Crosaire No 16569 by Crossheir – Saturday, February 17th, 2018

Blog explanations available at 10pm on the day of publication

ACROSS:

1 Lead detective (lead detective = D-) has new (= anagram indicator) proof (proof = -ROP OF), as one of those in the pub (WHISKEY) (DROP OF WHISKEY) is shot (DROP OF WHISKEY),

10 Ladylike figure (REFINED) punished again (re-fined = REFINED),

11 In theory (ON PAPER), it’s potentially (= anagram indicator) propane (propane = ON PAPER),

12 Work for 21 across (POEM for “Milton”) in Limerick (limerick/verse = POEM),

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13 It’s about (RE-) Ulster politician (Member of the Legislative Assembly =

MLA = -ALM) retiring (= reversal indicator) (REALM) to The Kingdom (REALM),

15 Cough syrup borders on (‘cough syrup’ borders on = COUP) something that synonymous with something revolting (COUP),

17 Cover up gloss paint (cover up ‘gloss paint’ = SPA) in resort (SPA),

19 Try on a (try on a = NOTARY) dress (= anagram indicator) with a legal official (NOTARY),

21 Old linesman (MILTON) chases away from slot machines (‘chases’ away from ‘slot machines’ = MILTON),

22 Got rid of dad to be with 21 down (OEDIPUS got rid of dad to be with “mum”)  – how complex can that be? (OEDIPUS complex),

23 You’d expect to find this in 11 across (you’d expect to find SCRIPT “on paper”) for the players (SCRIPT),

25 Pine for (MISS-) America? (-US) (MISSUS) Address it! (MISSUS is a form of address),

27 Some hair-brained (some ‘hair-brained’ = BRA) women’s supporter (BRA),

29 Operator (USER) rues (rues = USER) mistakes (= anagram indicator),

30 Make public (VOICE) what’s at the end of 9 down (“drop one’s voice” = VOICE),

31 Finishes all the dishes – spaghetti, veal, burrito (finishes all the dishes – spaghetti, veal, burrito = SILO) from food store (SILO),

34 Reconstruct (RETRACE) knocked down (= anagram indicator) terrace (terrace = RETRACE),

35 Irresponsible (IDIOTIC) paper’s (papers = ID- papers) leaders insinuate officer taken into custody (leaders insinuate officer taken into custody = -IOTIC) (IDIOTIC),

36 Pass out (DROP -) in Ulster (-DOWN), lists of dishes on offer (MENUS) (DROP-DOWN MENUS) with options online (DROP-DOWN MENUS).

DOWN:

2 Put on one’s thinking cap (REFLECT) by mirror (REFLECT),

3 Colourful type (PINK) loses rag in parking (loses ‘rag’ in ‘parking’ = pkin = PINK),

4 Isn’t completely truthful (FUDGES) with doctors (doctors/fakes = FUDGES),

5 Band (HOOP-) from American city (-LA) (HOOPLA) creates local excitement (HOOPLA),

6 Tests the water (SIPS) and current (-I-) for midshipman (mid shipman = -P-) in boat (S-S) (SIPS),

7 Make use of (EXPLOIT) mystery man (-X-) in polite (polite = E-PLOIT) organisation (= anagram indicator) (EXPLOIT),

8 To fall (DROP) for personal minder (ONE’S GUARD) (DROP ONE’S GUARD) is to take unnecessary risks (DROP ONE’S GUARD),

9 Whisper it (DROP ONE’S VOICE)  – unmanned aircraft (drones = DRO- -NES) over river (River Po = -P O-) mouth (VOICE) (DROP ONE’S VOICE),

14 Before May (April = A PR-) at No 10 (-IO-) begins ‘Remain’ initiatives (begins remain initiatives = -RI) (A PRIORI), this reasonably needs to be deduced rather than observed (A PRIORI),

16 Takes players out of teams (DROPS) or they start on all sides today (‘drop’ on four sides of today’s grid = DROPS),

18 Drop-in (drop in = VISIT) centre activists (centre ‘activists’ = V-) for second time (second time = -I-) take seats (-SIT) (VISIT),

20 Has big shoes to fill presumably (Yeti) briefly (i) (‘Yeti’ without ‘i’  = YET), nevertheless (YET),

21 Is tight-lipped (remain silent = keep MUM), as there are no campers in summer camp  (no ‘campers’ in ‘summer camp’  = MUM),

24 Pierce again (pierce/go in again = RE-ENTER) is writing (from the 3Rs = R-) to Earl (-E-) and Spike (-ENTER) (RE-ENTER),

26 Turns up (= reversal indicator), upstart (up start = -U) gets final letter (-Z-) – this (this = S-IH-T-) covers initial hostility (initial hostility = -H-) (SHIH-TZU) from beastly sort (SHIH-TZU),

27 Short jacket (BOLERO) in trunk (tree trunk = BOLE-) at end of corridor (end of ‘ corridor’ = -R-) is old (-O) (BOLERO),

28 Take rebel out of Celebration? (take ‘rebel’ out of ‘celebration’ = cation = ACTION) That’s the director’s call! (ACTION),

32 Throws light on (LAMP) part of Tesla MPV (part of Tesla MPV = LAMP),

33 Terrible (DIRE) director (D-) from Ireland (-IRE) (DIRE).

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