Crosaire No 17622 by Crossheir – Friday, July 9th, 2021

Blog explanations available at 10pm on the day of publication

Across:
8 Felt hat (FEDORA) he removed from forehead ('he' removed from 'forehead' = foread = FEDORA),

9 Ran homes (ran homes) all over the place (= anagram indicator) (ran homes = HORSEMAN) for jockey (HORSEMAN),

10 Nocturnal flighty types (BATS) arrested by constables (arrested by ‘conSTABles’ = stab) going all the way back (= reverse indicator) (stab = BATS),

11 Those showing their wares (EXHIBITORS) to former (EX-) British (British = -HIBIT-RS) doctor (= anagram indicator) around Oxford (-O-) (EXHIBITORS),

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12 It’s not us (it’s them = THE M-) losing the head (j) with Biblical figure (‘Job’ without ‘j’ = -OB) (THE MOB) – it could be the wise guys (the “wise guys” = the Mafia = THE MOB),

14 Tense (tense) play (= anagram indicator) (tense = -SENTE-) taken in by Lincoln (Abe Lincoln = AB-E) (ABSENTEE) – The Man Who Wasn’t There? (ABSENTEE),

15 It’s a daily challenge (daily/newspaper challenge = CROSSWORD PUZZLE) for Charlie (C-) and Ross (-ROSS-) Fox (PUZZLE) following (= position indicator) the news (-WORD) (CROSSWORD PUZZLE),

18 Sporting lady paid out (‘sporting lady’ without ‘paid’ = sortngly = STRONGLY) solidly (STRONGLY),

20 Creationist has no taste (‘creationist’ has no ‘taste’ = crioni = IRONIC) for what’s sarcastic (IRONIC),

22 At one’s wits’ end (DISTRAUGHT) with hash (= anagram indicator) – drugs that (drugs that = D-STRAUGHT) circulate island (-I-) (DISTRAUGHT),

24 Sample of Crème de Cacao (sample of ‘crèmE DE Cacao’ = edec)? On reflection (= reverse indicator) (edec = CEDE), I’ll give you that! (CEDE),

25 Time to retire (NIGHT) after (= position indicator) foul (foul) broadcast (= homophone indicator) (‘foul’ = ‘fowl’ = HEN) (HEN NIGHT) of social that appeals to one joining a two-party system? (HEN NIGHT),

26 Renovators root out (‘renovators’ ‘root’ out/without “root” = envars = RAVENS) a number of birds (RAVENS).

Down:
1 Director (D-) from Trust initially ('Trust' initially = -T-) involved in each (E-ACH) (DETACH) rip off (DETACH),

2 Characters in upcoming (= reversal indicator) business obsessed (characters in ‘busineSS OBsessed’ = ssob = BOSS) with big cheese (BOSS),

3 What thief might do in the pit (steal a bow in orchestra pit = TAKE A BOW) to acknowledge admirers (TAKE A BOW),

4 Sharpshooter missing trooper’s (‘sharpshooter’ missing ‘troopers’ = shah = SHAH) old leader (SHAH),

5 British (B-) piece of beef (-RIB-) from English (-E-) extreme butchers (extreme ‘butcherS’ = -S) (BRIBES) has illegal sweeteners (BRIBES),

6 A place where kids are in contact with other kids (young goats in children’s PETTING ZOO) and where they get their hands on The Three Little Pigs? (PETTING ZOO),

7 A reasonable price (FAIR DEAL) from Clement (merciful/fair = FAIR) Wood (pine wood/ deal = DEAL)? (FAIR DEAL),

13 Short (s) address (‘miss’ without ‘s’ = MIS-) by Lady Luck (-FORTUNE) (MISFORTUNE) in Hard Times perhaps (MISFORTUNE),

14 Order (order/range = ARRAY) from marshal? (ARRAY),

16 Old family servant (RETAINER) is not the first (‘Not’ the first = -N-) taken in by Eritrea (Eritrea) unrest (= anagram indicator) (Eritrea = RETAI-ER) (RETAINER),

17 They’re responsible for the sketches (PAINTERS) of new (= anagram indicator) pantries (pantries = PAINTERS),

19 Chain of mountains (-RANGE) behind (= position indicator) great (G-) (GRANGE) country house (GRANGE),

21 Nick (INDENT) is one (I-) getting to study (-DEN-) surrounded by good books (New Testament = -N-T) (INDENT),

23 Concealed by Greta Garbo (concealed by ‘grETA Garbo’ = etag) setting up (= reverse indicator) (etag = GATE) theatre (GATE Theatre),

24 Some eccentric – a vegetarian (some ‘eccentriC A VEgetarian’ = CAVE) left holding the wine (CAVE).