Crosaire No 17819 by Crossheir – Friday, February 25th, 2022

Blog explanations available at 10pm on the day of publication

Across:
8 Delegation dine out ('delegation' 'dine' out = elgato = GELATO) in the Italian parlour (GELATO),

9 Hamlet (PLAY-) and Othello (Moor) recalled (= reverse indicator) (Moor = -ROOM) (PLAYROOM) in the nursery (PLAYROOM),

10 A Bandon (‘a Bandon’ = ‘abandon’ = JILT) dump? (JILT),

11 Won’t (wont = TOWN) confuse (= anagram indicator) The Wailers (CRIERS) (TOWN CRIERS) with old news reporters perhaps (TOWN CRIERS),

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12 For a memorable time (-ERA-) on island (-I-) in Donegal (D-L) (DERAIL), lose track of one of them online? (DERAIL train on line),

14 Loire gin (Loire gin) drunk (= anagram indicator) (Loire gin = RELIGION) by Faith (RELIGION),

15 It’s said (= homophone indicator), to shred (‘grate’ = ‘great’ = GREAT-) an amount of local money (-GRAND-) is an issue (-CHILD) (GREAT- GRANDCHILD) for relative in the family (GREAT-GRANDCHILD),

18 Does it matter (WHAT OF IT) women (W-) from Panama (-HAT-) found Oscar (O-) in good shape (fit = -F IT)? (WHAT OF IT),

20 The German (‘the’ German = -DER-) behind Channel Islands’ (CI-) shots primarily (‘Shots’ primarily = -S) (CIDERS) with apple drinks (CIDERS),

22 The best proposal you might get (MASTER PLAN) from teacher (MASTER) getting on aircraft (plane) shortly (e) (‘plane’ without ‘e’ = PLAN) (MASTER PLAN),

24 Brave getting off riverboat (‘brave ‘ getting off ‘riverboat’ = riot = RIOT) to go on the rampage (RIOT),

25 Taken along by bodyguard (ESCORTED) to mysterious (= anagram indicator) secret do (secret do = ESCORTED),

26 Go over (EXCEED) to Spain (E-) with Ray (-X- ray), Clare (-CE-) and Teddy (-ED) (EXCEED).

Down:
1 Check for accuracy (vet), clip (t) ('vet' without 't' = VE-) on the Mediterranean coast (-NICE) (VENICE) or on the Adriatic (VENICE),

2 What is on top of calories (top of ‘Calories’ = -C-) in butter? (fat = FA-T) (FACT) Every scientist knows that! (FACT),

3 Pay the price (FOOT- the bill) for singing intro (‘Singing’ intro = -S-) on record (-LOG) (FOOTSLOG), as it has a pace that’s ridiculously hard to maintain (FOOTSLOG),

4 Spout out (SPEW) the extremes of Spiro Agnew (the extremes of ‘SPiro agnEW’ = SPEW),

5 Friend (pal = PA-L) admits writing (from the three Rs = -R-) to church (Church of England = -CE-) (PARCEL) – what would you expect from a man of letters? (PARCEL),

6 Helping with the dishes (DRYING) and starters of smoked herring essentially delivered (starters of ‘Smoked Herring Essentially Delivered’ = SHED) (DRYING SHED) in place of cured bacon, for instance? (DRYING SHED),

7 Short of money (short of money/ poor = POOR) for clay (SOIL) (POOR SOIL) – without it you won’t be able to grow the perfect grapes? (POOR SOIL),

13 Paint a toad (paint a toad) jumping all over the place (= anagram indicator) (paint a toad = ADAPTATION) for drama (ADAPTATION),

14 Rise up against (REACT) ancestor’s missing sons? (‘ancestors’ missing ‘sons’ = acetr = REACT),

16 Check your lines in advance (REHEARSE) for catches (-HEARS-) in lough (Lough RE-E) (REHEARSE),

17 Trace Ned (trace Ned) Batty (= anagram indicator) (trace Ned = DECANTER) from port vessel – the one holding the wine (DECANTER),

19 Unprecedented events (FIRSTS) concealed by anarchist’s riflemen in revolution (= reverse indicator) (concealed by ‘anarchiSTS RIFlemen’ = stsrif = FIRSTS),

21 Journalist (-ED) behind (= position indicator) 24 across (‘riot’ = RIOT-) (RIOTED) behaved badly in the street (RIOTED),

23 Laying odds on all sides (‘LAying odDS’ on all sides = LADS) for the boys (LADS),

24 Groan out of arrogance (‘groan’ out of ‘arrogance’ = arce = RACE) from the French, for example (RACE).