Crosaire No 16881 by Crossheir – Wednesday, February 20th, 2019

Blog explanations available at 10pm on the day of publication

Across:

8 It’s earned (earned = ENDEAR) working (= anagram indicator) to curry favour (ENDEAR),

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

10 Stimulate (FUEL) the characters in Corfu election (the characters in ‘Corfu election’ = FUEL),

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11 Former partner (EX-) with Irishman (-PAT-) sadly (= anagram indicator) irate (irate = -RIATE) (EXPATRIATE) with Irishwoman in London (EXPATRIATE),

12 Traces (traces = RECAST) movement (= anagram indicator) to shape in a new light (RECAST),

14 Going on a spree (PARTYING) as Fine Gael (PARTY-) is in (-IN-) Government (-G) (PARTYING),

15 It’s a matter of opinion (NEWSPAPER COLUMN) for guardian (Guardian NEWSPAPER) offering support (support/pillar = COLUMN) (NEWSPAPER COLUMN),

18 It’s expected that everyone should do it (ONE’S DUTY) producing singles (ones = ONE’S) by one of The Commitments (DUTY) (ONE’S DUTY),

20 Court (court = OUTCR-) dress (= anagram indicator) in the end inadvertently (in the end ‘inadvertently’ = -Y) (OUTCRY) leads to strong protest (OUTCRY),

22 Criminal (= anagram indicator) arrests (arrests = STRA-ERS) over horse (-GG-) left (-L-) (STRAGGLERS) with the really slow ones who come in last (STRAGGLERS),

24 Throw one’s arms around (HUG-) sweetheart (‘sweet’ heart = -E) (HUGE) from Titanic (HUGE),

25 It’s not much to expect (PITTANCE) from old British politician (PITT-) at African party (-ANC-) for English leader (‘English’ leader = -E) (PITTANCE),

26 NATO in (NATO in = NATION) trouble (= anagram indicator) with Russia, for one (NATION).

Down:

1 Organisation (United Nations = UN-) is confident (-SURE) (UNSURE) it’s a reason for not putting money on it (UNSURE),

2 Finishes serious crime novel all (finishes/last letters of ‘serious, crime, novel all’ = SELL) in exchange for money (SELL),

3 Mistake (= anagram indicator) genre (genre = GREEN) with introductions from Tennyson, Eliot and (introductions from ‘Tennyson, Eliot and’ = TEA) (GREEN TEA) one of those consumed in China (GREEN TEA),

4 Bloodsucker (vampire) loses temper (ire) (‘vampire’ without ‘ire’ = VAMP) with seductress (VAMP),

5 Medic (DOCTOR) or coordinator fails to get on air (‘coordinator’ fails to get/without ‘on air’ = coodtr = DOCTOR),

6 Sounds like (= homophone indicator) Klan (‘klan = ‘clan’ = FAMILY) conspiracy (PLOT) (FAMILY PLOT) is grave for all the relatives (FAMILY PLOT),

7 Lamp unit (lamp unit = PLATINUM) designed (= anagram indicator) from metal (PLATINUM),

13 Aid (ASSIST-) workers (-ANTS) (ASSISTANTS) are not managing but might in the future (ASSISTANTS),

14 Egyptians sang out (‘Egyptians’ sang out/without ‘sang’ = eypti = PIETY) with a sense of religious reverence (PIETY),

16 A foreign (a = EIN-) street (-ST-) with a German (a = -EIN) (EINSTEIN) scientist (EINSTEIN)

17 Picking out (CHOOSING) off-colour (= anagram indicator) chinos (chinos = CH-OSIN-) including orange top (‘orange’ top = -O-) for golf (-G) (CHOOSING),

19 Failed to start (p) eradicating (‘purging’ without ‘p’ = URGING) what’s so appealing! (URGING),

21 It’s about (RE-) spirit (-GI-N) across Oxford (-O-) (REGION) area (REGION),

23 Apparent in bone density (apparent in ‘bone density’ = EDEN) one associates with the first gardeners (EDEN),

24 Bugbear (HATE) in heat (heat = HATE) wave? (= anagram indicator).