Crosaire No 16582 by Crossheir – Monday, March 5th, 2018

Blog explanations available at 10pm on the day of publication

Across:

8 Kitty (kitty/money = POT-) has a (-A-) plaything (toy) that’s missing the bottom (y) (“toy” without “y” = -TO) (POTATO) – has it been chipped? (POTATO),

9 The highs and lows (EXTREMES) of former (EX-) lead musician (lead musician = -M-) in The Hollies, for example (trees = -TRE-ES) (EXTREMES),

10 Some welcome atmosphere (some welcome atmosphere = MEAT) in Turkey, for instance (MEAT),

11 Someone (PERSON-) gets a (-A-) job in the stable (lad = -L AD) (PERSONAL AD) from the classifieds (PERSONAL AD),

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12 Curtailed part of (d) the stadium (“stand” without “d” = STAN-) with mid-sized (mid/centre of “sized” = -Z-) area (-A) (STANZA) for the linesman to workout (STANZA),

14 Gets the job done (SEES TO IT) for witnesses (SEES) opening Inquisition (opening/first letter of Inquisition = I-) consumed by some (“some” = “sum” = TO -T) report (= homophone indicator) (SEES TO IT),

15 Carry out trials (TEST) on make-up (make up / PERSONALITY), primarily (= positional indicator) (PERSONALITY TEST) as an indication of what one person thinks (PERSONALITY TEST),

18 Foreign politician (-MP-) in bar (LI-NE-) opens some schnapps (opens/first letters of some schnapps = -SS) (LIMPNESS), indicating it’s not a stiff one (LIMPNESS),

20 Learns to leave considerable (“‘learns” to leave “considerable” = coideb = BODICE) part of the dress (BODICE),

22 Rep designs (rep designs = DEPRESSING) tour (= anagram indicator) that’s fairly dismal (DEPRESSING),

24 Lay to rest without royal (“lay to rest” without “royal” = test = TEST) examination (TEST),

25 Catholic (catholic/diverse = ECLECTIC) comprehensive? (ECLECTIC),

26 Mysterious (ARCANE) old sailor (tar) loses head (t) (“tar” without ‘t’ = AR-) with staff (-CANE) (ARCANE).

Down:

1 Woods (FOREST) alarms the golfers (warning on the golf course is FORE-) on first two at St Andrews (first two letters at “St Andrews” = -ST) (FOREST),

2 Put a stop to (HALT) heads, hearts and lung transplants (heads/first letters of hearts and lung transplants = HALT),

3 Express dissatisfaction (COMPLAIN) with corrupt (= anagram indicator) Milan cop (Milan cop = COMPLAIN),

4 Stalin left East Berlin (“Stalin” left “East Berlin” = eber = BEER) for Oktoberfest (BEER),

5 Ray coming out of Oyster Bar (“Ray” coming out of “Oyster Bar” = osterb = STROBE) is a flashing light (STROBE),

6 Knocked the stuffing out of (DEVASTATED) old leader (de Valera = DEV-) taking Bill (-A-D) around Washington, for one (-STATE-) (DEVASTATED),

7 Mac’s rice (macs rice = CERAMICS) bake (= anagram indicator) produced in the oven (CERAMICS),

13 Overly curious type (NOSY PARKER) spying (NOSY-) on flood defence (-ARK-) in Peru (-P-E-) for rebel leader (rebel leader = -R-) (NOSY PARKER),

14 Corporate division (SALES) produces endless (end less = S-) amount of drinks (-ALES) (SALES),

16 Importance (EMINENCE) of ecstasy (E-) that’s explosive (-MINE-) for half of France (half of France = -NCE) (EMINENCE),

17 Briefly (t), Count (count = “tot” without “t” = TO-) Marsh (marsh = -BOG-) upsets (= reversal indicator) hound (hound/bully = nag = -GAN) (TOBOGGAN) travelling down the wintery hill (TOBOGGAN),

19 Not genuine (ERSATZ) about (re = ER-) retiring (= reversal indicator) and warmed the bench (-SAT-) for final (-Z) (ERSATZ),

21 Most of (e) the investigation (“case” without “e” = CAS-) in (-IN-) Ring (-O) (CASINO) is looking to recruit dealers perhaps (CASINO),

23 Longing (ITCH) to head off (p) to the ground (“pitch” without “p” = ITCH),

24 Diplomacy (TACT) of characters involved in direct action (characters involved in “direct action” = TACT).