Daily Answers

1-across – Number-one student : TOPOFTHECLASS

8-across – Groom’s assistant : BESTMAN

9-across – Shell out little : SKIMP

10-across – Ear part : LOBE

11-across – I get harp : GRAPHITE

13-across – Herbivore : VEGGIE

14-across – You’ve been trapped! : GOTCHA

17-across – Country with queen or king : MONARCHY

19-across – Grudgingly admire : ENVY

21-across – Miserly : TIGHT

22-across – Fennel-like flavour : ANISEED

24-across – Reach point where the only way is up : HITROCKBOTTOM

1-down – Bath : TUB

2-down – Letters received : POSTBAG

3-down – Renown : FAME

4-down – Short of food : HUNGRY

5-down – Disgusting place : CESSPOOL

6-down – Defence : ALIBI

7-down – Greatest power : SUPREMACY

10-down – Passionate marriage : LOVEMATCH

12-down – Operatic text : LIBRETTO

15-down – Narcissism : CONCEIT

16-down – Strike : THWACK

18-down – Dark : NIGHT

20-down – Long car : LIMO

23-down – Vague : DIM

5-across – Duly chair : HYDRAULIC

8-across – Atom : IOTA

9-across – Instructional : DIDACTIC

10-across – Nap : SNOOZE

11-across – Gift : TALENT

13-across – Echoing effect : REVERB

15-across – Toddle like a mallard? : WADDLE

16-across – Posterior : BACKSIDE

18-across – Webpage with updated narrative : BLOG

19-across – Indiscriminate : HAPHAZARD

1-down – Tree with winged fruits : SYCAMORE

2-down – Traipse : TRUDGE

3-down – Sports critic : PUNDIT

4-down – Plate : DISC

6-down – Pub area : LOUNGEBAR

7-down – Building alongside railway : SIGNALBOX

12-down – Flying beetle : LADYBIRD

14-down – Smart – beaming : BRIGHT

15-down – Good idea : WHEEZE

17-down – Central Asian chief or prince : KHAN

1-across – Electrical item momentarily illuminating things : FLASHLAMP

8-across – Blue – purplish butterfly : AZURE

9-across – Monkey with long face : MACAQUE

10-across – Lewdness : RIBALDRY

11-across – Metal,atomic number 30 : ZINC

13-across – Unilateral : ONEWAY

14-across – Tiny tree art : BONSAI

16-across – Sewing case : ETUI

17-across – Result of division : QUOTIENT

19-across – Mesopotamian city in modern day Iraq : BABYLON

20-across – Small lizard : GECKO

21-across – Word-finding reference : THESAURUS

1-down – Fade role : FREELOAD

2-down – Think highly of : ADMIRE

3-down – Hew : HACK

4-down – Consent : ACQUIESCENCE

5-down – GP’s paperwork : PRESCRIPTION

6-down – Go through whole innings with wicket intact : CARRYONESBAT

7-down – Hookah – confused talk : HUBBLEBUBBLE

12-down – Country homes? : COTTAGES

15-down – English romantic painter : TURNER

18-down – Circus insect? : FLEA

1-across – Expect,with optimism : HOPE

3-across – Get a move on,driver! : STEPONIT

9-across – Nut turner : SPANNER

10-across – Provincial : LOCAL

11-across – Emerging butterfly : IMAGO

12-across – Go by : ELAPSE

14-across – World as a community : GLOBALVILLAGE

17-across – Chopper coat : ENAMEL

19-across – Porcupine spike : QUILL

22-across – In the offing : AFOOT

23-across – Study of mysterious fliers : UFOLOGY

24-across – Expert on a bird of prey : FALCONER

25-across – Teal-like shade : CYAN

1-down – East Sussex seaside town : HASTINGS

2-down – Shopping centre : PLAZA

4-down – New World buzzard : TURKEYVULTURE

5-down – Dotty dance? : POLKA

6-down – City in Cyprus : NICOSIA

7-down – Mosaic piece : TILE

8-down – Luanda’s country : ANGOLA

13-down – Methodist : WESLEYAN

15-down – Backfiring : OWNGOAL

16-down – Rum,whisky etc. : LIQUOR

18-down – Passover bread : MATZO

20-down – Creamy white : IVORY

21-down – Foundling : WAIF

1-across – Chemical neurotransmitter – in a moped : DOPAMINE

5-across – Crustacean on the side-walk? : CRAB

9-across – Archaic : DATED

10-across – Dance party : SHINDIG

11-across – Charity : PHILANTHROPY

13-across – Outcast : PARIAH

14-across – Turkish city : ANKARA

17-across – Incautious : DEVILMAYCARE

20-across – Eyelash thickener : MASCARA

21-across – From Cusco,once? : INCAN

22-across – Bottle stopper : CORK

23-across – Unusually high : FALSETTO

1-down – Bird once on Mauritius : DODO

2-down – Wine or water jug? : PITCHER

3-down – Tiny tracks and rolling stock : MODELRAILWAY

4-down – Sticking hooter in : NOSING

6-down – Programme transmitter : RADIO

7-down – Bugaboo bloke? : BOGEYMAN

8-down – Traditional things in the newspaper once? : FISHANDCHIPS

12-down – Dim piece : EPIDEMIC

15-down – Type of fruit : APRICOT

16-down – Tomorrow – or never? : MANANA

18-down – Brim – tennis player’s wear : VISOR

19-down – Facts : INFO