Crosaire No 17421 by Crossheir – Saturday, November 14th, 2020

Blog explanations available at 10pm on the day of publication

Across:

1 French neighbours (SPANISH) soon in (soon in) trouble (= anagram indicator) (soon in = ONIONS) (SPANISH ONIONS) – what do you expect from a Basque plot? (from a Basque plot/allotment = SPANISH ONIONS),

10 Greek character (16th letter of Greek alphabet = PI-) managed (-RAN-) hotel (-H-) by a (-A) (PIRANHA) type of school that’s particularly dangerous? (school of PIRANHA),

11 Feel sorry for (pity) the most part (y) (‘pity’ without ‘y’ = PIT) for rugby player (PROP) (PIT PROP) – a supporter of mine (a roof beam/support in mine = PIT PROP),

12 A basic requirement (NEED) for Orwell getting away from ne’er-do-well (‘Orwell’ getting away from ‘ne’er-do-well = need = NEED),

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13 In a state (UPSET) of shock? (UPSET),

15 Native Alaskan sides (‘NAtive AlaskAN’ sides = NAAN) of bread complimenting saucy dishes (NAAN),

17 Keep an eye on (SPY) revolting (= reverse indicator) characters in The Apocalypse (characters in ‘the apocalYPSe’ =  yps = SPY),

19 Close (shut) most of (t) (‘shut’ without ‘t’ = SHU-) the paper (Financial Times = -FT-) with one (-I) (SHUFTI) quick look (SHUFTI)

21 Crafty types (KAYAKS) of Egyptian spirit (KA-) for local gossips (-YAKS) (KAYAKS),

22 One of those in Ring (ROUND- in a boxing ring match) on top of extension (top of ‘Extension’ = -E-) to date (-D) (ROUNDED) is well developed? (ROUNDED),

23 Grow a reduced amount (LESSEN) – sounds like (= homophone indicator) something heard in agricultural college? (‘lesson’ = ‘LESSEN’),

25 Irish love (Irish ‘love’ = grá = GRA-) joining party leader (‘Party’ leader = -P-) quietly (quietly/piano = -P-) (GRAPPA) for a (A) (GRAPPA) drink (GRAPPA),

27 Fool (ASS) coming back (= reverse indicator) from Dar es Salaam (from ‘dar eS SAlaam’  = ssa = ASS),

29 Propose a toast in part (‘propoSE A Toast’ in part = SEAT) for The Bench (SEAT),

30 The (the) problem (= anagram indicator) (the = ETH-) with The Queen? (Elizabetha Regina/Queen Elizabeth = -ER) (ETHER) Produced by Sky clearly! (ETHER),

31 Please read after misunderstanding “Tips (‘Please Read After Misunderstanding’ tips = PRAM) for The Very Young Travellers” (PRAM),

34 Romeo (lover) losing the head (l) (‘lover’ losing ‘l’ = OVER-) doing a (-A-) couple of lines (-LL) (OVERALL) by and large (OVERALL),

35 Bitter (ICE-COLD) docile (docile) boss (= anagram indicator) (docile = ICE--OLD) over 100 (Roman 100 = -C-) (ICE-COLD),

36 A harpist using (a harpist using) jazz (= anagram indicator) (a harpist using = SPANISH GUITAR) instrument that appeals to a plucky type (SPANISH GUITAR).

Down:

2 Public garden (park) isn’t finished (k) (‘park’ without ‘k’ = PAR-) on Trim (e) site (venue) (‘venue’ without ‘e’ = -VENU) (PARVENU) produced by upstart (PARVENU),

3 Religious (NUNS) school (National School = -NS) after (= position indicator) a French (‘a’ French = un) Revolution (= reverse indicator) (un = NU-) (NUNS),

4 Everyone uses them when posting (STAMPS) statements regarding Trump’s extremes (‘STAtements regarding truMPS’ extremes = stamps = STAMPS).

5 Hawk (OSPREY) ring (O-) for dollar ($ = -S-) and pray (pray) no one hears that right (= homophone indicator) (‘pray’ = ‘prey’ = -PREY) (OSPREY),

6 Taoiseach scratches aches (‘taoiseach’ scratches ‘aches’ = toia = IOTA), a bit (= IOTA),

7 New (N-) vehicle (van = -VAN-) commandeered by paramilitaries (IRA = -IR-A) (NIRVANA) is in an ideal state? (ideal/idyllic state = NIRVANA),

8 Spread (SPAN-) with soup (= anagram indicator), sole, shins (sole shins = -ISH LESSON), (SPANISH LESSON) – and with this, the makings of a proper paella? (SPANISH LESSON),

9 Bridges (spans = SPAN-S-) around Ireland (-I-) wrong (harm = -H ARM-) to take leads for abutments, decks, arches (leads on ‘Abutments Decks Arches’ = -ADA) (SPANISH ARMADA) from old foreign ships (SPANISH ARMADA),

14 Toasts from shop assistant (‘toasts’ from ‘shop assistant’ = shpsian = SPANISH) found on all sides today (SPANISH on all sides of today’s grid),

16 Tom Sawyer failed to get mayo (‘Tom Sawyer’ failed to get ‘mayo’ = tswer = STREW) or spread? (STREW),

18 Some internship – a dream (some ‘internshiP A DREam’ = PADRE) job for father on a mission (PADRE),

20 One is charged (ION) for taking a fair amount of (half) the potion (half of ‘potION’  = ION),

21 Grace Kelly missing clearly (‘Grace Kelly’ missing ‘clearly’ = gek = KEG) one of those holding drink in the pub (KEG),

24 Small (S-) fish (-HAKE-) heads of unusual pollock (heads of ‘Unusual Pollock’ = UP) (SHAKE-UP) for redistribution (SHAKE-UP),

26 First song (first ‘Song’ = -S-) in Evita (Evita Peron = PER-ON-) taken by leading actor’s (leading ‘Actors’ = -A) (PERSONA) character (PERSONA),

27 The censor of Rome (Cato = The Censor of Rome) removes introduction (c) (‘Cato’ without ‘c’ = ATO-) and two lines (-LL-) from last speeches (last ‘speecheS’ = -S) (ATOLLS) produced by Diego Garcia (atoll in central Indian Ocean) and others (ATOLLS),

28 Using needle (SEWING) in final games (final ‘gameS’ = S-), for example (e.g. = E-G), holding on to triumph (-WIN-) (SEWING),

32 The weakest man on The Board (PAWN) in hock locally (PAWN),

33 Some uplifting (= reversal indicator) favourite yarn (some uplifting ‘favourITE Yarn’ = itey = YETI) of The Abominable Snowman (YETI).