Crosaire No 17268 by Crossheir – Wednesday, May 20th, 2020

Blog explanations available at 10pm on the day of publication

Across:

8 List of items (AGENDA) at the bar (Attorney General = AG-) at closing time (-END-) to note (music note -A) (AGENDA),

9 A (A-) friend (pal = -P-AL) taking in Trim (e) show (‘prove’ without ‘e’ = -PROV-) (APPROVAL) for The Confirmation (APPROVAL),

10 Takes the pots (WINS) from both sides of Winter Gardens (both sides of ‘WInter gardeNS’ = WINS),

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11 Saying what’s on one’s mind (EXPRESSING), for example (e.g. = E-G), about mystery man (-X-) with crush (-PRESS-) on popular type (popular type = -IN-) (EXPRESSING),

12 Benefit (PROFIT) to university worker (PROF-) in the city centre (in the ‘cITy’ centre = -IT) (PROFIT),

14 Those waiting (SERVANTS) to fight in the army? (serve) Mostly (e) (‘serve’ without ‘e’ = SERV-) workers! (-ANTS) (SERVANTS),

15 Personality (CHARACTER-) is first (first = 1ST = -IST-) to get fair amount of (half of) the basics (half of the ‘basICS’ = -ICS) (CHARACTERISTICS) and a number of the elements (CHARACTERISTICS)

18 Morsel (-BIT-) swallowed by Naomi (Naomi) – model (= anagram indicator) (Naomi = AM-ION) (AMBITION) with a sense of purpose (AMBITION),

20 Proverb (SAYING) produced by similar characters in 11across (SAYING is similar to ‘expressing’),

22 Type of haircut (TENNIS BALL haircut) for one of those getting knocked about in court (TENNIS BALL),

24 Set down (LAID) area (-A-) in Cork (cork/lid = L-ID) (LAID),

25 Hasn’t got an issue (HEIRLESS) with rulers in need of a legacy? (HEIRLESS),

26 Blue-pencilled (ERASED) by The Times (ERAS-) editor (-ED) (ERASED).

Down:

1 Great (-G-) fiction (-LIE-) in Russia (RU) reflects (= reverse indicator) (RU = U-R) (UGLIER) what amounts to more revolting (UGLIER),

2 Used by those who have designs on others (INKS used by tattooists) with skin (skin) problems (= anagram indicator) (skin = INKS),

3 Overcoat (MA-C) covering Sally (sally/joke = -JEST-) on island (-I-) (MAJESTIC) in August (august/stately = MAJESTIC),

4 Steal off place mats (‘steal’ off ‘place mats’ = pcma = CAMP) for the scouts (CAMP),

5 Emerge (APPEAR) with a (A-) starter of passion (starter of ‘Passion’ = -P-) fruit (-PEAR) (APPEAR),

6 All the time (CONSTANTLY) in stable (CONSTANT-) yard (-Y) behind (= position indicator) port (left = -L-) (CONSTANTLY),

7 Attractive (MAGNETIC) periodical (MAG-) on the web (-NET-) for single (-I-) clubs (-C) (MAGNETIC),

13 Newcomers (FOREIGNERS) hold sway (-REIGN-) in rival (rival/ foe = FO-E-) Resistance (-R-) at the start of struggle (start of ‘Struggle’ = -S) (FOREIGNERS),

14 Rents (rents) structure (= anagram indicator) (rents = STERN) for firm (firm/strict = STERN),

16 Worked in The Forge (HAMMERED) with local drunk (HAMMERED),

17 Put down (INSULTED) writer (-ED) after (= positional indicator) abusive remark (INSULT-) (INSULTED),

19 Published (ISSUED) Sons (sons/children = ISSUE-) and Daughter (-D) (ISSUED),

21 Is (-IS-) at the centre of denials (noes = NO-ES) (NOISES) of annoying sounds (NOISES),

23 Slip (lapse), cutting head (l) (‘lapse’ without ‘l’ = APSE) in part of the church (APSE),

24 Spring (LEAP) on the banks of the Lee is cheap (on the banks of the ‘LEe is cheAP’ = LEAP).