Crosaire No 17833 by Crossheir – Monday, March 14th, 2022

Blog explanations available at 10pm on the day of publication

Across:
8 Wink (SIGNAL) from Bill (bill/notice = SIGN-) associated with American (-A-) First Ladies (first 'Ladies' = -L) (SIGNAL),

9 Jasper is not part of practical jokes (‘Jasper’ is not part of ‘practical jokes’ = acticlok = COCKTAIL) in Manhattan? (COCKTAIL),

10 Poses a question (ASKS) for nerd coming out of darkness (‘nerd’ coming out of ‘darkness’ = akss = ASKS),

11 Perform some magic (CAST A SPELL) showing off (= anagram indicator) pal’s castle (pals castle = CAST A SPELL)

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12 Came (CAM-E-) across Park (-P-) and Ride initially (‘Ride’ initially = -R) (CAMPER) looking for the pitch (CAMPER),

14 Gables in (gables in) complex (= anagram indicator) (gables in = BELGIANS) found in Brussels (BELGIANS),

15 Couldn’t keep a secret (told = T- OLD) about that man (-HE) from 24 down (‘same’ = SAME) on account (STORY) (THE SAME OLD STORY) of what you’ve presumably heard before (THE SAME OLD STORY),

18 Starts inserting files (starts ‘Inserting Files’ = -IF-) in elegant (classy = CLASS-Y) (CLASSIFY) pigeonhole (CLASSIFY),

20 Calling (CAREER) mercenaries dismissing mines (‘mercenaries’ dismissing ‘mines’ = ercear = CAREER),

22 Tom Shatter (Tom Shatter) wrongly (= anagram indicator) (Tom Shatter = THERMOSTAT) employed by regulator displaying a degree of warmth perhaps (THERMOSTAT),

24 For this you need 23 down (need ‘togs’ for SWIM) to go overseas (SWIM),

25 Stick (cling = CL-ING) around – one (-I-) priest (parish priest = -PP-) (CLIPPING) is doing a job in The Garden (CLIPPING),

26 Spot (PIMPLE) foreign politician (-MP-) ensconced in stately home (pile = PI-LE) (PIMPLE).

Down:
1 Included in selfie staggering (included in 'selFIE STAggering' = FIESTA) out of Spanish celebration (FIESTA),

2 Characters amidst gallant supporters (characters amidst ‘gallANT Supporters’ = ANTS) from The Hill (ANTS),

3 Pressure (P-) to elect (elect) headless (e) (‘elect’ without ‘e’ = -LECT-) type from The Bar (-RUM) (PLECTRUM), as will be useful for pulling a few strings perhaps (PLECTRUM),

4 Walks nervously (paces) heading off (p) (‘paces’ without ‘p’ = ACES) with experts (ACES),

5 Edison leaving out of cowardliness (‘Edison’ leaving out of ‘cowardliness’ = cwarls = SCRAWL) is hard to read (SCRAWL),

6 Relative (STEPSISTER) raises (= reversal indicator) cats and dogs (pets = STEP-) in the nunnery (-SISTER) (STEPSISTER),

7 Broadcast (AIR-) from bar (-LINE-) with raw beginner (‘Raw’ beginner = -R) (AIRLINER) is bound to take off (AIRLINER),

13 An afterthought (POSTSCRIPT) to tweet (POST-) and text (-SCRIPT) (POSTSCRIPT),

14 Windy type (BLOWY) is feeling glum (-LOW-) after (= position indicator) bad start (‘Bad’ start = B-) ending in bankruptcy (ending in ‘bankruptcY’ = -Y) (BLOWY),

16 Clip of (m) drone (hum) (‘hum’ without ‘m’ = HU-) from the French (‘the’ French = -LA-)-American city (-LA) following (= position indicator) Hugo (hugo) half cut (half of ‘HUnt’ = = -HU-) (HULA-HULA) and one of The Hoops (HULA-HULA hoop),

17 Recalls (= reverse indicator) Pat (Pat = TAP-) Pipe (DUCT) opening (= position indicator) and closing the (closing ‘thE’ = -E) (DUCT TAPE) binder everyone uses in a number of makeshift solutions (DUCT TAPE),

19 It’s well-recognised (ICONIC) in some revolutionary (= reverse indicator) Pacino cinematography (some revolutionary ‘paCINO CInematography’ = cinoci = ICONIC),

21 It’s not hard to take (EDIBLE), as in retrospect (= reverse indicator), the foreign (‘the’ Spanish = el = -LE) offer (bid = -DIB-) is close to insane (close to ‘insanE’ = E-) (EDIBLE),

23 Both sides in townhall meetings (both sides in ‘TOwnhall meetinGS’ = TOGS) with swimming outfit (TOGS),

24 Like two peas in a pod (SAME) or four characters involved in stonemasonry (four characters involved in ‘stonEMASonry’ = emas) making a comeback (= reversal indicator) (emas = SAME).