5-across – Holiday escort : TOURGUIDE

8-across – In the altogether : NUDE

9-across – Tub with a prize : LUCKYDIP

10-across – Eerie – like a spy? : SPOOKY

11-across – Polynesian island that inspired Gauguin : TAHITI

13-across – Small pointed tool – cocktail : GIMLET

15-across – Belisha ___ : BEACON

16-across – Wet,boggy ground : QUAGMIRE

18-across – Timothy,Samuel or Mae : WEST

19-across – Computer storage component – tarmacked surface? : HARDDRIVE

1-down – Hawaiian-inspired dish : POKEBOWL

2-down – Hat – 1894 du Maurier novel : TRILBY

3-down – Sweet,melodious : DULCET

4-down – Nervous,emotionally intense : EDGY

6-down – Offensively self-important – opium bust : BUMPTIOUS

7-down – Equine present – don’t look it in the mouth : GIFTHORSE

12-down – Hot spell : HEATWAVE

14-down – What a glutton might have after seconds : THIRDS

15-down – Dull with sleep – ___-eyed : BLEARY

17-down – Bite – worry : GNAW

5-across – One dampening the mood at social occasion : PARTYPOOPER

7-across – Orderly : TIDY

8-across – Female personification of : LADYLUCK

9-across – Nonplussed : ATALOSS

11-across – Venom : SPITE

13-across – Flavourless : BLAND

14-across – Became gradually narrower : TAPERED

16-across – Tooth or valve – Cupid sib : BICUSPID

17-across – Helen of ___ : TROY

18-across – Aladdin’s mode of transport : MAGICCARPET

1-down – Unravel the end of – brawl : FRAY

2-down – Tour de France competitor : CYCLIST

3-down – Irritable,with shifting emotional states : MOODY

4-down – Dessert – in ___ order : APPLEPIE

5-down – Dotty art form : POINTILLISM

6-down – Make things difficult : ROCKTHEBOAT

10-down – Human speech : LANGUAGE

12-down – Accessory associated with Margaret Thatcher : HANDBAG

15-down – Smoked ham – small spot : SPECK

17-down – Worm,measure or deck : TAPE

1-across – Songbird : THRUSH

4-across – Pulled with a jerk : YANKED

8-across – Shadow : UMBRA

9-across – Mexican salamander : AXOLOTL

10-across – Vomit – rear : BRINGUP

11-across – Annoyed : IRKED

12-across – Describing a finely cut slice or chocolate mint : WAFERTHIN

16-across – Brushwood – abandon : SCRUB

17-across – In a haughty,detached way : ALOOFLY

19-across – Declared to be true : AVERRED

20-across – Eg Tosca or Aida : OPERA

21-across – More straightforward : EASIER

22-across – Reduced : GRATED

1-down – All fingers and ___ : THUMBS

2-down – Interconnected burrows : RABBITWARRENS

3-down – Words used informally : SLANG

5-down – Put an end to : ABOLISH

6-down – Consequence of one event triggering others : KNOCKONEFFECT

7-down – Cause to accept what is false as true : DELUDE

9-down – & : AMPERSAND

13-down – Maker of opulent jewelled eggs – free bag : FABERGE

14-down – Agent,car or duty : ESTATE

15-down – Unstamped/unfranked post delivered this way : BYHAND

18-down – Smell : ODOUR

1-across – Distinct earthy smell after rain – choir pert : PETRICHOR

8-across – Mountain range – book of maps : ATLAS

9-across – ___ Banderas : ANTONIO

10-across – Sure : INTHEBAG

11-across – Left,bat or wax : WING

13-across – Antenna : FEELER

14-across – ___ name : DOMAIN

16-across – Species of Pacific salmon : COHO

17-across – Yellow meadow flowers – whoopsadaisy? : COWSLIPS

19-across – Gal Gadot or Natalie Portman,birth-wise : ISRAELI

20-across – Large wild ox : BISON

21-across – In an essential,unavoidable manner : NEEDFULLY

1-down – Annoyed persistently : PESTERED

2-down – Leaves container : TEABAG

3-down – Keen on : INTO

4-down – French artist – shinier mates : HENRIMATISSE

5-down – Tidying and sorting again : REORGANISING

6-down – Fulfilment – : SATISFACTION

7-down – Laundry airer – dresses Dobbin? : CLOTHESHORSE

12-down – Perhaps : POSSIBLY

15-down – Media,climber or worker : SOCIAL

18-down – Meat – complaint : BEEF

1-across – Gentle flow : OOZE

3-across – Small hand-held telescope – The Amber ___ : SPYGLASS

9-across – Portable computers : LAPTOPS

10-across – Dance – ___ No.5 : MAMBO

11-across – Small,U-shaped bone in neck – oh,DIY! : HYOID

12-across – Large flatfish : TURBOT

14-across – One who stirs up trouble : MISCHIEFMAKER

17-across – Mark Carney became its PM in 2025 : CANADA

19-across – Life,fire or body : GUARD

22-across – House,lies or wash : WHITE

23-across – ___ bun – London football team : CHELSEA

24-across – Do or request something daring : MAKEBOLD

25-across – Harp-like instrument : LYRE

1-down – US state – with ‘!’,a stage musical : OKLAHOMA

2-down – Youngest Marx brother : ZEPPO

4-down – Ripping children’s party game? : PASSTHEPARCEL

5-down – One who competes on computer,video etc : GAMER

6-down – Wrestling move : ARMLOCK

7-down – Slovenly,lazy person : SLOB

8-down – Thingamy : DOODAH

13-down – Person who has obtained a degree : GRADUATE

15-down – Queasy on the water : SEASICK

16-down – Anything that attracts : MAGNET

18-down – Bitter and sour – brace : ACERB

20-down – Analysis of : ASSAY

21-down – Stay afloat : SWIM