Crosaire No 16857 by Crossheir – Wednesday, January 23rd, 2019

Blog explanations available at 10pm on the day of publication

Across:

8 Shreds (rips = SPIR-) reviews (= reversal indicator) for leads from Abbey, Lyric (leads from ‘Abbey, Lyric’ = -AL) (SPIRAL) and Helix (helix = SPIRAL),

9 Coach (TRAIN) is fully prepared (SET) (TRAIN SET) and is on track for what any boy could accept for the present (TRAIN SET),

10 He’s not into Shelley (‘hes’ not into ‘Shelley’ = lley = YELL) or Bellow (YELL),

11 Pierre sent (‘Pierre sent’ = ENTERPRISE) off (= anagram indicator) in pursuit (pursuit = ENTERPRISE),

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12 Kind of person (GENTLE) one leaves (i) outside religious group (‘gentile’ without ‘i’ = GENTLE),

14 Take it as a matter of course (EAT A MEAL), a fair amount of (half of) idea (half of ‘idea’ = EA-) is not dangerous enough (tame = -T A ME-) to gangster (-AL Capone) (EAT A MEAL),

15 What young one might have to do to accept milk (young one/baby will TAKE TO THE BOTTLE) drink falling off the wagon (TAKE TO THE BOTTLE),

18 Sloppy (CARELESS) mini (CAR-) with elegant top (‘elegant’ top = -E-) is reduced (-LESS) (CARELESS),

20 Confused (ADDLED) by how one rowed (paddled) striking the head (p) (‘paddled’ without ‘p’ = ADDLED),

22 Concerns (AGITATIONS) Santiago (Santiago = AG-ATIONS) sabotage (= anagram indicator) surrounding technology (-IT- department) (AGITATIONS),

24 Blanks spaces (GAPS) for poster off sports page (‘poster’ off ‘sports page’ = spag = GAPS),

25 Frustrated (IMPAIRED) one (I-) foreign politician (-MP-) on broadcast (-AIR-) with writer (-ED) (IMPAIRED),

26 Some builder’s reputation (some builder’s reputation = COWBOY builder) for being a stockholder (stock holder = COWBOY).

Down:

1 A round heavy-set figure (SPHERE) has sheep (sheep = SPHE-E) roaming around (= anagram indicator) top of ridge (top of ‘ridge’ = -R-) (SPHERE),

2 Pops off proposal (‘pops’ off ‘proposal’ = roal = ORAL), in a manner of speaking (ORAL),

3 Make modifications to (ALTER) direction (direction east = E-) on green light (-GO) (ALTER EGO) for the other half (ALTER EGO),

4 Meant to leave statement (‘meant’ to leave ‘statement’ = stte = STET) and let it stand as it was (‘let it stand’ = ignore marked correction = STET),

5 Who’s a pretty boy then? (PARROT) Who’s a pretty boy then? (said twice = imitate/repeat = PARROT),

6 To give one a clue? (-PROMPT-) In nude (nude = UN-ED) dancing (= anagram indicator) (UNPROMPTED), it’s spontaneous! (UNPROMPTED),

7 Dinner (meal = ME- -AL) includes starters of salads, seafood, hams (starters of ‘salads, seafood, hams’ = -SS H-) and libations opened (and ‘libations’ opened = -L-) (MESS HALL) in private dining room (private/army dining room = MESS HALL),

13 Car (-T) worker (MAN) found behind (= positional indicator) old Greek city (Thebes = THE BES-) (THE BEST MAN) is the pre-eminent supporter of The Union (THE BEST MAN),

14 The (the = ETH-) boss (= anagram indicator) is old (-O-) school (-S) (ETHOS) with cultural values (ETHOS),

16 A (A-) path (-WAY) from the estate (GAME) (AWAY GAME) leads to playground not associated with those at home (AWAY GAME),

17 Swede (swede = BRASSICA) gives support for females (BRAS-) at small (-S-) women’s institute (Irish Countrywomen’s Association = -ICA) (BRASSICA),

19 Grill (EATERY) one of those in 7 down (‘mess hall’ = EATERY),

21 Make use of (EMPLOY) foreign (= anagram indicator) mole (mole = EM-LO-) over pressure (-P-) from Yard (-Y) (EMPLOY),

23 It’s only small change locally (ODDS) to the track figures (ODDS),

24 Stare (GAWK) from miser leaving wigmakers (from ‘miser’ leaving ‘wigmakers’ = wgak = GAWK).