Crosaire No 17131 by Crossheir – Monday, December 9th, 2019

Blog explanations available at 10pm on the day of publication

Across:

8 No huge (no huge) problem (= anagram indicator) (no huge = ENOUGH) with just the right amount (ENOUGH),

9 Violent disturbance (UPHEAVAL) in university (University of Limerick = U-L) over pressure (-P-) and endless (t) heat (‘heat’ without ‘t’ = -HEA-) on Virginia (-VA-) (UPHEAVAL),

10 A fair amount of (half of) 26 across (half of ‘tip off = TIP-) with school (-S) (TIPS) heads (TIPS),

11 A problem for the banks (a problem for the river banks = WATER LEVEL) in the spring (WATER) to keep nothing back (LEVEL) (WATER LEVEL),

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12 Endless space (d) for the frogs (‘pond’ without ‘d’ = PON-) with limitless (w) local food (‘chow’ without ‘w’ = CHO) (PONCHO) by The Cape in South America (PONCHO),

14 Convinced (POSITIVE) pressure (P-) is on institute (-I-) in Soviet (Soviet = -OS-TIVE) organisation (= anagram indicator) (POSITIVE),

15 Little danger, the crafty types might see it (TIP OF THE ICEBERG) and that’s the least of your troubles (TIP OF THE ICEBERG),

18 Application (APP-) draws attention (Oi! = -OI-) to good books (New Testament = -NT-) by small (-S) (APPOINTS) names (APPOINTS),

20 Hide (LIE LOW) piece of fiction (LIE) – it’s despicable (LOW) (LIE LOW),

22 Pick out Victor, predictably (TIP A WINNER), from most of those in 10 across (most of ‘tips’ = TIP) opening accounts (opening ‘Accounts’ = A) and taking gold (WINNER) (TIP A WINNER),

24 Hull (PEEL) or Trim? (trim/pare = PEEL),

25 Most expensive (STEEPEST) car gets away from pacesetters (‘car’ getting away from ‘pacesetters’ = pesettes  = STEEPEST),

26 What’s the point (TIP-) of (-OF-) loud music (loud music/forte = -F) (TIP-OFF) in The Omen perhaps? (omen/warning = TIP-OFF).

Down:

1 One (I-) doing (doing) work (= anagram indicator) (doing = -NDIGO) (INDIGO) for Violet (INDIGO),

2 Much ado about nothing (FUSS) in part of US Senate (part ‘oF US Senate’ = FUSS),

3 Reads the Riot Act (CHEWS OUT) to key (music key C-) women (-W-) in House (house) prepared (= anagram indicator) (house = -HE-S OU-) to start trouble (start ‘Trouble’ = -T) (CHEWS OUT),

4 Incorruptible (JUST) extremes of Judas Priest (extremes of ‘JUdas PrieST’ = JUST),

5 It would be obscene to not have them for the team photographs (SHORTS) or films (SHORTS).

6 Make a fuss about (LAMENT-) bottle top (‘Bottle’ top = -B-) found in drink (ale = -A-LE) (LAMENTABLE) – it’s terrible (LAMENTABLE),

7 Assume control of (TAKE OVER) the receipts (TAKE) and float (hover) without the tip (h) (‘hover’ without ‘h’ = OVER) (TAKE OVER),

13 Charlie (C-) dislikes (H-ATES) involving crazy Spanish (loco) serving up (= reversal indicator) (loco = -OCOL-) (CHOCOLATES) sugary treats (CHOCOLATES),

14 Similar to one of those in 16 down (similar to ‘imprints’ = printing presses = PRESS) or Squeeze (PRESS),

16 One- (I-) -third of gamblers (third of ‘gaMblers’ = -M-) run off (photocopy = -PRINT-) with the last of the winnings (last of the ‘winningS’ = -S) (IMPRINTS) from bookmakers (IMPRINTS),

17 Rips cult (rips cult = CULPRITS) apart (= anagram indicator) (rips cult = CULPRITS) for sinners (CULPRITS),

19 Sermonise dismissing REM (‘sermonise’ dismissing ‘REM’ = sonise = NOISES) and the awful sounds (NOISES),

21 Unique (ONE-OFF) old revolutionary (Wolfe Tone) loses the head (t) (‘Tone’ without ‘t’ = ONE -) with posh guy (toff) needing no introduction (t) (‘toff’ without ‘t’ = - OFF) (ONE-OFF),

23 Catches (NETS) up (= reversal indicator) in The West End (in ‘the weST ENd’ = sten = NETS),

24 Church leader (POPE) is innocent – one of thirteen (POPE Innocent XIII).