Daily Answers

1-across – One from a special service brigade to order start of onslaught : COMMANDO

5-across – A good man in coal mine is now too old : PASTIT

10-across – Incidental remark from a subordinate : ASIDE

11-across – Sleep in Happy Valley : DREAMLAND

12-across – Excellent penalty, with both sides in disarray? : FINEANDDANDY

15-across – Diadem found in Haiti, a rarity : TIARA

16-across – US writer who ran the comic : HAWTHORNE

18-across – An overwhelming influx in a new church in a dell : AVALANCHE

19-across – Tight-fisted type causing endless hardship : MISER

20-across – New record cover’s for an old ballad : GREENSLEEVES

24-across – Two articles about lawlessness in a region of Ukraine : THECRIMEA

25-across – Oxygen needed by very great Greek character : OMEGA

26-across – Foremost of players, say, in a golf club : PUTTER

27-across – Sutures for small and very small people : STITCHES

1-down – Cleaner has appeal, no end : CHAR

2-down – Help to support married servant : MAID

3-down – Stories about male and female bringing collectible items from the US : AMERICANA

4-down – Steer clear of the post to evade one’s duties : DODGETHECOLUMN

6-down – Tooled up, a revolutionary crossing top of mountain : ARMED

7-down – This car ran off the rails – in this? : TRAINCRASH

8-down – Toys by tree dad’s repackaged : TEDDYBEARS

9-down – Make no progress dispelling new ghetto fears : GETNOWHEREFAST

13-down – Tidy at university – honestly : STRAIGHTUP

14-down – Busy magnate bringing in staff for administration : MANAGEMENT

17-down – Resolve, after much discussion, throwing event abroad : HAMMEROUT

21-down – Hospital worker inside comes running over : NURSE

22-down – Lot, husband of biblical character : SETH

23-down – Voice of inferior quality? Sounds like it : BASS

1-across – Polish in Ulster, rioting : LUSTRE

4-across – Hint from a close friend : INTIMATE

9-across – Leader of band in flat, the elder of two brothers : DRUMMAJOR

11-across – Couple strike small child : HITCH

12-across – Being hissed at shopping for a goose? : GETTINGTHEBIRD

14-across – Parking within remove exhaust : DEPLETE

16-across – Legal action brought against head, a fruitcake : NUTCASE

17-across – Collection in class : VARIETY

19-across – Conductor in rear of bus taking silver : SARGENT

21-across – Incautious deed worried those present at a TV recording? : STUDIOAUDIENCE

24-across – Specialist area in hospital in French resort : NICHE

25-across – Passing maple here that’s rotten : EPHEMERAL

26-across – Sweet shot may hit this window : BULLSEYE

27-across – Ready to drive off, wearing harness : INGEAR

1-down – Old gay criminal and prima donna in a romantic comedy film : LADYGODIVA

2-down – Bypass small pack of hounds : SHUNT

3-down – Lettuce and eggs chief’s brought in : ROMAINE

5-down – Novel PM distributes inside : NORTHANDSOUTH

6-down – People in uniform : INHABIT

7-down – Every other substitute : ALTERNATE

8-down – Italian novelist must collect hard copy : ECHO

10-down – Old golf club taking two years to get to grips with fire-raiser’s mischief : JIGGERYPOKERY

13-down – Top actor not quite becoming top author : BESTSELLER

15-down – One despicable person in photo, a Latin practising robbery on the high seas : PIRATICAL

18-down – Continuing too long, and with no purpose? : ENDLESS

20-down – Film of artist, US portrait painter : RAINMAN

22-down – Regular turned up with bandaged right cheek : NERVE

23-down – Cold shoulder and rolls served up : SNUB

1-across – Insect attracting bird and fish : COCKROACH

6-across – Shrewd copper’s note : CUTE

8-across – Who inspired poetry from Fuller at Oxford? : ERATO

9-across – Worker after strong cloth, one with stripes : SERGEANT

11-across – Society types? : TAHITIANS

12-across – Some spinach on a small piece of tortilla : NACHO

13-across – She, girly with frock on, crushed an insect in Alice Through the Looking-Glass : ROCKINGHORSEFLY

17-across – What can it mean? : ITALIANVERMOUTH

18-across – Look initially at child lock : LATCH

20-across – A uniform colour : OLIVEDRAB

23-across – Short foreign side greeted with respect : CURTSIED

24-across – Leading Greek character : ALPHA

25-across – Dog food : CHOW

26-across – Encouraged US readers abroad : REASSURED

1-down – Held fiercest criminal in Derbyshire town : CHESTERFIELD

2-down – A short talk about a church after church dance : CHACHACHA

3-down – Rubbish round very large hen house : ROOST

4-down – Confused sailors often are : ATSEA

5-down – Such a prediction may involve one’s own house : HOROSCOPE

6-down – Silk dress in mag Hon. Sec. ordered : CHEONGSAM

7-down – Medicine to take endlessly : TONIC

10-down – Obey top management or be ignored : GOBYTHEBOARD

14-down – Girl’s eating hot and extremely toothsome western dish : IRISHSTEW

15-down – Boatman, out of work, receives one in Greece : GONDOLIER

16-down – Mineral in favourite parlour’s fizzy : FLUORSPAR

19-down – Feel better : TOUCH

21-down – Home help raised in Asian country : INDIA

22-down – Archaeologist, knight, brought in ornate vase : EVANS

1-across – Two wind instruments producing piece of music for dance : HORNPIPE

5-across – Afternoon nap in cosiest armchair : SIESTA

9-across – Soldiers using minor railway : INFANTRY

10-across – Trounce in throwing event : HAMMER

11-across – Part of NI city right for bishop : DERRY

12-across – Officer in U-boat to adjust to North : SUBALTERN

14-across – Supreme commander’s vague mission cut short at sea : GENERALISSIMO

17-across – Prince rather confused about absent queen : CATHERINEPARR

19-across – Controversially ban niterie mostly responsible for causing drunkenness : INEBRIANT

21-across – Duck in game – I’d erred : EIDER

23-across – Incapacitated boy receiving one at college : LAIDUP

24-across – Country holding alternative view : PANORAMA

25-across – Small seal gets in wreckage : SIGNET

26-across – National song about a leader in Africa is something one loathes : ANATHEMA

1-down – Musical act is cut : HAIRDO

2-down – Either way, consult : REFER

3-down – Girl, possibly ten, describing a game of poker : PENNYANTE

4-down – Special peers, triumvirate reforming economic policy : PERESTROIKA

6-down – Completely at home with everyone : INALL

7-down – Edited memoirs about the Spanish butler : SOMMELIER

8-down – By chance, matador injured around noon : ATRANDOM

13-down – Speedy traveller, slug on path! : BULLETTRAIN

14-down – Swelling crowd : GATHERING

15-down – First to spot head assault whipping boy : SCAPEGOAT

16-down – Greek hero getting cold in the Aegean, say, capsized : ACHILLES

18-down – Navy girl giving support to member : ARMADA

20-down – Way to comprehensively defeat Spain : ROUTE

22-down – Seaman, one at home on the water : DRAKE

1-across – Cheek from defensive player about bowler, for example : BACKCHAT

5-across – Child aboard very old snowmobile : SKIDOO

9-across – Work on cheek with second cosmetic : LIPSTICK

10-across – Embarrassed top MP : REDCAP

11-across – Order in Japanese dictionaries : EDICT

13-across – Stands down, putting seaman in charge during engagements : ABDICATES

15-across – Male injured too, unfortunately, in play : ROMEOANDJULIET

18-across – Is in charge of a disciplined organisation in Hastings – Ruth, I suspect, ahead of Penny : RUNSATIGHTSHIP

20-across – Edible fruit in cask we brought back – money’s needed upfront? : CASHEWNUT

22-across – Sponger left separately, reportedly : LEECH

23-across – Join a navy? I may have : SEAMAN

24-across – Speak amusingly about very loud artist producing rubbish : RIFFRAFF

26-across – Favour parking by river – could be free : PREFER

27-across – Hairstyle of son, top dog around family : SKINHEAD

1-down – British tree with less on top : BALDER

2-down – Sign of growth to the south of island off Italy : CAPRICORN

3-down – Lower score : CUT

4-down – Praise Catholic priest during hostilities : ACCLAMATION

6-down – Remain brief, and don’t reveal one’s thoughts : KEEPCOUNSEL

7-down – Old coin adult found in passage : DUCAT

8-down – Facing one’s counterpart on location : OPPOSITE

12-down – Book at that time peaked : THENAKEDAPE

14-down – Brought about, as if by magic? : DIDTHETRICK

16-down – Travel from place to place in Italy with nervous trainee : ITINERATE

17-down – Expert on drink has a breakdown : CRACKSUP

19-down – Irritated husband in coffee shop, then daughter : CHAFED

21-down – Husband admitting love for Italian wine : SOAVE

25-down – Endless finance for entertainment : FUN