Crosaire No 16825 by Crossheir – Thursday, December 13th, 2018

Blog explanations available at 10pm on the day of publication

Across:

1 Beanie sports one (beanie hat has a TASSEL) at The Fringe (fringe/bobble = TASSEL),

4 One (I-) American university (Massachusetts Institute of Technology = -MIT-) can (-ABLE) (IMITABLE) and is worth copying (IMITABLE),

9 Smells (ODOURS) funny? (= anagram indicator) Ours do! (ours do = ODOURS),

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10 Grim wake (grim wake = WIGMAKER) distressed (= anagram indicator) one of those designing the new locks (WIGMAKER),

12 Sack (BAG-) American (-A-) writers central (‘writers’ central = -T-) to fashion magazine (-ELLE) (BAGATELLE) – it’s not worth mentioning (BAGATELLE),

13 Turns up (= reversal indicator) group (set = TE-S) holds onto address (Mr = -RM-) (TERMS) – it comes with conditions (TERMS and conditions),

14 Type of witness (EXPERT witness) and counsel (ADVICE) (EXPERT ADVICE) – a product of His Master’s Voice presumably? (his master’s voice gives EXPERT ADVICE),

18 Regular, reliable arrangement keeping the wolf from the door (STEADY INCOME) of stable – (STEADY) it’s what you want after working all week (INCOME) (STEADY INCOME),

21 One (-I) endless (l) account (‘bill’ without ‘l’ = -bil = -LIB-) for a (A-) total review (= reverse all indicator) (ALIBI) of cover story (ALIBI),

22 Child’s pet (DOGGY) checked by security at the airport (BAGS) (DOGGY BAGS) for the scraps coming out of restaurant (DOGGY BAGS),

24 Reads new (reads new = ANSWERED) amendment (= anagram indicator) with rebutted response (ANSWERED),

25 Knock (Knock SHRINE) a Scot getting away from chain stores (‘a Scot’ getting away from ‘chain stores’ = hinres = SHRINE),

26 Lay down (KEEP-) type of wine (-SAKE rice wine) (KEEPSAKE) for the memorial (KEEPSAKE),

27 Paid (BOUGHT) for Hugo (Hugo = -OUGH-) Boss (= anagram indicator) in Brown Thomas? (B-T) (BOUGHT).

Down:

1 Worries (TROUBLES) tenor (T-) from foreign capital (foreign capital/money = -ROUBLES) (TROUBLES),

2 Rejects (= reversal indicator) spring (spa = -APS) is great (-G-) for containers (pots = STOP-) (STOPGAPS) – they’re only temporary measures (STOPGAPS),

3 Blame oneself for losing the head (r) (‘regret’ losing ‘r’ = EGRET) with flighty type (EGRET),

5 First time out (MAIDEN VOYAGE) with young woman (MAIDEN) from The Odyssey (VOYAGE) (MAIDEN VOYAGE),

6 Extremes of ceramic art (extremes of ‘ceramic art’ = CA-) in Ottoman (Ottoman = TOMATO -N) novel (= anagram indicator) (TOMATO CAN) – a favourite of Andy Warhol’s (TOMATO CAN),

7 Johnston, Mooney and O’Brien (BAKERS) are the ones responsible for the bloomers (responsible for the bloomers /type of bread = BAKERS),

8 Serge’s (serges = EGRESS) adaptation (= anagram indicator) is way out (EGRESS),

11 Drug-free (CLEAN) Yank (JERK) is after (= positional indicator) uplifting (= reversal indicator) genetic stuff (DNA  = AND) (CLEAN AND JERK) – what the weightlifters are always trying (CLEAN AND JERK),

15 Are litres (are litres = RETAILERS) drunk (= anagram indicator) by merchants? (RETAILERS),

16 No dating (no dating = DONATING) at random (= anagram indicator) – am I giving it away?  (DONATING),

17 Plot (BED) on piece of paper (SHEET) (BED SHEET) is laid out for a king (BED SHEET),

19 Two family members (da + ma = DAMA-) and first son (first ‘son’ = -S-) Kelvin (-K) (DAMASK) produces material that has a number of sides to it (DAMASK),

20 Hasn’t left enthusiast’s (‘hasnt’ left ‘enthusiasts’ = eusits = TISSUE) paper (TISSUE),

23 Lout (YAHOO) serves up (= reversal indicator) animal food (hay = YAH-) for a couple of ducks (oo = -OO) (YAHOO).