Crosaire No 17222 by Crossheir – Friday, March 27th, 2020

Blog explanations available at 10pm on the day of publication

Across:

8 Judge (-RATE-) in Greece (GR = G-R) (GRATER) in the grip of the cheesemonger perhaps (GRATER),

9 It’s fitting (-RIGHT-) in Belgium (B-E-) and half of (half of) Romania (RO) (half of ‘ RO’ = -R) (BRIGHTER) to be more intelligent (BRIGHTER),

10 Terence gets out of Eastern Cape (‘Terence’ gets out of ‘Eastern Cape’ = asap = ASAP) before you can say Jack Robinson (As Soon As Possible = ASAP),

11 Support (FOLLOW) clubs (clubs/cards = SUIT) (FOLLOW SUIT) to do the same (FOLLOW SUIT),

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12 Upsets (= reversal indicator) elitist (snob = BONS-) to broadcast (air) clip (r) (‘air’ without ‘r’ = -AI) (BONSAI) from one little plant (BONSAI),

14 Type of weather (DEAD HEAT) when no one is a winner (DEAD HEAT),

15 Barman (Bachelor of Law = B-L) swallows a tonic (a tonic = OTANIC-) mixed (= anagram indicator) with Amaretto primarily (‘Amaretto’ primarily = -A-) from 21 down (‘garden’ = GARDEN) (BOTANICAL GARDEN) where plants are grown (BOTANICAL GARDEN),

18 Lads went (lads went) crazy (= anagram indicator) (lads went = WETLANDS) in bogs (WETLANDS),

20 Give out (ASSIGN) to fool (ASS-) upsetting soldier (GI = -IG-) in the middle of panic (middle of ‘paNic’ = -N) (ASSIGN),

22 Captivated (FASCINATED) by a fiend’s cat? (a fiend’s cat) Weird! (= anagram indicator) (a fiend’s cat = FASCINATED),

24 Have the effrontery (DARE) to serve up (= reversal indicator) bit of horseradish (bit of ‘horsERADish’ = erad = DARE),

25 Kiss partner (Kiss and TELL-) and start to (start ‘To’ = -T-) drink (-ALE) (TELLTALE) revealing a betrayal (TELLTALE),

26 Confused (ADDLED) by how one rowed (paddled) starting off (p) (‘ paddled’ without ‘p’ = ADDLED).

Down:

1 Picture (FRESCO) of sales force dumping ales (‘sales force’ dumping ‘ales’ = sforce = FRESCO),

2 Pack in (pack in = STOP) Reims getting away from imposters (‘Reims’ getting away from ‘imposters’ = post = STOP),

3 The writing is on the wall (GRAFFITI) and it can be cutting (cutting = graft = GRAF-T-) about endless (x) drug taking locally (‘fix’ without ‘x’ = -FI-) at institute (-I) (GRAFFITI),

4 First victim (ABEL) in list from the Bastille (‘list’ from the ‘Bastille’ = bale = ABEL),

5 Graduate (M-A) gets to grips with institute (-I-) and the majority (most) briefly (t) (‘most’ without ‘t’ = -MOS-) (MIMOSA) from plant (MIMOSA),

6 An element employed by Maguire & Paterson (PHOSPHORUS used by to ignite a Maguire & Paterson match) likely to activate a strike? (PHOSPHORUS ignites),

7 Floating (= anagram indicator) Delta ice (Delta ice = DELICATE) is likely to break (DELICATE),

13 Underwear (SMALL-S-), chinos, top (‘Chinos’ top = -C-) ordered from local (-ALE) (SMALL-SCALE) for minor? (SMALL-SCALE),

14 Sells drugs (DEALS) in Germany (Germany domain = .de = DE-) for gangsters? (Al Capone’s = ALs = -ALS) (DEALS),

16 Ran (OPERATED) newspaper page (Op-Ed page = OPE-D page) about judge (-RATE-) (OPERATED),

17 Magnificent (GRAND-) Dublin (-D-) advertisement (-AD) (GRANDDAD) produced by old relative (GRANDDAD),

19 Partners of more than one in 17 down (partners of more than one ‘granddad’ = NANNAS) with grannies (NANNAS),

21 Godparents left out pots (‘godparents’ left out/without ‘pots’= gdaren = GARDEN) in cultivated ground (GARDEN),

23 Tightrope walker goes around (‘TIghtrope walkER’ goes around = TIER) one of the levels (TIER),

24 Relatives (DADS) locked up by Trinidad security (locked up by ‘triniDAD Security’ = DADS).