Crosaire No 16887 by Crossheir – Wednesday, February 27th, 2019

Blog explanations available at 10pm on the day of publication

Across:

8 Is silent leaving inhospitable (‘silent’ leaving ‘inhospitable’ = hopiab = PHOBIA), fearful complex (PHOBIA),

9 The Cure (MEDICINE) working in theatre (MEDIC-) in (-IN-) Spain (-E) (MEDICINE),

10 Reviews (= reversal indicator) part of the hospital faculty (part of the ‘hospital faculty’ = talf = FLAT) where the nurses might be sharing (FLAT),

11 Local knocked for six (DISPIRITED) by single (-I-) Schnapps (-SPIRIT-) in Germany (Germany domain = .de = D-E-) at the start of dinner (start of ‘dinner’ = -D) (DISPIRITED),

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12 Had a lot to say in Rome (CICERO) to officer (commanding officer = C-O) covering up rice (rice =  -ICER-) production (= anagram indicator) (CICERO),

14 Drug dealers (CHEMISTS) responsible for producing 9 across (responsible for producing  ‘medicine’ = CHEMISTS),

15 9 across (‘medicine’ = MEDICINE) takes most of those in 25 across (most of ‘cabinets’ = CABINET) (MEDICINE CABINET) in place of cough bottle (MEDICINE CABINET),

18 Give it to teammate (PASS-) losing the head (s) with cycling for one (‘sport’ without ‘s’ = -PORT) (PASSPORT) – he’ll need it to do The Tour (PASSPORT),

20 Free (= anagram indicator) State’s (states = TASTES) preferences (TASTES),

22 Where you might find the corrupt publicans (BEHIND BARS) to put away? (BEHIND BARS),

24 Rifle shot misses horse? (‘rifle shot’ misses ‘horse’ = iflt = LIFT) That’ll raise spirits! (LIFT),

25 Senior ministers (CABINETS) protective of China perhaps? (CABINETS),

26 Bug (INSECT) popular (IN-) religious community (-SECT) (INSECT).

Down:

1 One of the hot ones (CHILLI) caught (C-) by bank (-HILL-) on island (-I) (CHILLI),

2 Tabloid dismisses lad (‘tabloid’ dismisses ‘lad’ = tboi = OBIT) in last write-up (OBIT),

3 Working (= anagram indicator) at indoor (at indoor = TANDOORI) type of restaurant (TANDOORI restaurant),

4 Route out of mousetrap (‘route’ out of ‘mousetrap’ = msap = AMPS) used by the rats, perhaps in concert? (together/side-by-side) (AMPS used by The Rats, The Boomtown Rats perhaps in concert),

5 Some interim data (some ‘interim data’ = erimda) reviewed (= reversal indicator) (erimda = ADMIRE) with respect (ADMIRE),

6 Cite a visit (cite a visit = ACTIVITIES) planned (= anagram indicator) with things to do (ACTIVITIES),

7 Confuse (UNSETTLE) uniola at first (‘uniola’ at first = U-) with wild (= anagram indicator) nettles (nettles = -NSETTLE) (UNSETTLE),

13 Pass one’s life (live = EVIL) in retrospect (= reversal indicator) with enthusiasm (SPIRIT) (EVIL SPIRIT) for the demon drink perhaps (EVIL SPIRIT),

14 Roar from orchestra (‘roar’ from ‘orchestra’ = chest = CHEST) near to one’s heart (CHEST),

16 Keep one’s distance from (EVADE) Spike’s (spikes = ‘tacks’ = ‘TAX’) reports (= homophone indicator) (EVADE TAX) and advice from The Dodgers (EVADE TAX),

17 Creative (ARTISTIC) crafty (= anagram indicator) racist (racist = ARTIS-C) admits twisting (= reversal indicator) it (it = -TI-) (ARTISTIC),

19 Dress (= anagram indicator) model (model = OLD ME-) to accompany new (-N) (OLD MEN) and worn-out blokes (OLD MEN),

21 To made an impression (“affect” = “EFFECT”) on the radio (= homophone indicator) leads to repercussions (EFFECT),

23 Apostle dismisses Lot (‘Apostle’ dismisses ‘Lot’ = apse = APSE) and section of The Church (APSE),

24 Found in Bluebell – a store (found in ‘Bluebell – a store’ = LAST) that’s the only one left (LAST).