Crosaire No 17225 by Crossheir – Tuesday, March 31st, 2020

Blog explanations available at 10pm on the day of publication

Across:

1 Literary agent drops elegant (‘literary agent’ drops ‘elegant’ = itrary = RARITY) collector’s item (RARITY),

4 Slippery (= anagram indicator) US cobras (US cobras = SCABROUS) can be rough and unattractive (SCABROUS)

9 Starters of pecorino, edam (starters of ‘Pecorino Edam’ = PE-), preserves (cans = -CANS) (PECANS) and nuts (PECANS),

10 Send up (SATIRISE) to satisfy (sate) nearly all (e) (‘sate’ without ‘e’ = SAT-) in upper (‘In’ upper = -I-) stand (-RISE) (SATIRISE),

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12 A piece of dance music (BOSSA NOVA) to master (BOSS-) for a (-A) Radio station (Radio NOVA) (BOSSA NOVA),

13 Undergo a sea change (ALTER) at top of the church (altar) state (= homophone indicator) (‘altar’ = ‘ALTER’),

14 Providers of pictures (ILLUSTRATORS) of those making a scene (ILLUSTRATORS),

18 Follows Spring (SUMMER) to college (SCHOOL) (SUMMER SCHOOL) providing space for politicians and commentators to offer views, when teachers are away (SUMMER SCHOOL),

21 A herb (a herb) doctor (= anagram indicator) (a herb = REHAB) produced a course of treatment (REHAB),

22 Live on the edge of (RESIDE-) NYC (NYC) playing (= anagram indicator) (NYC = -NCY) (RESIDENCY) regular gig in the pub (RESIDENCY),

24 Group of shops (CH-AIN) around a (-A-) place (-PL-) (CHAPLAIN) keeping the faith in the units (army CHAPLAIN),

25 Tip from opticians (‘tip’ from ‘opticians’ = ocians = CASINO) – avoid this if you don’t like taking risks (CASINO),

26 She clued (she clued) puzzle (= anagram indicator) (she clued = SCHEDULE) to plan (SCHEDULE),

27 Harry (harry/pester = BADGER) has awful (BAD-) head gash (head ‘Gash’ = G-) and is in hospital (-ER) (BADGER).

Down:

1 Agent (rep) is not finished (p) (‘rep’ without ‘p’ = RE-) with the people (-PUBLIC) (REPUBLIC) on this island (REPUBLIC),

2 Music (ROCK music) on the old boat (sailor = old SALT) (ROCK SALT) synonymous with The Cellar (ROCK SALT / salt cellar),

3 Dance (= anagram indicator) tango (tango = TONGA) in friendly islands (TONGA in ‘Friendly Islands’),

5 Mark (mark/identify = CHARACTERISE) puts his heart (‘hIs’ heart = -I-) into roles (CHARACTER-S-) with energy (-E) (CHARACTERISE),

6 Bikers risk irritating leaders of (‘Bikers Risk Irritating’ leaders of = BRI-) taxi (cab = -C-A-B-) drivers’ motoring organisation (Royal Automobile Club = RAC = -RAC) (BRIC-A-BRAC) with old curiosities (BRIC-A-BRAC),

7 Old (O-) tape (tape) playing (= anagram indicator) (tape = -P-ATE) contains single (-I-) (OPIATE) produced by The Chemical Brothers perhaps (OPIATE),

8 School (S-) gets wind of (-HEARS) (SHEARS) one of those responsible for the cuts (SHEARS),

11 Try in a major way (COURT-MARTIAL) to woo somebody (COURT-) with marital (marital) trouble (= anagram indicator) (marital = MARTIAL) (COURT-MARTIAL),

15 Had words with (SQUABBLED) police force (squad) briefly (d) (‘squad’ without ‘d’ = SQUA-) at opening of bar (at opening of ‘Bar’ = -B-) and ran, in a colourful way (-BLED) (SQUABBLED),

16 Bloodsucker (COUNT-) in (-IN-) Government (-G) (COUNTING) working in the Department of Finance (COUNTING),

17 Borstal boy (Brendan Behan’s Borstal Boy = PLAY-) has a reputation for fighting locally (fighter ‘locally’ = -GOER) (PLAYGOER) with one of those attending the abbey (one of those attending The Abbey Theatre = PLAYGOER),

19 Supports (BRACES) prop (prop/support = BRACE-) for first scrum (first ‘Scrum’ = -S) (BRACES),

20 Heard (= homophone indicator) Moore (‘moore’ = ‘moor’ = -HEATH) joins society (S-) first (= position indicator) (SHEATH) – it’s a cover up (SHEATH),

23 Crisis (DRAMA) witnessed by 17 down (DRAMA witnessed by ‘playgoer’).