Crosaire No 17834 by Crossheir – Tuesday, March 15th 2022

Blog explanations available at 10pm on the day of publication

Across:
1 Blowing hot and cold (FICKLE) for hundred (-C-) thousand (kilo = -K-) found in queue (file = FI-LE) (FICKLE),

4 Get it in the neck from the butcher (SCRAG END) in post (send = S- END) over Charlie (-C-) contacting local paper (-RAG) (SCRAG END),

9 Don’t water (STARVE) wild (= anagram indicator) aster (aster = STAR-E) found around Mid-Devon (mid ‘deVon’ = -V-) (STARVE),

10 Points out mistakes (CORRECTS) to college (C-) rector’s (rectors) boss (= anagram indicator) (rectors = -ORRECTS) (CORRECTS),

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12 To Lynch, for instance (to lynch is a crime = CRIME), in the stadium, a Mexican type (WAVE) (CRIME WAVE) of concern for the police (CRIME WAVE),

13 The Castle’s (the castles = KEEPS) opening in 14 across (opening in ‘keep on trying’ = KEEP-) for start of summer (start of ‘Summer’ = -S) (KEEPS),

14 At the beginning of 18 across (beginning of ‘keep your cool’ = KEEP) switch (ON) to working as a judge (TRYING) (KEEP ON TRYING) and don’t give up (KEEP ON TRYING),

18 Don’t panic (KEEP YOUR COOL) most of those in 13 across (most of ‘keeps’ = KEEP) contacting one of us (one of us/one of you and me = YOU-) writing (from the 3Rs = -R) in Vogue (-COOL)? (KEEP YOUR COOL),

21 A large short-tailed Madagascan lemur (INDRI) protected by train driver (protected by ‘traIN DRIver’ = INDRI),

22 Leaves home where they were once nuts (leaves home where they were once nuts/acorns in an oak tree in an OAK FOREST) for a collection of trees (OAK FOREST),

24 Drink American beer briefly (drink Budweiser / TASTE BUD) with one of those sensational mouthy types? (TASTE BUD),

25 Break a promise (RENEGE) to Rocky (= anagram indicator) Greene (Greene = RENEGE),

26 Take stand over (oppose = OPPOS-E) containing one (-I-) leader on the (leader on ‘The’ = -T-) (OPPOSITE) other side (OPPOSITE),

27 Technologically gets rid of alcoholic (‘technologically’ gets rid of ‘alcoholic’ = tengly = GENTLY) gradually (GENTLY).

Down:
1 Drop a line (FISH) to Danish (Danish pastry = CAKE) (FISH CAKE) favourite from The Seafood Restaurant (FISH CAKE),

2 Bordeaux (CLAR-ET) embraces fashionable (-IN-) (CLARINET) instrument (CLARINET),

3 Drop off developer (‘drop’ off ‘developer’ = evele = LEVEE) by The Bank (LEVEE),

5 The course manuals presumably (COOKERY BOOKS) read by those at home on the range who want to dish it out (COOKERY BOOKS),

6 Freak rain (freak rain) storm (= anagram indicator) (freak rain = AFRIKANER) has Dutch origins (AFRIKANER),

7 Do better than most (EXCEED) of Spain (E-) cross (-X-) with church (Church of England = -CE-) writer (-ED) (EXCEED).

8 Call a halt to (DESIST) chap leaving dispatches (‘chap’ leaving ‘dispatches’ = distes = DESIST),

11 Women (W-) trimmed (r) flower (aster) (‘aster’ without ‘r’ = -ASTE) – the one going to market (PRODUCT)? (WASTE PRODUCT) What’s left, possibly flushed down drain! (WASTE PRODUCT),

15 Single (ONE-) bars (-LINE-S) overlooking river (-R) (ONE-LINERS) used by comedians (ONE-LINERS),

16 It’s logical (COHERENT) that man (-HE-) followed (= position indicator) firm (CO-) to Split (split/tear = -RENT) (COHERENT),

17 Take off (fly = FL-Y) over speech (patter) having missed the first (p) (‘patter’ without ‘p’ = -ATTER-) (FLATTERY) sweet talk (FLATTERY),

19 Cups from subtropics (‘cups’ from ‘subtropics’ = sbtroi = BISTRO) in nice restaurant (Nice/French restaurant / BISTRO),

20 Does the figures (ADDS UP) if that makes sense? (if that ADDS UP),

23 Really big (OBESE) cobblers – even (‘cObBlErS’ even = OBES-) the last one (the last ‘onE’ = -E) (OBESE).