Crosaire No 17262 by Crossheir – Wednesday, May 13th, 2020

Blog explanations available at 10pm on the day of publication

Across:

8 A (A-) top stich (top ‘Stich’ = -S-) in netting (lace = -L-ACE) (ALSACE) produced in France (ALSACE),

9 Produce a large quantity (CHURN OUT) in Switzerland  (CH-) for those making coffee (-URN) on holiday (OUT) (CHURN OUT),

10 Woman from Edinburgh (SCOT) at sea off east coast (‘at sea’ off ‘east coast’ = cost = SCOT),

11 Having gone through it, just isn’t bothered (PAST CARING) showing concern (CARING) after (= position indicator) opening 22 across (opening ‘past master’ = PAST) (PAST CARING),

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12 Nutcase (PSYCHO) begins post seminary year (starts ‘Post Seminary Year’ = PSY-) at church (-CH-) order (-O) (PSYCHO),

14 Mill (PRESS-) worker (-MAN) (PRESSMAN) is the one making up stories (journalist/sub-editor = PRESSMAN),

15 Temporarily stopping individuals (STUMBLING BLOCKS) staggering (STUMBLING) from bars (BLOCKS) (STUMBLING BLOCKS),

18 Figure out (INFER-) going up (= reversal indicator) lane (lane), most of (e) (‘lane’ without ‘e’ = lan = -NAL) (INFERNAL) what is characteristic of the underground (INFERNAL)

20 Old news agency (TASS news agency = TAS-S) welcomes the (the) heartless (h) (‘the’ without ‘h’ = TE-) (TASTES) preferences (TASTES),

22 Old painter (PAST MASTER) from 2 down (‘past’ = PAST) working in school (MASTER) (PAST MASTER),

24 No cures in Bucharest (no ‘cures’ in ‘Bucharest’ = bhat = BATH) for someone wanting to get clean (BATH),

25 Precious type (ADORABLE) of hammer (= anagram indicator) or a blade (or a blade = ADORABLE),

26 Those legally in possession (OWNERS) of drugs (downers) needing no introduction (d) (‘downers’ without ‘d’ = OWNERS).

Down:

1 Plugs (BLOCKS) closing 15 across (closing ‘stumbling blocks’ = BLOCKS),

2 Put a stop to tips (‘Put A Stop To’ tips = PAST) for yesteryear (PAST),

3 Protect the last line of defence (KEEP GOAL) for castle (KEEP) with The Holy Grail (GOAL) (KEEP GOAL),

4 Performs (ACTS) in Cairo – not in Costa Rica (‘Cairo’ not in ‘Costa Rica’ = stca = ACTS),

5 Local thug (local ‘thug’ = MUSCLE) would be legless without it (MUSCLE),

6 A number of interruptions (INTRUSIONS) distracting trains of thought (INTRUSIONS),

7 Retrace one’s steps (TURN BACK) to pick a different course (TURN) to bet on a horse (BACK) (TURN BACK),

13 Memory can’t (memory can’t) jog (= anagram indicator) (memory can’t = COMMENTARY) what one heard listening to the match (COMMENTARY),

14 Spring (leap), in retrospect (= reverse indicator) (leap = PA-EL), welcomed point (North = -N-) (PANEL) by critics (PANEL),

16 A number of mugs (TANKARDS) holding fish (TANK-) at a (-A-) Dublin venue (Royal Dublin Society = -RDS) (TANKARDS),

17 Those in 24 across (‘bath’ = BATH-) with sufficient space (-ROOM) (BATHROOM) for those who enjoy a hot tub (BATHROOM),

19 A stone’s throw away (NEARBY) from unruly (= anagram indicator) barney (barney = NEARBY),

21 Keys in (ENTERS) car taken from recreants (‘car’ taken from ‘recreants’ = reents = ENTERS),

23 Thereafter, remove father (‘thereafter’ remove ‘father’ = eter = TREE) from genealogical chart (family TREE),

24 The Mob (mob/crowd = BAND) prohibited by the censor (banned) on the radio (= homophone indicator) (‘banned” = ‘BAND’).