies oil output : LAVOISIER

23-across – Writer about to leave house : BINGO

24-across – Clergyman caught on immediately : CANON

25-across – Heels were broken in another place : ELSEWHERE

1-down – Game show : CHESS

2-down – Show place sect rebuilt : SPECTACLE

3-down – Fashion trade company’s style of interior design : ARTDECO

4-down – Banged up often, I’m close to parole, and not a moment too soon : INTHENICKOFTIME

5-down – Not knowing what to say, unable to go at Scrabble? : ATALOSSFORWORDS

6-down – Composer from Wales met an arranger : SMETANA

7-down – I start to support a married friend : AMIGO

8-down – Girl, possibly ten, describing a type of poker : PENNYANTE

13-down – Uncommonly civil about threesome, or biting : VITRIOLIC

14-down – No decline, unfortunately, in laziness : INDOLENCE

16-down – Work in one, on view : OPINION

17-down – Weapon made from pine – hollow base missing : LONGBOW

19-down – Labour statesman getting head round onset of violence : BEVAN

21-down – Vexed about contralto’s first record : SCORE

1-across – Lead astray a group of apprentices : ENTICE

4-across – Astuteness shown by a copper confronting workers : ACUMEN

8-across – US state capital, a leader in trade pact : CONCORDAT

11-across – A quarrel about right marker : ARROW

12-across – Jam in cupboard : PRESS

13-across – Inspirational winning fling? It could be : UPLIFTING

14-across – In which Olympic medals may be won, whatever happens? : ATALLEVENTS

16-across – First-hand account of life behind bars? : INSIDESTORY

19-across – Second in command, without feeling, wrote cruelly : NUMBERTWO

21-across – Picture that is put in supplement? Just the opposite : IMAGE

23-across – Priest may be caught out soon : CANON

24-across – Mix up inn and cheap cafe : HASHHOUSE

25-across – Conservationists, aboard mystery tour, set about a task : TURNTO

26-across – Shelter made from loose stones, indefinite number : SCREEN

1-down – Flee European scene : ESCAPE

2-down – Not relaxed in past, say : TENSE

3-down – Brass score incompletely orchestrated in parts of cycles : CROSSBARS

5-down – Tease husband inside snack bar : CHAFF

6-down – Singer-songwriter is merry, and so sad : MORRISSEY

7-down – Recently developed mature philosophy : NEWAGE

9-down – Gibberish from one’s wife after large drink : DOUBLEDUTCH

10-down – Novelist is wrong about English sets : TELEVISIONS

14-down – Historical land in area is Roman, I suspect : ASIAMINOR

15-down – One hilt, I fancy, comes initially from Skara Brae? : NEOLITHIC

17-down – Tracked vehicle kept in grounds – no Caterpillar : SNOCAT

18-down – Mostly dangerous northern river : SEVERN

20-down – German artist, long ago, small number collected : ERNST

22-down – Entertain a goddess : AMUSE

1-across – Show amusement about one as daft as a brush, say : SIMILE

4-across – Convincing Roman Catholic to admit weakness? Just the opposite : FORCIBLE

9-across – Old boy stretched, in shape : OBLONG

10-across – Nonsense written in columns exposing clowns : PIERROTS

11-across – Goddess seen in play : VENUSOBSERVED

14-across – Eminent newspaper framed by the US actress, Myrna : LOFTY

16-across – Sort of beer – not lagers, oddly : STRONGALE

17-across – Ivy, perhaps, always pale and sickly-looking : EVERGREEN

19-across – From Soho, telephone the Savoy, perhaps : HOTEL

20-across – Our host, hidden away, poured drinks : DIDTHEHONOURS

23-across – Begin a journey in craft with sturdy exterior : STARTOUT

24-across – Trumpet playing drowned by cor anglais, initially : CORONA

25-across – Looks at head, uneasy in a visor : EYESHADE

26-across – Sculpted figure of Nehru finally acquired by nation : STATUE

1-down – End bombardment with a delicate tennis stroke : STOPVOLLEY

2-down – Fruit from Middle East – large ones? Not half! : MELON

3-down – Girl soprano, Jenny, for example : LINDSAY

5-down – Peace offering from bachelor in 7 around 5 : OLIVEBRANCH

6-down – A Romany leader entering Irish county in a mobile home : CARAVAN

7-down – Outspoken actors in show : BROADCAST

8-down – Bridge player, poorest having lost pounds : EAST

12-down – Dog’s plus point husband discovered during spring : BASSETHOUND

13-down – Property not supposed to be taken to car : REALESTATE

15-down – Pick up food for bird : FIELDFARE

18-down – Attempt, with wife, to share expenses equally : GODUTCH

19-down – Spend time relaxing in lodge : HANGOUT

21-down – Worried about vessel : UBOAT

22-down – Man, perhaps, in his Levi’s : ISLE