Crosaire No 17194 by Crossheir – Monday, February 24th, 2020

Blog explanations available at 10pm on the day of publication

Across:

8 Bob (HAIRDO) runs the committee (chair) without leader (c) (‘chair’ without ‘c’ = HAIR-) from party (-DO) (HAIRDO),

9 In a clever way (ADROITLY), is not part of Solidarity (‘is’ not part of ‘solidarity’ = oldarity = ADROITLY),

10 Pop (BANG) or rap? (BANG),

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11 Run section (run section) clashing (= anagram indicator) (run section = CENTURIONS) with old commanders (CENTURIONS),

12 Count (CENSUS) wants to know where you live, for instance (CENSUS),

14 Last of the sauce (last of the ‘saucE’ = E-) opened unsuccessfully (opened ‘Unsuccessfully’ = -U-) in a Bandon (abandon/vacate = -VAC-ATE) (EVACUATE) takeaway (EVACUATE),

15 Make allowances (TAKE INTO ACCOUNT) for what the bank will do with my money (TAKE INTO ACCOUNT),

18 Postscript (EPILOGUE) to short (c) poem (‘epic’ without ‘c’ = EPI-) written by captain (-LOG-) is mostly (d) outstanding (‘due’ without ‘d’ = -UE) (EPILOGUE),

20 Graduate (M-A-) admits his (his) novel (= anagram indicator) his (his = -ISH-) has poor introduction (‘Poor’ introduction = -P) (MISHAP) and that’s an unlucky disaster (MISHAP),

22 Dad (POP -) is awake (-UP -) for 24 across (‘book’ = BOOK-) going to school (-S) (POP-UP BOOKS) with reading material that jumps off the page (POP-UP BOOKS),

24 Nabokov dismisses The Van (‘Nabokov’ dismisses the ‘van’ = boko = BOOK) – the one written by the author (BOOK),

25 Spreads bits about (SCATTERS) models (= anagram indicator), stars, etc. (stars etc = SCATTERS),

26 What some scouts seek (TALENT) from Knock (tap) endlessly (p) (‘tap without ‘p’ = TA-) before Easter (-LENT)  (TALENT).

Down:

1 Tear to pieces (SAVAGE) in wild (SAVAGE),

2 Banned substance (DRUG) ultimately recommended (ultimately ‘recommendeD’ = D-) to runner (-RUG) (DRUG),

3 Funny (= anagram indicator) comics (comics = MOCC-SI-) admit finishing Cinderella’s (finishing ‘cinderellA’ = A-) new (-N) (MOCCASIN) slipper (MOCCASIN),

4 Served up (= reversal indicator) sample of brown rabbit (sample of ‘browN RABbit’ = nrab = BARN) for stockholder (stock/animal holder = BARN),

5 Crafty type (art) retires (= reversal indicator) (art = TRA-) from Russian body (Duma) – losing a leader (d) (‘Duma’ losing ‘d’ = -UMA) (TRAUMA) comes as a shock (TRAUMA),

6 Farcical (RIDICULOUS), short (e) satire (‘ridicule’ without ‘e’ = RIDICUL-) has nothing to do with (-O-) America (-US) (RIDICULOUS),

7 Work out (PLAN-) Kathleen (Kay = -K-) is not (not) going back (= reverse indicator) (not = -TON) (PLANKTON) for a fishy dinner? (PLANKTON),

13 Nutcase (nut case = SHELL) takes legal action (SUIT-) ending dealings (ending ‘dealingS’ = -S) (SHELL SUITS) with casual outfits (SHELL SUITS),

14 Call to mind (EVOKE) First Lady (EV-E) getting to grips with fine (fine = -OK-) (EVOKE),

16 Engage in a conversation (APPROACH) with a (A-) father (Parish Priest = -PP-) at the end of a line perhaps? (-ROACH / fish) (APPROACH),

17 Observation (sight) on the radio (= homophone indicator) (‘sight’ = ‘cite’  = C-ITE) about Band Aid’s (musical amps = -AMPS-) (CAMPSITE) space for The Tourists outside perhaps (CAMPSITE),

19 Break the news (tell) briefly (l) (‘tell’ without ‘l’ = tel = -LET) to Marsh (bog) knocking back (= reverse indicator) (bog = GOB-) (GOBLET) wine glass (GOBLET),

21 Figure on the invoice (AMOUNT) for Pinot from mountaintop (‘Pinot’ from ‘mountaintop’ = mounta = AMOUNT),

23 Put out (OUST) by good books (Old Testament = OT = O-T) about America (-US-) (OUST),

24 Daring (BOLD) ball over heads of (‘Ball Over’ heads of = BO-) front line (front ‘line’ = -L-) from Dublin (-D) (BOLD).