Daily Answers

1-across – Corny : SCHMALTZY

8-across – Horseback sport : POLO

9-across – Bondage : SERVITUDE

10-across – Soup : OPUS

13-across – Put off : DELAY

15-across – Desex : NEUTER

16-across – Against : CONTRA

17-across – Smack hard : WALLOP

19-across – Inform on – Quidditch field ball : SNITCH

20-across – Human : BEING

21-across – Elizabethan neck frill : RUFF

24-across – In a difficult situation : SNOOKERED

25-across – Bend : FLEX

26-across – Teeny-weeny : ITSYBITSY

2-down – Masticate : CHEW

3-down – Shift : MOVE

4-down – Second : LATTER

5-down – Twelve signs : ZODIAC

6-down – Knotty issue : HOTPOTATO

7-down – Hair on upper lip : MOUSTACHE

11-down – White pile : SNOWDRIFT

12-down – Fit : QUALIFIED

13-down – Release from service : DEMOB

14-down – Junior : YOUNG

18-down – Goober seed : PEANUT

19-down – Elitist – toy son : SNOOTY

22-down – Star Wars order : JEDI

23-down – Bulletins : NEWS

1-across – Checkout worker’s helper : BARCODEREADER

8-across – Whit – old coin : SOU

9-across – Perks : TRAPPINGS

10-across – Indigenous North American people : CHEROKEE

11-across – Argentinian currency : PESO

13-across – Skin design : TATTOO

14-across – Floodgate : SLUICE

16-across – Zilch : NOWT

17-across – Greatly thrilled : BLISSFUL

20-across – On the dot : PRECISELY

21-across – Minister : REV

22-across – Tragicomedy? : GALLOWSHUMOUR

1-down – Essential : BASIC

2-down – Casino spinner : ROULETTEWHEEL

3-down – Conventional : ORTHODOX

4-down – Rubber : ERASER

5-down – Show : EXPO

6-down – Hellish poem – resonant fiend : DANTESINFERNO

7-down – Minced and fried item : RISSOLE

12-down – Best wishes to the sneezer! : BLESSYOU

13-down – Scout’s securing device : TENTPEG

15-down – Little green men? : ALIENS

18-down – Vital organ : LIVER

19-down – Banking system : GIRO

1-across – Squarish stinger? : BOXJELLYFISH

9-across – Tertiary : THIRD

10-across – Worldly : SECULAR

11-across – Superficial : GLIB

12-across – Extraordinarily skilful performer : VIRTUOSO

14-across – Obtain through manipulative methods : WANGLE

15-across – Riddle : ENIGMA

18-across – Nark : INFORMER

20-across – Seed pod that sticks in fur : BURR

22-across – Floating solid mass : PACKICE

23-across – Top chamber : ATTIC

24-across – Key artefact in deciphering scripts : ROSETTASTONE

2-down – Belief about topic : OPINION

3-down – Stone – tire : JADE

4-down – Scottish girl? : LASSIE

5-down – Sailing : YACHTING

6-down – Home in the far,far north : IGLOO

7-down – Eritrea and Djibouti region : HORNOFAFRICA

8-down – <i>Sotto voce </i><span>actor’s remark</span> : STAGEWHISPER

13-down – Scaremonger : ALARMIST

16-down – Gannet : GLUTTON

17-down – Kinds : GENERA

19-down – Concentrate : FOCUS

21-down – Very big or wide : VAST

1-across – Upper legislative chamber : SENATE

4-across – Irrational fear : PHOBIA

9-across – Glaze : LACQUER

10-across – Surgery light? : LASER

11-across – Aerodynamic : SLEEK

12-across – Small mounted telescope,for navigation : SEXTANT

13-across – Nemesis of Mr McGregor : PETERRABBIT

18-across – Fortify : TOUGHEN

20-across – Crested or dwarf lizard? : GECKO

22-across – Assurance : NERVE

23-across – Barracks lav : LATRINE

24-across – Amateur chap : LAYMAN

25-across – Asininity : IDIOCY

1-down – Sensational news feature – created by diver? : SPLASH

2-down – Mother-of-pearl : NACRE

3-down – Cheese wheel : TRUCKLE

5-down – Corkscrew object or shape : HELIX

6-down – Rice type : BASMATI

7-down – Run oxygen through : AERATE

8-down – Santa : KRISKRINGLE

14-down – Head of state’s attendant : EQUERRY

15-down – Intolerant : BIGOTED

16-down – Without a key : ATONAL

17-down – Volley : LOVELY

19-down – Spotted Asian and African carnivore : HYENA

21-down – Trousers fabric : CHINO

1-across – Cockchafer : MAYBUG

4-across – Thick-skinned orange : JAFFA

7-across – Skeleton’s home? : CLOSET

8-across – Hold up : HIJACK

9-across – Mite : ITEM

10-across – Due : EXPECTED

12-across – Money requested : ASKINGPRICE

17-across – Pair of pincers : TWEEZERS

19-across – Cherished : DEAR

20-across – Hanging ornamental cover : CANOPY

21-across – Cryptic : OPAQUE

22-across – Delish : YUMMY

23-across – Watch it! : BEWARE

1-down – Territorials : MILITIA

2-down – Veil : YASHMAK

3-down – Sweeten the pot : UPTHEANTE

4-down – Squash – petrol : JUICE

5-down – Feverish : FRANTIC

6-down – Aid oik : AIKIDO

11-down – Tailpiece of cooked chicken – pontiff’s hooter? : POPESNOSE

13-down – Chest bone : STERNUM

14-down – Midwestern US state : INDIANA

15-down – Civilian escaping dangerous place : EVACUEE

16-down – Tacky : STICKY

18-down – Quick : ZIPPY