Crosaire No 17418 by Crossheir – Wednesday, November 11th, 2020

Blog explanations available at 10pm on the day of publication

Across:

8 Spain and Portugal (IBERIA) and more than half of Russia (Siberia) is leaderless (s) (‘Siberia’ without ‘s’ = IBERIA),

9 Titian (Titian) confused (= anagram indicator) (Titian = -NITIAT-) in Ireland (Ireland domain = .ie = I-E) (INITIATE) with new member (INITIATE),

10 Well turned out? Weren’t (‘well turned’ out/without ‘werent’ = llud = DULL) lacking interest! (DULL),

11 Security (COLLATERAL) firm (CO-), after a while (-LATER-) in American city (-L-A-), gets on top of the legislation (on top of the ‘Legislation’ = -L) (COLLATERAL),

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12 Stood in awe of (ADORED) what’s in spread or editorial (what’s in ‘spreAD OR EDitorial’ = ADORED),

14 Get through college (PASS) with top mark (A), go to American city (Los Angeles  = LA-) and begin work (begin ‘Work’ = (-W) (PASS A LAW) to do business of legislature (PASS A LAW),

15 Frank (STRAIGHT) meets Bud (SHOOT-) Ward (-ER) (STRAIGHT SHOOTER) in New York – he’s an honest broker (in US, STRAIGHT SHOOTER is to be trusted),

18 Put down (BAD-MOUTH) awful (BAD -) starter of moussaka (starter of ‘Moussaka’ = -M-) on holiday (-OUT-) at hotel (-H) (BAD-MOUTH),

20 Caught up (= reverse indicator) in bedlam? Ronnie (caught up in ‘bedLAM RONnie’ = lamron = NORMAL) as usual! (NORMAL),

22 Irish (I-) politicians working overseas (MPs = -MP-S) touring on soil (on soil) disturbed (= anagram indicator) (on soil = -LOSION-) (IMPLOSIONS) by internal collapses (IMPLOSIONS),

24 Clip (clip/clasp = HOOK) of ranter from North Korea (‘ranter’ from ‘North Korea’  = ohko = HOOK),

25 Make scene (ST-AGE) over old (-O-) father (Father/Parish Priest = -PP-) (STOPPAGE) downing tools (STOPPAGE),

26 It’s bonkers (MENTAL) or not in Montreal?  (‘or’ not in ‘Montreal’ = mnteal = MENTAL).

Down:

1 Farcical (ABSURD) advertisement (ad = A-D) about empty (u) transport (‘bus’ without ‘u’= -BS-) going to old city (-UR-) (ABSURD).

2 It’s comes as a test (ORAL) to twist it up (= reverse indicator) inside to parcel a rope (inside to ‘parceL A ROpe’ inside = laro = ORAL),

3 Spy (WATCH-) on party (-DO-) for Government (-G) (WATCHDOG) Ombudsman (WATCHDOG),

4 Stay away from play list (‘stay’ away from ‘play list’ = plli = PILL) from Tablet (tablet/pill = PILL),

5 Closing (FINAL-) last orders (last ‘orderS’ = -S) (FINALS) for end of term ritual, to a certain degree perhaps (FINALS),

6 One views pictures (CINEMAGOER) of Genoa crime (Genoa crime) organisation (= anagram indicator) (Genoa crime = CINEMAGOER),

7 From the start of early (from the start of ‘Early’ = -E-) morning (-AM-) in part of the abbey (in part of The Abbey = stage = ST- AGE) (STEAM AGE), it reminds one of an earlier time when people put down tracks (STEAM AGE),

13 Watch what I’m saying (READ MY LIPS) – keep an eye on me and inform yourself by word of mouth (READ MY LIPS),

14 Forays off factory ship (‘Forays’ off ‘factory ship’ = cthip = PITCH) by launch (PITCH),

16 Is not an opponent (TEAMMATE) of drink (TEA-) for couple of Frenchmen (-MM-) at tea (tea) break? (= anagram indicator) (tea = -ATE) (TEAMMATE),

17 Striking (HANDSOME) demon has (demon has) gone crazy (= anagram indicator) (demon has = HANDSOME),

19 A French (‘a’ French = UN-) port (port/left = -L-) on the other side of (= position indicator) the Mediterranean (-SEA) (UNSEAL) is open? (UNSEAL),

21 Machiavellian (AMORAL) key (music key A-) to the tale of the tortoise and the hare (example of -MORAL tale) (AMORAL)

23 The writing on The Wall (OMEN) giving the characters covered by Jeanne Moreau (the characters covered by ‘jeanNE MOreau’ = nemo) going all the way back (= reverse indicator) (nemo = OMEN),

24 The clue (HINT) to why there are no wagons in Washington (no ‘wagons’ in ‘Washington’ = hint = HINT).