Crosaire No 16593 by Crossheir – Saturday, March 17th, 2018

Blog explanations available at 10pm on the day of publication

Across:

1 Aerate (AIR-) wine (-PORT) bar (pole = POL-E) over Capital’s immense cellar (capitals/first letters of immense cellar = -IC-) (AIRPORT POLICE), safeguarding the duty-free (AIRPORT POLICE),

10 It’ll (it’ll = ILL-T) fall (= anagram indicator) over what’s nice here (Nice, France “here” = -ICI-) (ILLICIT) and is forbidden (ILLICIT),

11 Drink (MARTINI) to songbird (MARTIN-) on single (-I) (MARTINI),

12 Scandi building company (LEGO) attracts first-time homebuilders (LEGO),

READ MORE

13 Laid off in Dixieland (“laid” off in “Dixieland” = ixend = INDEX) from the book section (INDEX),

15 Spins (= reversal indicator) music (rap = -PAR) for school (S-) (SPAR) practice in the gym (SPAR),

17 It’s gas (AIR) for all sides today (AIR on all sides of today’s grid),

19 Turns up (= reversal indicator) nose (nose = -E-SON) over Lima (-L-), first novel (first “novel” = N-) (NELSON) by English hero (NELSON),

21 Most of those (s) in 21 down (“yes”  without “s” = YE-) could be partners (-MEN-) with one (-I) (YEMENI) Arab (YEMENI),

22 Top (SINGLET) grub coming from chipper (SINGLE-) for tea (-T) (SINGLET),

23 Starting trouble (starting trouble  = T-) and argument (-ROW-) with fan (fan belt) at centre (“belt” at the centre  = -EL) (TROWEL) – it’s what Mason has to handle (TROWEL),

25 Heard (= homophone indicator) luck (“luck” = “look” = SEE -) was (was = -SAW) turning (= reversal indicator) (SEESAW), as can be up and down (SEESAW),

27 Some implacable (some “implacable” = CAB) body taking the money off the criminals (Criminal Assets Bureau = CAB),

29 A (A-) number (six = -XIS) retiring (= reversal indicator) (AXIS) from The Alliance (the AXIS),

30 Parody (MIMIC) of burlesque (MIMIC),

31 Obscure (BLUR), miserable (blue) endless (e) (“blue” without “e” = BLU-) writing (from the 3Rs = -R) (BLUR),

34 Have a liking for (ENAMOUR) a menu or (a menu or = ENAMOUR) treat (= anagram indicator),

35 Bishop (B-) from Rome (“Rome” = “roam” = -RAMBLE) read aloud (= homophone indicator) (BRAMBLE) from Blackberry (BRAMBLE),

36 Tone (tone/manner = AIR-) on ocean liner (sand = -S AND) is great (G-) for the different ethnic groups (-RACES) (AIRS AND GRACES) with affectations of superiority (AIRS AND GRACES).

Down:

2 Lille (Lille = ILLE-L) novel (=anagram indicator) about most of (A) the cultural organisation (“GAA” without “A” = -GA-) (ILLEGAL) that’s banned (ILLEGAL),

3 Put away (PACK) those in banks passing the buck (those in banks/sides “passing the buck” = PACK),

4 It’s about (RE-) that woman (-TINA) (RETINA) the ophthalmologist has his eye on perhaps (RETINA),

5 Nero’s not included in proper names (“Neros” not included in “proper names” = prpeam = PAMPER) for baby? (baby/spoil = PAMPER),

6 Turns up (= reversal indicator), no parking (p) in April (“April” without “p” = aril = LIRA) in old European capital (old capital/money = LIRA),

7 Bring to a standstill (CRIPPLE) with the first Champagne (first “champagne” = C-) flavoured ice cream (-RIPPLE) (CRIPPLE),

8 Tune (AIR-) from band (-LINE) on tour (TRAVEL) (AIRLINE TRAVEL) is flying high (AIRLINE TRAVEL),

9 In charge of total blackout (AIR-RAID WARDEN) of broadcast (AIR-) ordered by police (-RAID) in prison (WARDEN) (AIR-RAID WARDEN),

14 All back (= reverse all indicator) march (March = Mar = -RAM) for initial grant (initial “grant” = -G-) aid (aid = DIA-) (DIAGRAM) plan (DIAGRAM),

16 Playing (= anagram indicator) roles (roles = LOSER) in local flop (LOSER),

18 Put off (DETER) by yobs coming off oyster bed (“yobs” coming off “oyster bed” = tered = DETER),

20 Penniless characters (“penniless” characters  = NIL) have nothing (NIL),

21 Of course (YES), it’s found in the Hawkeye State (it’s found in the “Hawkeye State” = YES),

24 Turns up (= reversal indicator), wise men (Magi = -IGAM-) in Rio (Rio = OR-I) built (= anagram indicator) (ORIGAMI) something that looks good on paper in Far East (ORIGAMI),

26 Try to get off trolleybus (“try” to get off “trolleybus” = ollebus = SOLUBLE) – in essence, that’s the clue perhaps (clue/problem able to be solved = SOLUBLE),

27 Spill (= anagram indicator) tonic (tonic = CIT-ON) over recipe (-R-) (CITRON) for making lemonade (CITRON),

28 Hostelry (B&B = B-B-) held popular (popular/trendy = -IN-) job for a head barman (attorney general = -AG) (BIN BAG) – might it go to waste? (BIN BAG),

32 Got (got = TOG-) upset (= reversal indicator) at school (S-) (TOGS) – someone was using them to test the waters (TOGS),

33 Egomaniacs with no income? (“egomaniacs” with no “income” =  egas = SAGA) It’s a long story! (SAGA).