Crosaire No 16833 by Crossheir – Saturday, December 22nd, 2018

Blog explanations available at 10pm on the day of publication

Across:

1 14 down (‘central’ = CENTRAL) and 19 across (‘Africa’ = AFRICA) (CENTRAL AFRICA) in The Heart of Darkness perhaps (CENTRAL AFRICA),

10 Serious type (EARNEST) enters a (enters a = EARNEST) rave (= anagram indicator),

11 Do a U-turn (REVERSE) as man of the cloth (REV-) could be Irish (old Scottish/Irish -ERSE) (REVERSE),

12 Lightweight type (THIN) among freethinkers (among ‘freethinkers’ = THIN),

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13 Confronted (FACED) by what the barista serves (decaf = FACED) up (= reversal indicator),

15 Suffer from the heat (MELT), as there’s no Corona in Monte Carlo (there’s no ‘Corona’ in ‘Monte Carlo’ = mtel = MELT),

17 Ushered in (LED), as involved in subtle deception (involved in ‘subtle deception’ = LED),

19 Far (far = AFR-) out (= anagram indicator) women’s organisation (Irish Countrywomen’s Association = -ICA) (AFRICA) in several countries on one landmass (AFRICA),

21 An ideal state (UTOPIA) for more work? (Thomas More’s UTOPIA),

22 A snobby character (ELITIST) with title is (title is = ELITIST) wrong (= anagram indicator),

23 Old dance (PAVANE) buddy (pal) almost (l) (‘pal’ without ‘l’ = PA-) narcissistic (‘vain’ = ‘vane’ = -VANE) on the radio (= homophone indicator) (PAVANE),

25 Add a touch of sparkle (sparkle/bubbles = AERATE) as Judge (-RATE) Russell (AE-) is up first (= position indicator) (AERATE),

27 Leave a recital in part (‘leave a recital’ in part = EAR) of the musical faculty (EAR),

29 Bit of uplifting (= reversal indicator) Liza Minnelli wonderful (bit of uplifting ‘Liza Minnelli wonderful’ = lliw = WILL) for the drive (WILL),

30 Passage (INLET) from sample of chain letters (sample of ‘chain letters’ = INLET),

31 Some mouth organs (some ‘mouth organs’ = THOR) an issue for Odin (an issue/offspring for Odin/Odin the father of THOR),

34 Directing The Office, for instance (RUNNING), is moving (RUNNING),

35 The personal importance (EGO TRIP) of Freud’s holiday plans, in a manner of speaking (EGO TRIP),

36 In the last resort, a person of interest (CENTRAL BANKER) to someone with access to The Capital from the city overseas? (‘The City of London’ financial centre / CENTRAL BANKER).

Down:

2 Brigadier general dismissed badgering (‘brigadier general’ dismisses ‘ badgering’ = rieeral = EARLIER) before now (EARLIER),

3 On foot (TOES) of the other economic strategic summits (‘the other economic strategic’ summits = TOES),

4 To be precise (factual), without the introduction (f) (‘factual’ without ‘f’ = ACTUAL) it’s not fiction (ACTUAL),

5 Came to terms (AGREED) with a (A-) type of gluttony (-GREED) (AGREED),

6 In part, consider a venture (in part ‘consider a venture’ = RAVE) that appeals to dancers (RAVE),

7 Half (half) change direction (swerve) (half of ‘swerve’ = -RVE) at university (-U-) in Cork (cork/cap = CA- -P) (CARVE UP) and split! (CARVE UP),

8 Money (CENT-) is right (-R-) to remove leading (p) power (‘power’ without ‘p’ = -OWER-) in Alps? (-AL P-S) (CENTRAL POWERS) In the past, the English, French and Russians campaigned against it! (Allies campaigned against CENTRAL POWERS),

9 Penny (CENT-) has a rule (a rule = -RAL EU-) changed (= anagram indicator) for the tug-of-war (-ROPE) (CENTRAL EUROPE) in the middle of the continent (CENTRAL EUROPE),

14 It’s most important (CENTRAL) Claret (Claret = CE-TRAL) served (= anagram indicator) around mid-evening (mid ‘evening’ = -N-) (CENTRAL),

16 Song and dance (SCENE) witnessed in the abbey (SCENE in The Abbey Theatre),

18 Playful swimming type (OTTER) loses head (p) with ceramicist (‘potter’ without ‘p’ = OTTER),

20 Drink (ALE) consumed in Sierra Leone (consumed in ‘Sierra Leone’ = ALE),

21 It’s a trial getting out of Australia (it’s ‘a trial’ getting out of ‘Australia’ = usa = USA) or America (USA),

24 Protects Queen (VALENCE sheet protects queen bed) Victoria (V-) from Albert (-A-), Lenny (-LEN-) and Clare (-CE) (VALENCE),

26 Theresa (Theresa = ASH TREE) Cook (= anagram indicator) is a producer of hurley sticks (ASH TREE),

27 Force (-G- force) in Maine (Maine = ENI-MA) novel (= anagram indicator) (ENIGMA) provides a type of mystery (ENIGMA),

28 Father (REV-) in hospital (-ER-) for first biopsy (first ‘biopsy’ = -B) (REVERB) and feedback from echo test perhaps (feedback from echo = REVERB),

32 Part of the problem in trusting (part of the ‘problem in trusting’ = MINT) one of those making their own dough (MINT making dough/money),

33 He is off the throne (‘he’ is off the ‘throne’ = tron = TORN) in Split (TORN).