Crosaire No 14840 by Crossheir – Tuesday, July 24, 2012

Across:

8 Make a hash of (BUNGLE) giving bribe (BUNG-) to French (-LE),

9 They’re on the run (ATHLETES) with steel (steel = – LETES) hat (hat = ATH-),

10 All right to say (OKAY) to come around (O-) before Elle (Elle = L = to come around before L = K = -KAY),

11 Evident if I (evident if I = DEFINITIVE) produce what’s unconditional (DEFINITIVE)

12 In the country (-RURAL) near the sea, say (C-) this gives you a leg to stand on perhaps (CRURAL),

14 Even so (even so = BUT-), what’s a prop (a prop = BUTTRESS) doing with long hair (-TRESS)?

15 Biblical prescriptions (TEN COMMANDMENTS) to order (-COMMAND-) the men (-MEN-) into the tents (TEN -TS),

18 Talk (CONVERSE) of the other side (CONVERSE),

20 Secret service (S-S) is covering lake (-ERIE-) in sequence (SERIES),

22 How the land lies perhaps (TERRA FIRMA) for fairer mart (fairer mart  = TERRA FIRMA)

24 Take hold of (GRIP) prude expressing himself differently (prude = prig = GRIP),

25 Brief description (VIGNETTE) sort of given (given = VIGNE-) to island race (-TT-) going East (E),

26 Biscuit break (CRUNCH) for crew (crew = CRU-) we hear going to concert hall initially  (-NCH),

Down:

1 It’s a bad lie of course (bad lie of golf course = BUNKER) for fuel (BUNKER),

2 Margaret (PEGGY) loses the head (pEGGY) over crème brûlée (EGGY),

3 Swinger (PENDULUM) covers you (-U-) meeting end (-END-) in fruit (P-LUM),

4 Point 5: (= 0.5 = HALF) you need two under one for this (two under one = ½ = HALF),

5 Catch mackerel (THE NET) while surfing with this (surfing THE NET),

6 Terry eyes a (Terry eyes a = YESTERYEAR) transformation nostalgically in the past (YESTERYEAR),

7 Stocky (HEAVYSET) Frenchman (Yves = -VYSE-) falling apart in heat (HEA-T),

13 It’s about (RE-) Bay (-COVE-) Band (-RING) getting better (RECOVERING),

14 Unimpressed with having seen it before (BLASÉ) in Switzerland (Basel = BLASÉ),

16 Core exit (core exit = EXOTERIC) is for everyone (EXOTERIC),

17 It’s with a twist  (it’s = -IST) in dance (D-ANCE) interval (DISTANCE),

19 Contradict (REFUTE) what’s true (true) for the most part (= missing FE; true = RE-UT-)

21 It all goes to show (EVINCE) Vincent (VINCE) is on drug (E-),

23 Not nice to look back at (LEER = REEL) old film (REEL),

24 Too much (GLUT) to find sign of learning (-L-) in the stomach (G-UT).