17893 by Le Corsaire

Blog explanations available at 10pm on the day of publication

Across

8 Bearded, Portobello playwright (= SHAW) rose (= UP) in order (indicates anagram) to do the cleaning (= WASH UP).

9 Half-cut (remove half of) rabbit (i.e. RAB-) returned (reverse indicator = BAR) twice (repeat BAR), I see - sounds (homophone of ‘I see’ = IC) pretty wild (= BARBARIC).

10 Fires (= KILN) URL (i.e. ‘link’) around (indicates anagram of LINK), maybe.

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11 Discuss (= CHEW THE FAT) what to do with crackling, perhaps (i.e. ‘chew the fat’), with chef that we organised (= anagram of CHEF THAT WE).

12 Put the last of 15 across (‘teacup’) on this (= SAUCER), with a biscuit on the side maybe (= SAUCER)?

14 Bizarrely, lick taco (anagram of LICK TACO); then drink this (= COCKTAIL).

15 Threw (= anagram indicator) Persian cat out (PERSIAN CAT OUT) in the (i.e. include) morning (= AM) creating a kerfuffle but it blew over quickly (= STORM IN A TEACUP).

18 One (= I) sly chap (= SLY CHAP) goes around (indicates anagram) to doctor for this (= PHYSICAL).

20 Little Robert (= ROB) abandons (remove from) potboiler (i.e. take ‘rob’ from ‘potboiler’ = PTOILE) being very refined (= POLITE).

22 I concur (= I CONCUR) with this senior citizen (= OAP), funnily (indicates anagram) - there’s plenty here (= CORNUCOPIA).

24 Sounds like ivy (homophone of ‘ivy’ i.e. ‘IV’ = DRIP) is wet (= DRIP).

25 X-men (= TEN MEN) get entangled with (indicates anagram) space creature (= ET) at ramshackle dwelling (= TENEMENT).

26 Could only fill flask, initially (first letters of ‘could only fill flask’ = COFF), for a pair of sweethearts (= EE) with this (= COFFEE).

Down

1 Aid to digestion (= SALIVA) makes one feel alive (ALIVE), briefly (remove last letter = ALIV), in South Africa (= SA).

2 Wag this (= CHIN) when you 11 across (‘chew the fat’).

3 A wide range (= SPECTRUM) of schoolchildren start (first letter of ‘schoolchildren’ = S) to play guitar with this (= PLECTRUM) and don’t use (remove letter) long lead (first letter of ‘long’ = L).

4 Has capacity (= ABLE) to report (homophone indicator) murder victim(i.e. ‘Abel’).

5 Write (= WRITE) without taking sides (remove first and last letters = RIT) and, oddly (use alternate letters of), clinch (= CIC) approval from this judge, maybe (= CRITIC).

6 Hansel and Gretel should have tried leaving this, rather than breadcrumbs (i.e. paper trail), as a more reliable, if bureaucratic, track record (= PAPER TRAIL).

7 I must air broadcast (anagram of I MUST AIR) regarding dessert (= TIRAMISU).

13 Refer to this ( = CROSS-INDEX) to see if they’ll be displeased (= CROSS) to eat (= DINE) around (indicates anagram of ‘dine’) ten (= X).

14 One can always find (indicates hidden word i.e. ‘one CAN ALways’) a lock here (= CANAL).

16 No chores, for a change (indicates anagram of NO CHORES) and a big glass of beer (= SCHOONER).

17 Audibly rhythmical (= TAP DANCE), flowing (= TAP) movement (= DANCE).

19 Seal of approval (= CACHET) for Charlie (= C) to snip top off (remove first letter of) little packet (‘sachet’ = -ACHET).

21 Curtailed (remove last letter of) trip (= TRI-) with former American soldier (= VET) to take this stand (= TRIVET).

23 Sherpa, thankfully, discovered (indicates hidden word i.e. ‘sherPA THankfully’) route (= PATH).

24 Silly (= DAFT), first version (i.e. ‘draft’) abandoned by (remove letter) mid-afternoon (= R) (Take R from DRAFT = DAFT).