Crosaire No 17750 by Crossheir – Monday, December 6th, 2021

Blog explanations available at 10pm on the day of publication

Across:
8 Short (e) viral phenomenon ('meme' without 'e' = MEM-) in Brazil (Rio) reflects (= reverse indicator) (Rio = -OIR) (MEMOIR) life of the bookmaker (MEMOIR),

9 Come down to earth (LAND-) with tramp’s partner (-LADY and the tramp) (LANDLADY) – the one charged with colleting the rent (LANDLADY),

10 Holding up the barbecue (DECK) with sides of devils on horseback (sides of ‘DEvils on horsebaCK’ = DECK),

11 “Sally’s (sallies/quips = WITTICISMS) supposed to be clever and amusing” – coming from a comedian (WITTICISMS),

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12 Friend of dancer (reindeer DASHER friend of reindeer Dancer) is a fast mover (DASHER),

14 Temporary trend (FAD-) from Spain (-E) from area (A-) on Camino, for one (Way of St James = -WAY) (FADE AWAY) produced by shrink (FADE AWAY),

15 Typical (REPRESENTATIVE-) school (-S) (REPRESENTATIVES) with a gents? (‘a gents’ = ‘agents’ = REPRESENTATIVES),

18 Which (which) state (= homophone indicator) (‘which’ = ‘witch’ = WITCH-) is associated with a fair amount of (half) misery (half of ‘misERY’ = -ERY) (WITCHERY) and the dark arts? (WITCHERY),

20 Regalia from Anglo-American (‘Regalia’ from ‘Anglo-American’ = nomcan = CON MAN) fraudster (CON MAN).

22 Alarming exercises (FIRE DRILLS) for Irish men (Irish ‘men’ = FIR-) with energy (-E) taking practice sessions (practice sessions = DRILLS) (FIRE DRILLS),

24 At the beginning and the end of Arabian Nights (at the beginning and the end of ‘ARabian nighTS’ = ARTS) to a degree (ARTS degree),

25 Fog coming off golf courses (‘fog’ coming off ‘golf courses’ = lcourses = CLOSURES) leads to stoppages (CLOSURES),

26 Policeman (cop) loses head (c) (‘cop’ loses ‘c’ = OP-) with jerks (-TICS) (OPTICS) hanging out of the bar (OPTICS).

Down:
1 For the most part (t), shipped out (sent) ('sent' without 't' = SEN-) to laidback (= reverse indicator) hotshot (ace = -ECA) (SENECA) from one of the original Five Nations? (SENECA – one of the original Five Nations of Native Americans comprising the Iroquois confederacy),

2 Sid leaves Skid Row (‘Sid’ leaves ‘Skid Row’ = krow = WORK) to take a job (WORK),

3 2 down (‘work’ = -WORK-) found in 24 across (‘arts’ = ART-S) (ARTWORKS) and in The Louvre! (ARTWORKS),

4 Parcel (parcel of land = PLOT) for novice (learner = -L-) taken in by Kitty (P-OT) (PLOT).

5 Stop worrying over (UNWIND) a French (UN-) victory (-WIN-) on first of December (first of ‘December’ = -D) (UNWIND),

6 An historic romance, in a manner of speaking (Italian language is a “Romance language” / OLD ITALIAN), produced by one of those in 1 down? (“Seneca the Younger” is an OLD ITALIAN),

7 The gardener’s (ADAM’S) drink (ALE) (ADAM’S ALE) of water (ADAM’S ALE),

13 He searched (he searched) all over the place (= anagram indicator) (he searched = HARD CHEESE) for Parmesan (HARD CHEESE),

14 Love (FANCY) /Hate it isn’t?  (FANCY),

16 Meeting all the requirements (ELIGIBLE) of one (-I-) large (big) review (= reverse indicator) (big = -GIB-) in The Magazine (Elle = EL-LE) (ELIGIBLE),

17 Jockey (= anagram indicator) cares not (cares not = ANCESTOR) for one who ran his race long before him (ANCESTOR),

19 Mistakes (ERRORS) bad kids (terrors) starting off (t) (‘terrors’ without ‘s’ = ERRORS),

21 Pranks (ANTICS) produced by workers (ants = ANT-S) around institute (-I-) and college (-C-) (ANTICS),

23 Record (LIST) by composer (Liszt) on the radio (= homophone indicator) (‘Liszt’ = ‘LIST’),

24 They’re all part of the drama (ACTS) for those ending wars (pacts) getting rid of leadership (p) (‘pacts’ without ‘p’ = ACTS) (ACTS).