Crosaire No 14857 by Crossheir – Monday, August 13, 2012

 Across:

8 With sign of victory (V-) Muslim commander (-AGA-) on a promise (-BOND) is home free, in a manner of speaking (home free = free of a home = VAGABOND),

9 Happens every year (ANNUAL) when you (-U-) come between her (ANN-) and him (-AL),

10 Adventurers lose verse (adVEnturERS without ‘verse’ = adntur = TUNDRA) where it’s flat and treeless (TUNDRA),

11 Second eleven (RESERVES) are available if required (RESERVES),

12 Where to get well (get well in CLINIC) in (-IN-) with 150 (CL-) I see (-IC),

13 On the beach (SAND-) mines (-PITS) are playgrounds for children (SANDPITS),

15 Lip from crawler perhaps (lip from crawler = sound from a snake = HISS) lets off steam (HISS),

17 Against (OPPOSED) some French (some = des = -SED) coming back to Italian river (Po) palindrome (Po palindrome = OPPO-),

19 Grounds (ESTATES) for breaking set (set + set = EST-TES) either side of advantage (-A-),

22 The French (the = LE-) go to Alaska (-AK) for escape (LEAK),

24 When there’s no milk (BLACK TEA) for a BLT with cake (a BLT cake = BLACK TEA),

27 Demand (INSIST) sister (-SIS-) gets in makeshift container (tin = IN-T),

29 It’s not down (-UP) to no work (STRIKE) before how band will begin (STRIKE UP),

30 It’s about (RE-) how he (-HE-) is at (-AT) warm-up (REHEAT)

31 It’s a plan (SCHEME) the lawyer (SC-) himself (-HE-) and myself (-ME) put together,

32 Past (-P A ST-) comes between you twice (U-U-) and British politician (-MP) and is difficult to manage (UP A STUMP)

Down:

1 Easy-going (CASUAL) accountant (CA-) to Saul goes to pieces (Saul = -SUAL),

2 Foolish act (FANDANGO) and (-AND-) in the middle covered in Italian springs mud (mud from thermal springs in Italy = fango = F-ANGO),

3 Company (CO-) guy (-MAN-) meets revolutionary (-CHE) tribe (COMANCHE)

4 Apply oneself to (apply oneself to = ADDRESS) outfit (-DRESS) behind promotion (AD-),

5 Reverend (PARSON) soft (P-) on lighting fires (-ARSON),

6 Remove layers (UNWRAP) to prepare joke (pun = UN-P) that covers awful conflict (war = -WRA-),

7 Has the right to make (PATENTEE) a mess of ape (ape = PA-E) holding camp (-TENT-) with Egyptian leader (Egyptian leader  = -E),

14 Out of port (A SEA) is AC (A C = A SEA) we hear,

16 Deli (Deli = IDLE) has nothing to do (has nothing to do = IDLE),

18 Polo (POL-O) has it (-IT-) I see (-IC-) for one involved in affairs of state (POLITICO),

20 Home of a sort for 8 across (home for vagabond = SKID ROW) for kids (kids = SKID) on the street (street = ROAD),

21 In the middle the (-THE-) sea (sea = AES-) turns before Lawrence (-TE) is affected by beauty (AESTHETE)

23 Peru gal (Peru gal = EARPLUG) blocks out all noise (EARPLUG),

25 Greek character (CHI-) with short selection (-SEL) makes wooden shape (CHISEL),

26 On the brink (TEETER) and in France (and = -ET-) covered by broken tree (tree = TE-ER),

28 Sergeant major (SM-) leading soldiers (-ARMY) is ingratiating (SMARMY).