Star Chic

[starmack]

Bit of a mess in top corner grid one. This might help me back on track.

5d. Wilful. 8 letters

Think letters might be

P?O?ER?E

6d. Involuntary muscle response. 6 letters
R???E?

is answer Reflex? Any other word besides Reflex???

Thanks in advance.

[bibblebub]

5d: perverse ?

6d: yes, no

[elliemay1]

Agree with 'perverse'. Which clue gave you the 'o'?

[starmack]

Perverse is word I filled in originally!

But if Reflex is correct then then 9a (ie Clue Is Avow, 7 letters) would have to be ?R?F?S? Profess fits but doesn't seem right. Confess seems right but doesn't fit!

[Fibonacci]

5d perverse ?

[Mamyalynne]

Profess is fine

[scorpiojo]

Profess

[elliemay1]

Profess is correct

[Mamyalynne]

profess
prəˈfɛs/Submit
verb
1.
claim, often falsely, that one has (a quality or feeling).
"he had professed his love for her only to walk away"
synonyms: declare, announce, proclaim, assert, state, affirm, avow, maintain, protest, aver, vow; More
archaic
have or claim knowledge or skill in (a subject or accomplishment).
2.
affirm one's faith in or allegiance to (a religion or set of beliefs).
"a people professing Christianity"
synonyms: state/affirm one's faith in, affirm one's allegiance to, make a public declaration of, declare publicly, avow, confess, acknowledge publicly
"in 325 the Emperor himself professed Christianity"

[bibblebub]

you can find 'avow' amongst the synonyms here http://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/profess

[starmack]

9a clue is potentially giving O

Avow 7 letters, Thought it might be Promise (to fit in with Perverse) but fourth letter needs to be F to fit Reflex, as above.

[starmack]

Okay, solves everything to use PROFESS.

Thanks to all.