Crosaire No 17202 by Crossheir – Wednesday, March 4th, 2020

Blog explanations available at 10pm on the day of publication

Across:

8 One of those involved in lock-in (JAILER) is a key figure? (JAILER),

9 Network (WEB-) refers to (cites) reports (= homophone indicator) (‘cites’ = ‘sites’ = SITES) (WEBSITES) of destinations for surfers (WEBSITES),

10 Some forthcoming amendment (some ‘forthcominG AMEndment’ = GAME) could be played out in court (GAME in tennis court),

11 Warmth (COMPASSION) of fire (-PASSION) behind (= position indicator) chain of mountains tops (‘Chain Of  Mountains’ tops = COM-) (COMPASSION),

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12 Copernicus ignores puns (‘Copernicus’ ignores ‘puns’ = coeric = CICERO) produced by old consul, governor and orator (CICERO),

14 They’re the least one expects (MINIMUMS) from most of (s) the relatives (‘mums’ without ‘s’ = -MUM-) in cars (MINI-S) (MINIMUMS),

15 What The Killers are capable of (SHOOTING) is largely (largely = GALLERY) mistaken (= anagram indicator) (SHOOTING GALLERY) for Fairground Attraction (SHOOTING GALLERY),

18 Twists and turns (WRIGGLES) for women (W-) and girls, e.g., (girls eg) all over the place (= anagram indicator) (girls eg = -RIGGLES) (WRIGGLES),

20 Shatter’s (shatters = BURSTS) work in (rub) retrospective (= reverse indicator) (rub = BUR-) starts with scores to settle (starts with ‘Scores To Settle’ = -STS) (BURSTS),

22 German (G-) girl (-LASS-) has a job (-WORKS) (GLASSWORKS) churning out copies of The Mirror (GLASSWORKS),

24 The Border’s Pocket Rocket (the border’s ‘POcket rockET’ = POET) synonymous with Limerick (limerick/verse by POET),

25 Rough (= anagram indicator) partisan (partisan = ASPIRANT) has ambitions (ASPIRANT),

26 For instance, Roman (Roman EMPIRE) politician from overseas (-MP-) in Ireland (Eire = E-IRE) (EMPIRE).

Down:

1 Is in the past (‘is’ in the past = WAS-) a (-A-) bit (bit) short (t) (‘BIt’ without ‘t’ = -BI) (WASABI) of a condiment (WASABI),

2 Finally settle (finally ‘settlE’ = -E) (BLUE) after (= position indicator) brief (r) muddle (‘blur’ without ‘r’ = BLU-) in Navy (navy = BLUE),

3 Badger (brock) Trim (k) (‘brock’ without ‘k’ = BROC-) firm (-CO-) taking a fair amount of (half of) the bar (line) (half of the ‘LIne’ = -LI) (BROCCOLI) out of the vegetarian restaurant (BROCCOLI),

4 Travelled overseas (SWAM) with leads from spaghetti westerns and mysteries (leads from ‘Spaghetti Westerns And Mysteries’ = SWAM),

5 Pick up (OBTAIN) criminal (= anagram indicator) in boat (in boat = OBTAIN),

6 Nothing like this (DISSIMILAR) one (-I-) young lady (Miss), back (= reverse indicator) (miss = -SSIM-) from institute (-I-) in Donegal (DL = D-L), to have lark (lark) at The Centre (‘lark’ at the centre = -AR) (DISSIMILAR),

7 One making alterations to one’s character (REFORMER) in Luther, for instance (Martin Luther = 15th reformer from Reformation = REFORMER),

13 There is no need to say any more (ENOUGH SAID), as plenty (ENOUGH) at school (S-) get help (-AID) (ENOUGH SAID),

14 Old magicians (MAGES) in pictures (images) losing the head (i) (‘images’ without ‘I’  = MAGES),

16 Hot (H-) wing (wing/branch = -ARM-) from takeaway (-LESS) (HARMLESS) is fairly mild (HARMLESS),

17 The morning (AM-) that woman (-SHE-) interrupting revolutionary (= reverse indicator) Dubliner (Dub = -BU-D) (AMBUSHED) is taken by surprise (AMBUSHED),

19 Graduate (-MA-) consumed by grass laid out (LAW-N) (LAWMAN) by caseworker (LAWMAN),

21 That man (-HE-) involved in conservative (Conservative/Tory = T-ORY) (THEORY) speculation (THEORY),

23 Secretariat holds this (‘secrETARiat’ holds this = etar) back (= reversal indicator) (etar = RATE) from judge (judge/assess = RATE),

24 Music (POP-) festival – the second (‘fEstival’ the second = -E) (POPE) one in Rome The Christians listen to (POPE).