Crosaire No 17169 by Crossheir – Saturday, January 25th, 2020

Blog explanations available at 10pm on the day of publication

Across:

1 Unnaturally (=anagram indicator), Darwin (Darwin = DRAWIN-) takes gloss initially (‘Gloss’ initially = -G) off (OFF-) diamonds (-ICE) (DRAWING OFFICE) in the design studio (DRAWING OFFICE),

10 The most full-bodied (RICHEST) top Riesling (top ‘Riesling’ = R-) is opened (‘Is’ opened = -I-) from the case (-CHEST) (RICHEST),

11 A Bandon optimism (abandon optimism = DESPAIR) in Depression (DESPAIR),

12 Denies leaving West Indies (‘denies’ leaving ‘West Indies’ = WITS) with comics (WITS),

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13 Retweet (RT = R-T) about starters of Asian snacks (starters/first letters ‘Of Asian Snacks’ = -OAS-) (ROAST) for Sunday lunch (ROAST),

15 Who’s (whos) out (= anagram indicator) (whos = SHOW) to demonstrate the truth of something? (SHOW),

17 Enthusiastic supporter (fan / NUT) backing  (= reverse indicator) characters from craft union (characters from ‘crafT UNion’ = tun = NUT),

19 Most of (p) the advice (‘help’ without ‘p’ = HEL-) given by forecasters (-MET Eireann) (HELMET) goes over the head of one on site (HELMET),

21 For example, the fall of US (The Fall/Autumn of US = SEASON) spy (spy = see) state (= homophone indicator) (‘see’ = ‘sea’ = SEA-) is so (-SO-) nuanced from the start (‘Nuanced’ from the start  = -N) (SEASON),

22 Close relative (BROTHER) of badger (badger = bother = B-OTHER) crossing river (-R-) (BROTHER),

23 Double cross (BETRAY) alien (-ET-) in Wicklow town (BR-AY) (BETRAY),

25 Works for the abbey (WRITES/works for The Abbey Theatre) with women (W-) vocalising (= homophone indicator) legal entitlements (‘rights’ = ‘rites’ = -RITES) (WRITES),

27 Some of those in triathlon (some of those in ‘tRIAthlon’ = ria) used up (= reverse indicator) (ria = AIR) contents of lungs (AIR),

29 Fragment of memoir antagonises (fragment of ‘memoIR ANtagonises’ = IRAN) Turkish neighbour (IRAN),

30 Results for all sides today (‘draw’ on all sides of today’s grid / DRAWS) in 32 down (‘draw’ = DRAW-) getting point (South = -S) (DRAWS),

31 Verdict (VIEW) from judge? (VIEW),

34 Study (DEN-) a (-A-) king from Ireland  (Irish king = rí = -RI-) having head on Irish (head on ‘Irish’ = -I) (DENARII) and old Roman coins (DENARII),

35 Owner is (owner is) wrong (= anagram indicator) (owner is = NO WISER) having learnt nothing else (NO WISER),

36 Slowly finishes (DRAWS TO A CLOSE) sketches (DRAWS) by Hopper ­(toad) – for the most part (d) (‘toad’ without ‘d’ = toa = TO A) within reach (CLOSE) (DRAWS TO A CLOSE).

Down:

2 Stage performance (RECITAL) of funny (= anagram indicator) article (article = RECITAL),

3 Breakdown (WEEP) of cover for Zimbabwe epidemic (cover for ‘zimbabWE EPidemic’ = WEEP),

4 Pleas from Neapolitans (‘pleas’ from ‘Neapolitans’ = noitan = NATION) in Italy, for one (NATION),

5 Stand alone without Anna (‘stand alone’ without ‘Anna’ = stdloe = OLDEST) or Adam (OLDEST).

6 Baker leaves breakfast (‘baker’ leaves ‘breakfast’ = fast = FAST) to go hungry (FAST),

7 Similar to 24 down (similar to ‘trainer’ = COACH-) on English (-E-) school (-S) (COACHES) buses (COACHES),

8 Impose limits on views (DRAW THE BLINDS) circulating (= reverse indicator) parish (ward = DRAW) from most of them (most of ‘them’ = THE) with camouflaged shelters (BLINDS) (DRAW THE BLINDS),

9 Attract (DRAW) individuals (ONE’S) from Dublin Suburb (Swords) briefly (s) (‘Swords’ without ‘s’ = SWORD) (DRAW ONE’S SWORD) to start a fight with D’Artagnan’s gang (start a fight with The Three Musketeers = DRAW ONE’S SWORD),

14 Upper class (-U-) in tiaras (tiaras) travelling (= anagram indicator) (tiaras = A-STRIA) (AUSTRIA) in Europe (AUSTRIA),

16 Brings up (= reversal indicator) Babe (babe = EBAB), the last flick (the last ‘flicK’ = K-) (KEBAB) getting a meaty grilling! (KEBAB),

18 Early bird laid out (‘early bird’ ‘laid’ out/ without ‘laid’ = erybr = BERRY) with fruit (BERRY),

20 Pass judgement on (TRY in court) half of (half of) Yeats’ work? (half of ‘poeTRY’ = TRY),

21 Rip off wipers (‘rip’ off ‘wipers’ = wes = SEW) to do some fancy work? (‘fancywork’ = ornamental needlework = SEW),

24 Found in a stable environment (horse TRAINER found in a stable environment) or unstable (= anagram indicator) terrain? (terrain = TRAINER),

26 Has a hankering for (THIRSTS for) Blur (= anagram indicator) T-shirts (t-shirts = THIRSTS),

27 Naturists not getting any sun (‘naturists’ not getting any ‘sun’ = atrist = ARTIST) – presumably one will put on a coat? (ARTIST),

28 Artist (R-A) takes in magician’s bar (-WAND-) (RWANDA) in Africa (RWANDA),

32 Part of the hospital (ward) set up (= reverse indicator) (ward = DRAW) by local Yank (yank/pull = DRAW),

33 Tore away from Waterloo (‘tore’ away from ‘Waterloo’ = walo = AWOL) and went missing  (AWOL).