Crosaire No 16586 by Crossheir – Friday, March 9th, 2018

Blog explanations available at 10pm on the day of publication

Across:

8 Listener (-EAR-) in northeast (north east = N-E-) is right (-R) (NEARER) – it’s more convenient (NEARER),

9 Judge (EXAMINER) to review (EXAMINE-) last order (last order = -R) (EXAMINER),

10 Countries out of income support (“countries” out of “income support” = mppo = POMP) for majestic ceremony (POMP),

11 I don’t want to make too much of this (UNDERSTATE) working for (UNDER-) similar type in 26 across (similar to “nation” = -STATE) (UNDERSTATE),

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12 Sets up (= reversal indicator) bank (Allied Irish Banks = AIB = -BIA) to rescue (rescue) a fair amount (half of) (half of “rescue” = res = SER-) (SERBIA) of Central Europe (SERBIA),

14 Place bet (BACK) on the course (ROAD) (BACK ROAD) provided this option might be a favourite taking the scenic route perhaps (BACK ROAD),

15 Most of those in 25 across (most of those “medicals” = MEDICAL) and 9 across (“examiner” = EXAMINER) (MEDICAL EXAMINER) working in a dead-end job (MEDICAL EXAMINER),

18 Most of (s) the drugs (“uppers” without “s” = UPPER-) chemically mixed (-CUT) will floor one of those in Ring (UPPERCUT punch in boxing ring),

20 Province (ULSTER) rebel (= anagram indicator) rules (rules = ULS-ER) over Troy (-T-) (ULSTER),

22 The Parthenon in Greece (built to honour Athens’ patron goddess / HOUSE OF GOD) provides sanctuary for the faithful (HOUSE OF GOD),

24 One of those in Takeaway (CHIP) disastrously comes out of China perhaps (china/delph CHIP),

25 Working in hospital (MEDIC-) on gangster’s (Al Capone’s = -ALS) (MEDICALS) health checks (MEDICALS),

26 NATO in (Nato in = NATION) trouble (= anagram indicator) with The Republic, for one (NATION).

Down:

1 Give one’s time, for example (DEVOTE), to old leader (de Valera = DEV-) getting good books (Old Testament = -OT-) from Spain (-E) (DEVOTE),

2 Government (G-) gets final letters (-RIP) (GRIP) for the case (case/travel bag = GRIP),

3 Makes a great fuss (BROUHAHA) of brother (BR-) where French (French “where” = -OU-) have a couple of laughs (ha ha = -HAHA) (BROUHAHA),

4 Adelaide has no idea (“Adelaide” has no “idea” = dela = LEAD) this stops boxer getting too far ahead of himself (LEAD for boxer dog),

5 Super (FAB-) finds old police (Royal Irish Constabulary = -RIC) (FABRIC) material (FABRIC),

6 Smokescreens perhaps (FILTER TIPS) weed out (FILTER) bits of racy advice (TIPS) (FILTER TIPS),

7 What you’d expect to get from 13 down, for starters, (“boiler suit” for starters = “boiler” + you’d expect to get HEAT- from it) is a handy gesture (-WAVE) (HEATWAVE) fans of The Sun appreciate (HEATWAVE),

13 Overall (BOILER SUIT), last (= positional indicator) set of clothes (SUIT) is for a tough old bird locally (BOILER is a tough old chicken for boiling) (BOILER SUIT),

14 Strike (B-EAT) over The Right’s opposition (left = -L-) (BLEAT) to local grumble going on and on (BLEAT),

16 Make use of (EMPLOY-) drugs (E+E = -EE) (EMPLOYEE) in the workplace (EMPLOYEE),

17 Worker (A-NT) admits holding burger (-BUN- holds burger) for relative (-DA-) (ABUNDANT) – that’s rich (ABUNDANT),

19 Church (CH-) exam (-ORAL exam)  (CHORAL) for the singers in society (CHORAL society),

21 Runs daily (EDITOR) and gets to ride to (ride to = EDITOR) work (= anagram indicator),

23 Mustard (mustard GAS-) pot opened (pot opened = -P) (GASP) with one big blow (GASP),

24 Nick (CUT-) the last truffle (last truffle = -E) (CUTE) from chocolate box? (chocolate-box = CUTE).