Crosaire No 16585 by Crossheir – Thursday, March 8th, 2018

Blog explanations available at 10pm on the day of publication

Across:

1 Two directors (-DD-) in part of Britain (Wales) almost (s) (“Wales” without ‘s’ = WA-LE) (WADDLE) produce Drake’s Walk (duck/drake’s walk = WADDLE),

4 Overlook (LEAVE OUT) what you should do with the stout for Santa on Christmas Eve perhaps (LEAVE OUT),

9 Take one back (REMIND one) for short (i) dress (“mini” without ‘i’ = -MIN-) in red (RE-D) (REMIND),

10 Analyse the vulnerable (PSYCH OUT), soft (soft/piano = P-) youths (youths = -SY-H OUT) training (= anagram indicator) around college  (-C-) (PSYCH OUT),

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12 Playing (= anagram indicator) nicer hand (nicer hand = HINDRANCE) is absolutely no help at all (HINDRANCE),

13 Is critical (VITAL) of Victoria (V-), Ita (-ITA-) and April at The Foundation (April at the foundation = -L) (VITAL),

14 Dock (“pier” = “peer” = PEER-) speech (= homophone indicator) by Harry (harry/harass = PRESSURE) (PEER PRESSURE) relates to contemporary influence (PEER PRESSURE),

18 Head off to (n) Italy, for one (“nation” without “n” = ATION), after (= position indicator) fizz (FERMENT-) (FERMENTATION) with a couple making Champagne (FERMENTATION twice in the making of Champagne),

21 Abolishes (CHOPS) college (C-) dances (-HOPS) (CHOPS),

22 Detective’s (DIs = DI-S) ringing Saigon (Saigon = -AGNOSI-) doctor (= anagram indicator) (DIAGNOSIS) for a medic’s opinion (DIAGNOSIS),

24 Local (REGIONAL) gaoler in (gaoler in = REGIONAL) trouble (= anagram indicator),

25 Is (is = SI-) back (= reversal indicator), as there’s a fair amount of (half of) lichen (half of  ‘lichen’ = -LIC-) on a (-A) (SILICA) rock formation (SILICA),

26 One of those things the boxer might give (BLACK EYE) comes as a blow (BLACK EYE),

27 Form of play-acting (METHOD acting) by The Mod (the mod = METHOD) movement (= anagram indicator).

Down:

1 Praises (WORSHIPS) what the faithful does for 5 down (WORSHIPS for “Easter Sunday”),

2 Driven crazy (DEMENTED) round the bend (DEMENTED),

3 Individual (-ONE-) in the centre of the Left and the Right (L-R) (LONER) is an unsociable type (LONER),

5 It’s the last time (the last time = E-) Daisy’s relative (-ASTER) has a day of rest (SUNDAY) (EASTER SUNDAY) after period of abstinence (EASTER SUNDAY),

6 Conversely (VICE VERSA), police department (VICE) chaplain (Rev = VER-) retires (= reversal indicator) to African country (South Africa = -SA) (VICE VERSA),

7 Old (O-) drunk in Portugal (-PORT-) finds love (-O) (OPORTO) in Iberian city (OPORTO),

8 Count’s (counts = TOTALS) last to (last to = TOTALS) recover (= anagram indicator),

11 “Broker (INTERMEDIARY) to bury (INTER-) millions (-M-) with note” (music note -E-) – The Chronicle (-DIARY) (INTERMEDIARY),

15 To put pressure on (PRESS-) Labour (-WORK) (PRESSWORK) – how is that the job of the media? (PRESSWORK),

16 One of those forgers (TINSMITH) upsets (= reversal indicator) fool (nit = TIN-) asking for silence (shh or sh = -S-H) around American college (Massachusetts Institute of Technology = -MIT-) (TINSMITH),

17 Off top of one’s head (w), wink (“wink” without “w” = INK-) at one of those in stadium (-STAND) (INKSTAND) for benefit of old writer (INKSTAND),

19 School (S-) friend in Ireland (Irish “friend” = -CARA-) with British (-B) (SCARAB) Beetle (SCARAB),

20 Soldier (-GI-) in gaol (gaol = LOG-A) break (= anagram indicator) (LOGGIA) found lying at the side of the house (LOGGIA),

23 Inched away from Indo-Chinese (“inched” away from “Indo-Chinese” = oinse = NOISE) commotion (NOISE).