Crosaire No 16577 by Crossheir – Tuesday, February 27th, 2018

Blog explanations available at 10pm on the day of publication

Across:

1 Wait (HOLD ON) – back off (y) God-fearing (‘holy’ without ‘y’ = HOL-) gangster (Don = -D ON) (HOLD ON),

4 Picked up (OBTAINED) first of the onions (first of the “onions” = O-) that ain’t (aint = -TAIN-) fresh (= anagram indicator) coming out of plot (-B-ED) (OBTAINED),

9 Renovators root out (“renovators” without “root” = envars = RAVENS) a number of birds (RAVENS),

10 Bits and pieces (ODDMENTS) for eccentric (ODD-) workers (-MEN-) on back (= reversal indicator) road (St = -TS) (ODDMENTS),

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12 New (= anagram indicator) cartoon (cartoon = CONTRA-O) accommodates soldier (lieutenant = -LT-) (CONTRALTO) with singing voice (CONTRALTO),

13 Blind faith (DOGMA) in removing Renoir from reading room (removing ‘Renoir’ from ‘reading room’ = adgom = DOGMA),

14 Precious type (SILVER) interferes with (“meddles” = “MEDALS”) reports (= homophone indicator) (SILVER MEDALS) awarded by 11 down (SILVER MEDALS awarded by “Olympic Games’),

18 Common-or-garden (PLAIN) college (C-) and seedy (= anagram indicator) hostels (hostels = -LOTHES) (PLAIN CLOTHES) designed for acting detectives perhaps (PLAIN CLOTHES),

21 Local licked (beaten) off the top (b) (“‘beaten” without “b” = EATEN) and swallowed (EATEN),

22 I hope you succeed (“good luck” = “good look” = GOOD LOOK-) in a manner of speaking, (= homophone indicator) it’s open secret (open secret = -S) (GOOD LOOKS) that’s all you might need in the fashion business (GOOD LOOKS),

24 Fix (= anagram indicator) chairs (chairs = CHARIS-) with father’s partner (-MA) (CHARISMA) for appeal (CHARISMA),

25 Be infatuated with (ADMIRE) one (-I-) in dream (dream = ADM-RE) cast (= anagram indicator) (ADMIRE),

26 Frenchman (Monsieur = M-) is a foolish figure (-ASS-) going to Spain (-E-) to take drugs (-USE) (MASSEUSE) from one of those trying to manipulate the body (MASSEUSE),

27 From rock bottom, goes all the way to the top (HEIGHT) in Head to Toe? (HEIGHT).

Down:

1 Card (card = -RD CA-) forger (= anagram indicator) consumed by drugs (hash = HA- -SH) (HARD CASH) and ready money (HARD CASH),

2 Affectionately (LOVINGLY) warm (LOVING-) reports (= homophone indicator) coming out of Cork (River “Lee” = “ly” = -LY) (LOVINGLY),

3 A sad feeling (downer) coming off the summit (d) (“downer” without ‘d’ = OWNER) with title-holder (OWNER),

5 It’s not good (it’s BAD) for livewire (CONDUCTOR) (BAD CONDUCTOR) mixing up the notes in the hall (BAD CONDUCTOR),

6 Beastly type (ARMADILLO) of new (= anagram indicator) drama (drama = ARMAD-) is not up to par (-ILL-) – nothing is? (nothing is zero = -O) (ARMADILLO),

7 Tricked out of kitchen garden (“tricked” out of “kitchen garden” = hngaen = NENAGH) in Tipperary (NENAGH),

8 Stop barman from working (DISBAR) with most of (h) the recipe (“dish” without “h” = DIS-) from pub (-BAR) (DISBAR),

11 Nationalistic winter convention (OLYMPIC GAMES) for those hunted (GAME-) in major sports event (Olympics = OLYMPIC -S) (OLYMPIC GAMES),

15 Inelegant (inelegant = EGLANTINE) model (= anagram indicator) is one wild rose! (sweetbrier/wild rose = EGLANTINE),

16 Filming (SHOOTING) of event in 11 down (SHOOTING is a event at “Olympic Games”),

17 In my opinion (AS I SEE IT), it’s me giving someone else the eye? (AS I SEE IT),

19 Network (WEB-) mostly (p) for soldiers (“camp” = -CAM) (WEBCAM) bringing others to view the site (WEBCAM),

20 Drunk (= anagram indicator) toasts (toasts = STOATS) to those types of weasels (STOATS),

23 Club (LODGE) where you’d expect to find porter (LODGE).