Crosaire No 17282 by Crossheir – Friday, June 5th, 2020

Blog explanations available at 10pm on the day of publication

Across:

8 In the hands of a smooth operator (PLANER) from Park (P-) Lane (-LANE-) on one side of Westminster (on one side of ‘westminsteR’ = -R) (PLANER),

9 Stack (-RICK) is after (= position indicator) one of The Greens (LIME- green) (LIMERICK) in Munster (LIMERICK),

10 Pitch (TOSS) and pub away from bus stop (‘pub’ away from ‘bus stop’ = ssto = TOSS),

11 No shadow of a doubt (CONVICTION) the director of public prosecutions will appreciate this (CONVICTION),

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12 Unties (unties/frees = LETS GO) the French (‘the’ French = LE-) swimming (= anagram indicator) togs (togs = -TS GO) (LETS GO),

14 From the street (CRESCENT), highest point (crest = CRES-T) around Clare (-CE-) is not the summit? (‘Not’ the summit = -N-) (CRESCENT),

15 Programming for Mastermind (PLANNING) with agent (OFFICER) (PLANNING OFFICER) responsible for sorting questions regarding any new developments (PLANNING OFFICER),

18 Disreputable (UNWORTHY) organisation (UN-) linked to noble (-WORTHY) (UNWORTHY),

20 You won’t find this in the middle (u) of yearbooks (‘annuals’ without ‘u’ = ANNALS) the four masters produced (The ANNALS of the Four Masters),

22 Prepares for what’s coming down the road (PLANS AHEAD) in 4 down (‘plan’  = PLAN-) and South Africa (South Africa = -S A-) for The Crown (the crown/head = -HEAD) (PLANS AHEAD),

24 Passed on (DEAD) what’s not working (DEAD),

25 Gain one’s attention (INTEREST) with disturbance (= anagram indicator) in street (in street = INTEREST),

26 Endlessly (r) more reckless (‘rasher’ without ‘r’ = RASHE-) at some top (‘Some’ top = -S) (RASHES) spots (RASHES).

Down:

1 A (A-) deep affection (love = -L-OVE) around college (-C-) (ALCOVE) for one of those in the bar (ALCOVE),

2 Winds up (ENDS) Lory dumped by Reynolds (‘Lory’ dumped by ‘Reynolds’ = ends = ENDS),

3 Brother (BR-) officers (Officer Commanding = OC + Colonel = COL = -OCCOL-) from unit (-I) (BROCCOLI), the type synonymous with spears – a concern for those managing the plot (BROCCOLI),

4 Scheme (PLAN) set up (= reverse indicator) in the Austrian Alps (in the ‘austriaN ALPs’ = nalp = PLAN),

5 Raises hand to give out (cricket UMPIRE raises hand to indicate ‘out’) to referee (UMPIRE),

6 Safeguard (PROTECTION) wild (= anagram indicator), ripe cotton (ripe cotton = PROTECTION),

7 Barman (Senior Counsel = SC-) has endless (d) supply of drink (‘round’ without ‘d’ = -ROUN-) knocked back (= reverse indicator), for example (e.g. = -GE) (SCROUNGE), by mooch (SCROUNGE),

13 Boy! (boy = son) Speech (= homophone indicator) (‘son’ = ‘sun’ = SUN-) at The Bar (-LOUNGE-) is first-rate (first ‘Rate’ = -R) (SUNLOUNGER) for someone lying and feeling the heat (SUNLOUNGER),

14 There’s no limit to legitimacy (there’s no ‘limit’ to ‘legitimacy’ = egacy = CAGEY) of one who is guarded (CAGEY),

16 Is capable of taking a call at home (LANDLINE) to come down (LAND-) to the bar (-LINE) (LANDLINE),

17 French (F-), German and Austrian states (German and Austrian states = Länder = -LANDER-) providing direction (South = -S) (FLANDERS) in the low countries (FLANDERS),

19 Museum display of Socialist realism, for example (Red Art), set-up (= reversal indicator) (red art = TRADER) by dealer (TRADER),

21 Bandleader dismisses bard (‘bandleader’ dismisses ‘bard’ = nleade = LEADEN) as dull (LEADEN),

23 Puts away (EATS) a Scot from East Coast (‘a Scot’ from ‘East Coast’ = etas = EATS),

24 Buck’s companion (buck’s companion = female deer = doe = DO-E) swallows small (-S-) (DOSE) prescription from the chemist (DOSE).