Blog explanations available at 10pm on the day of publication
Across:
8 Cheating without it? (“cheating” without “it” = cheang = CHANGE) You’ll feel that in the pocket! (CHANGE),
9 Brings to light (UNEARTHS) setting (= anagram indicator) sun (sun = UN-S) going around our planet (-EARTH-) (UNEARTHS),
10 Passing remarks (OBIT) from some of the Jacobites (some of the “Jacobites” = OBIT),
11 Putting two and two together and getting four-and-a-half (ROUGH GUESS) is a judgement call that’s not scientific (ROUGH GUESS),
12 Send up (LAUNCH) the introduction to the magazine (the introduction to the magazine = LAUNCH),
14 With time on their hands (FREE-) Mods (mods = -DOMS) drunk (= anagram indicator) (FREEDOMS) in The Liberties (FREEDOMS),
15 Revised decision (CHANGED ONE’S MIND) in 8 across (“change” = CHANGE-) by Mafia leader (Don = -D ON-) from Nimes (Nimes = -SE MIN-), baffles (= anagram indicator) head of department (head of department = -D) (CHANGED ONE’S MIND),
18 Old Bob (old ‘bob’ = shilling = S-) and Kitty (kitty/purse = -POT-) from Takeaway (take away = -LESS) (SPOTLESS) produced Snow White (snow white = SPOTLESS),
20 Pay no attention to (IGNORE) Gore in (Gore in = IGNORE) trouble (= anagram indicator),
22 The directors’ (BOARD) tactics (GAMES) leading to monopoly and risk (Monopoly and Risk = BOARD GAMES),
24 Heart, for instance (PUMP), set on watering system (PUMP),
25 Keep quiet about (PIPE DOWN) one with great expectations (PIP- has great expectations in Charles Dickens’ Great Expectations) and energy (-E) in Ulster (DOWN) (PIPE DOWN),
26 That could be Clay (clay = GROUND) leading George (leading “George” = G-) by the 9th, for instance (9th round = - ROUND) (= GROUND).
Down:
1 Fear (PHOBIA) of copper (copper = penny = P-) finding what’s illegally obtained (hot) mostly (t) (“hot” without “t” = -HO-) from bank (AIB = -BIA) hold-up (= reversal indicator) (PHOBIA),
2 State (= homophone indicator) not (“not” = “KNOT”) involved in common whipping? (common whipping knot = type of KNOT),
3 Does this sound like something robber might say when carrying nothing incriminating? (SEARCH ME) I haven’t a clue! (SEARCH ME),
4 Master (GURU) golf (G-) at old city (-UR-) university (-U) (GURU),
5 The (the) empty (empty/remove middle = h) (“the” without “h” = TE-) church (-CH-) that is (that is = i.e. = -IE) (TECHIE) possibly at the end of a hard drive (TECHIE),
6 Worker (-MAN) is after (= positional indicator) 26 across (“ground” = GROUND-) and leading solicitor (leading “solicitor” = -S-) (GROUNDSMAN) for job in The Courts (job in the tennis courts = GROUNDSMAN),
7 Bishops (CHESSMEN) have a number of positions on 22 across (CHESSMEN with positions on “board games”),
13 Has no chance of success (NON-STARTER) staying at The Post? (staying at the post in racing = NON-STARTER),
14 Plays around (FOOLS) with footballers dropping Albert (“footballers” dropping “Albert” = fools = FOOLS),
16 This can be mesmerising (HYPNOSIS) reminding oneself of one’s childhood (HYPNOSIS),
17 They always point this out in the cinema (EXIT SIGN) for those abandoning The Road (EXIT) for The Omen (SIGN) (EXIT SIGN),
19 Get going without it (“get going” without “it” = gegong = EGGNOG) for Christmas drink (EGGNOG),
21 One of good books (ROMANS / Bible) found around The Vatican (ROMANS),
23 No lads in Midlands (no “lads” in “Midlands” = midn = MIND) give a damn (MIND),
24 Wasn’t that a novel idea (PLOT) for some to develop lottery? (some to “develop lottery” = PLOT).