Crosaire No 17816 by Crossheir – Tuesday, February 22nd, 2022

Blog explanations available at 10pm on the day of publication

Across:
1 Wine to (wine to) shift (= anagram indicator) (wine to = TOWNIE) in big village local? (locally/informally TOWNIE),

4 A scoop (ICE CREAM) of rice came (rice came) prepared (= anagram indicator) (rice came = ICE CREAM),

9 The Count in summer (POLLEN count) produced sample (POLL-) of the menu from The Centre (of the ‘mENu’ from the centre = -EN) (POLLEN),

10 It’s well said that speech (elocution) without an introduction (e) (‘elocution’ without ‘e’ = LOCUTION) can be stylish, in a manner of speaking (LOCUTION),

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12 Gangster (AL Capone = AL-) club (-BAT-) goes to waste (dross) – lacking a leader (d) (‘dross’ = -ROSS) (ALBATROSS), it’s a source of frustration that one has to carry (ALBATROSS),

13 Posts from test pilots (‘posts’ from ‘test pilots’ = tetil = TITLE) – indeed? (TITLE in deed),

14 Stop living (CEASE TO EXIST) in 23 down (‘cease’ = CEASE) – get two- (two) -state (= homophone indicator) (‘two’ = ‘to’ = TO) solution in 7 down (exists) almost (s) (‘exists’ without ‘s’ = EXIST) (CEASE TO EXIST),

18 The proper way to chew the fat perhaps (TABLE MANNERS) in 19 down (‘tables’) mostly (s) (‘tables’ without ‘s’ = TABLE) with 8 down (‘manner’ = MANNER-) on bender (-S bend) (TABLE MANNERS),

21 Profit (AVAIL) from a mask (a veil) in a manner of speaking (= homophone indicator) (‘a veil’ = ‘AVAIL’),

22 Hooded killer (KING COBRA) found in The Palace (KING) – the one managed by the yoga teacher while meditating (yoga pose = COBRA) (KING COBRA),

24 Bail into (bail into) complex (= anagram indicator) (bail into = LIBATION) for a drink (LIBATION),

25 Speculator misses cues (‘speculator’ misses ‘cues’ = plator = PATROL) from task force (PATROL),

26 Burmese (Burmese) confused (= anagram indicator) (Burmese = SUBMER-E) over initially suggesting (initially ‘Suggesting’ = -S-)  (SUBMERSE) – is Bury under water? (SUBMERSE),

27 Lead Belly (lead/first letter of ‘Belly’ = B-) and One Direction (-EAST-) at The Point (South = -S) (BEASTS) with The Animals? (BEASTS).

Down:
1 Brings up (= reversal indicator) Pat (pat = TAP), Daniel (DAN-) and Clare (-CE) (TAP DANCE) in movement where one is bound to get loads of clicks (TAP DANCE),

2 Out of control (WILD) snake (BOA-) charmer, the ultimate (‘charmeR’ the ultimate  = -R) (WILD BOAR) swine (WILD BOAR),

3 Popular (IN-) record (Extended-Play record = -EP-) by tenor (-T) (INEPT) is not up to scratch? (INEPT),

5 Vet (vet/check = -EXAMINE) in a bad mood (CROSS-) is the first (= position indicator) (CROSS-EXAMINE) to question the evidence in court (CROSS-EXAMINE),

6 Woo (COURT-) Sean (Sean) Duff’s (duffs = anagram indicator) (Sean = -ESAN) (COURTESAN) mistress (COURTESAN),

7 Sexist (sexist) boss (= anagram indicator) (sexist = EXISTS) hasn’t gone away (EXISTS),

8 A certain approach (MANNER) from Orangemen with no ego (‘orangemen’ with no ‘ego’ = ranmen = MANNER),

11 The man upstairs (GOD) just (ONLY) recognises (KNOWS) (GOD ONLY KNOWS) what the future holds, as the saying goes (GOD ONLY KNOWS),

15 It’s an eye-opener (‘Eye’ opener = E-) – Paul has a female take (Paul / -PAULETTE) (EPAULETTE) on being employed by military tailor with rank? (EPAULETTE),

16 Recent arrivals (NEWBORNS) provided fresh information (news = NEW-S) about kind of loser (-BORN- loser) (NEWBORNS),

17 Charges (ASSAULTS) for producing mugs locally (ASSAULTS),

19 Myths (tales = TA-LES) about open bar (open ‘Bar ‘= -B-) (TABLES) used by the mathematicians (TABLES),

20 The odd bear or (the odd letters of ‘BeAr Or’ = BAO-) delivery from a stork (baby) briefly (y) (‘baby’ without ‘y’ = -BAB) (BAOBAB) in short tree (BAOBAB),

23 Peter out (CEASE) of line (crease) dismissing arithmetic (r)? (‘cRease’ without ‘r’ = CEASE).