Across House Chinese military guards SEMI Went before penny dropped PRECEDED Depression in gloomy place, needing ecstasy DIMPLE Time charming woman gets spasm TWITCH Thoroughly cooked? Congratulations! WELLDONE Flair shown in expressive language ELAN Church facility mentioned in Wensleydale? CHEESE Disgrace in Football Association? Well I never! INFAMY Low born donkey BASS Statue I’d sculpted…

Across Lad tore ragged, stretchy costume LEOTARD Take out some butter as expired ERASE Crow covers lark’s head in butter GLOAT Monk gets Romeo into trouble BROTHER Troublingly true, blunt and unruly TURBULENT Man said to fell with axe HEW Stuff’s inside scrambler RAM Protecting love, suffer evil attack INCURSION Song indeed played later? DELAYED…

Across Someone who digs a gambling game? POKER Clown takes place in sequence CHAPLIN Where soldiers go crazy in alert LATRINE TV show seen by second child SPROG Catches held in actual practice session REHEARSAL Centre of grey economy EYE Manage composer on the radio HANDLE Clothed as is fitting DECENT Meadow in Steeple Aston…

Across Article regarding tax returns for Greek restaurant TAVERNA Shakespearean role whose player takes a bow VIOLA One to show man embracing woman? RODIN Able to pay cleaner SOLVENT Average sum or highest? PARAMOUNT Clara Peggotty’s parrot? APE British artist in lingerie item BRA Put striker through paces in longer game? TESTMATCH Decrease in unprecedented…

Across Small cat polluted air SMOG Evil situation: man will defect HELLHOLE Present in the vicinity ATHAND Writer’s bed in Kent region SCRIBE Magnificent woods run wild WONDROUS Bring home bacon in nuclear navy EARN G-man back close to guard DEFEND Score with Ulster thrashed RESULT Drive after parking vehicle mums use PRAM Man traps…

Across Ruler’s beautiful love announced PHARAOH Welcome in Idaho Lavinia returned ALOHA Last from execrable joke supply EQUIP Figure in month before November? OCTAGON 365 days in the sun? SOLARYEAR Alcoholic finally back to bed COT Green climber back in Swanley Village IVY Intermediary presumably no extremist MIDDLEMAN Noble note rewritten after pub BARONET Man…

Across Doctor straddling old exercise bike MOPED Cleric one in church seat for special showing PREVIEW A bin I am moving around country NAMIBIA Surprise win brings distress UPSET As Henry VIII eventually was, aptly? KINGSIZED Name withheld by Fair Lady EVE Drunk taking bottle-opener to bingo? BLOTTO Is inundated with news about Poles DROWNS…

Across Imitation issue published by Tibbles? COPYCAT Fairy left in danger PERIL Jacket mostly in flames BLAZE Holiday with terribly nice weather? WHITSUN Island formed in record earth movement LANDSLIP Space to retreat in open upland MOOR Programme reshown about organic fuel REPEAT Dig one battered Bible in hotel GIDEON Military alliance in Lebedyn at…

Across English politician in tax storm TEMPEST Paradise endlessly gives lift HEAVE Grande ultimately thin in black EBONY Sees gal dancing and eternally young AGELESS One having loads, rolling in it, after laundering? SPINDRYER Woman tempted from Nineveh EVE Cash mentioned for Babbitty Rabbitty? DOE Drunken Hebe and Mavis are naughty MISBEHAVE Try to catch…

Across Darned things in boxes? SOCKS Curries cooked in vessel CRUISER Out of water: area reduced to dust AGROUND Adored old Victor in van outside LOVED Girl has an untidy place that’s idyllic SHANGRILA Rebellion curtailed in city RIO Fast, the Italian’s pulse LENTIL Rise higher in exotic dances ASCEND Hill in East Ord TOR…