Blog explanations available at 10pm on the day of publication
Across:
8 Order (DECREE) in residence disregards sin (“residence” disregards “sin” = redece = DECREE),
9 Goes unnoticed (BLENDS IN) as barman (Bachelor of Law = BL-) finishes (-ENDS) with something popular (IN) (BLENDS IN),
10 Last Christmas (last “Christmas” = S-) present (-NOW) (SNOW) of a winter blanket (SNOW),
11 One of the those in The Palace (ROYAL) has a tendency to wobble (JELLY) (ROYAL JELLY) and is picked up by the next generation of queens (potential queen bees are fed (ROYAL JELLY),
12 Capital of Aruba ((capital/money of Aruba = FLORIN) – I wouldn’t give you two shillings for it but everyone else would? (two shillings was the value of a FLORIN),
14 The one o’clock from Newry perhaps (time in Newry, Co Down = DOWN TIME) constitutes a lack of productivity (DOWNTIME),
15 The top-shelf fiction in relation to bottom shelf non-fiction, for instance (FAR FROM THE TRUTH), couldn’t be further from the facts (FAR FROM THE TRUTH),
18 Gangster (AL Capone = AL) is mostly (h) bright-eyed and bushy-tailed (“fresh” without “h” = FRES-) meeting Firm (-CO) (AL FRESCO) outside (AL FRESCO),
20 Not genuine (ERSATZ) rates (rates = ERSAT-) laid out (= anagram indicator) for the last of the fizz (last of the “fizz” = -Z) (ERSATZ),
22 Principal (MAIN) has a series of lessons (COURSE) (MAIN COURSE) for those in Home Economics to learn (MAIN COURSE),
24 Some control a temper (some “control a temper” = LATE) – it’s long overdue (LATE),
25 Type of wine (SCREWTOP) that’s not made in Cork (SCREWTOP not made in cork),
26 Ruth (-RUTH-) Eliot (T-S Eliot) covers up (TRUTHS) the realities of the situation (TRUTHS).
Down:
1 Digs up (= reversal indicator) vegetable (leek = KE-EL) around stunning centre (“stunning” centre = -NN-) (KENNEL) at the home of the man’s best friend (man’s best friend = dog + dog’s home = KENNEL),
2 Show off (CROW) cycle (C-) chain (chain/line = -ROW) (CROW),
3 Verbally attack (TEAR INTO) head teacher (head “teacher” = T-) for picking up on what’s said (-EAR) to teachers’ group (Irish National Teachers’ Organisation = INTO) (TEAR INTO),
4 Do what they say (OBEY) to somebody kicking out the Mods (“somebody” kicking out the “mods” = eboy = OBEY),
5 Roar (BELLOW) popping (= anagram indicator) elbow (elbow = BEL-OW) around top of ligament (top of “ligament” = -L-) (BELLOW),
6 Relative (Da = AD-) sets up (= reversal indicator) financial gambles (-VENTURES) (ADVENTURES) for those looking for escapism (ADVENTURES),
7 Mad plot (mad plot = D-PLOMAT) organised (= anagram indicator) by one (-I-) (DIPLOMAT) running a mission (DIPLOMAT),
13 Mentions (REFERENCES) they say things about some people’s characters (REFERENCES),
14 It’s been said before (DITTO) – dictators don’t have cars? (“dictators” don’t have “cars” = ditto = DITTO),
16 Everyone (ALL-) from island (-I-) goes a fair amount of (half of) the distance (half of the “distance” = -ANCE) (ALLIANCE) to party up north (ALLIANCE Party),
17 Oriental (east = E-) criminal foundation (“criminal” foundation = -L-) loses the head (c) with Bond’s (bonds = “cements” without “c” = -EMENTS) (ELEMENTS) various sections (ELEMENTS),
19 Films (SHORTS) a number of those that are drunk (SHORTS),
21 Easily annoyed (TETCHY) city father dismisses fair (“city father” dismisses “fair” = ctythe = TETCHY),
23 Upsets (= reversal indicator) Pole on ship (mast pole = spar = RAPS) with musical tunes (RAPS),
24 Playing (= anagram indicator) Ludo (ludo = LOUD) is ostentatious, in a manner of speaking (LOUD).