Crosaire No 17701 by Crossheir – Saturday, October 9th, 2021

Blog explanations available at 10pm on the day of publication

Across:
1 University lecturer (Reader = READ- -ER) over Philosophy Foundation ('philosophY' foundation = -Y) has to guess (RECKON-) (READY RECKONER) would this be useful to The Count? (use to the count/calculator)? (READY RECKONER),

10 Flexible type (ELASTIC) from A-list (a list) working (= anagram indicator) (a list = -LASTI-) in Clare (CE) bends over backwards (= reversal indicator) (CE = E-C) (ELASTIC),

11 Tedious (tedious) cooking (= anagram indicator) (tedious = OUTSIDE) alfresco (OUTSIDE),

12 Party (DO-) is for everyone (all) taking out a (‘all’ without ‘a’ = -LL) (DOLL) local girl (DOLL),

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13 All set (READY) to open on 1 across  (open ‘ready reckoner’ = READY),

15 Cast an eye over (READ) those starting on all sides today (READ on all sides today),

17 Pass judgement on (TRY in court) half of (half of) Yeats’ life work? (half of ‘poeTRY’ = TRY),

19 One (I-) small (-S-) court figure (-SUER) (ISSUER) has a weekly commitment to readership (ISSUER),

21 The courage (BOTTLE) of Nebuchadnezzar (BOTTLE that’s the equivalent of 20 regular bottles),

22 Two mothers (Ma +Mum = MA-MUM) bearing eleven (-XI-) (MAXIMUM) – presumably, that’s the most you could expect? (MAXIMUM),

23 Sam getting out of mate’s auto (‘sam’ getting out of ‘mates auto’ = teauto = EAT OUT) to patronise the restaurant (EAT OUT),

25 Stabilised a Bandon base (‘stabilised’ abandon ‘base’ = tilisd = DISTIL) to make spirits (DISTIL),

27 Clip of (d) The Queen (card) (‘card’ without ‘d’ = CAR) from the estate (estate CAR),

29 Held-up (= reverse indicator) in coffee bars (in ‘cofFEE Bars’ = feeb = BEEF) or that’s the local criticism (BEEF),

30 Everything (ALL-) especially on the sides of (‘EspeciallY’ on the sides of = -EY) (ALLEY) passage (ALLEY),

31 The limits to action hero (the limits to ‘ACtion heRO’ = acro) overdoing it (= reverse indicator) (acro = ORCA) as a dangerous swimmer (ORCA),

34 Saw (motto) heading off (m) (‘motto’ without ‘m’ = OTTO-) with worker (-MAN) (OTTOMAN) – one of the young Turks? (OTTOMAN),

35 Picture (IMAGINE) of one (I-) lot of wise guys (-MAGI-) with two Poles (North + East = -NE) (IMAGINE),

36 Take up bibliomancy (READ THE FUTURE) to get a prediction of what’s to come from a show of hands! (show of hands to a palm reader) (READ THE FUTURE).

Down:
2 Gives the thumbs up (ENABLES), as all recall (= reverse all indicator) view (see = E-ES) over large (-L-) bar (ban = -NAB-) (ENABLES),

3 Facts of figures (DATA) around revolutionary (= reverse indicator) atomic warhead (around ‘ATomic warheAD’ = atad =DATA),

4 Found in the gardening section (ROCKET) – a mainstay of The Magazine (ROCKET in magazine/arms store),

5 It’s not clear (CLOUDY) cook (= anagram indicator) could (could = CLOUD-) finish pastry (finish ‘pastrY’ = -Y) (CLOUDY),

6 Close at hand dispensing candles (‘close at hand’ dispensing ‘candles’ = otha = OATH), promise (OATH),

7 I’ve (ive = EVI-) got over (= reverse indicator) the damage to the car (-DENT) (EVIDENT), that’s clearly the case (EVIDENT),

8 Study Dubliners, for instance (study “Dubliners”, for instance = READ LIKE A BOOK), to easily understand real motivations (READ LIKE A BOOK),

9 Look at (READ) those in hot water (TEA LEAVES) (READ TEA LEAVES) to discover what lies ahead (READ TEA LEAVES),

14 A (A-) writing (from 3Rs = -R-) by close competitor  (-RIVAL) (ARRIVAL) from birth (ARRIVAL),

16 Yours truly (me = -EM-) wrapped up in warm coat (fur = F-UR) (FEMUR) – without one I wouldn’t have a leg to stand on (FEMUR),

18 Amusing type (COMIC) of dandy? (Dandy COMIC),

20 One of those from The Maze (RAT) capsized (= reverse indicator) in The Ouachita River (in ‘the ouachiTA River’ = tar = RAT),

21 A metropolitan (Dub) raised (= reversal indicator) (Dub = BUD) by local Playmate (local ‘playmate’ = BUD),

24 Tear the (tear the) dress (= anagram indicator) (tear the = THEATRE) in the gate (The Gate THEATRE),

26 The little hunter (TERRIER) from Ireland (Ireland domain = .ie) replaced nothing (o) out of dread (dread/terror = ‘ie’ replaced ‘o’ in ‘terrOr’ = ‘terrIEr’ = TERRIER),

27 Briefly (k) touch glasses (clink) (‘clink’ without ‘k’ = CLIN-) with top champagne (top ‘Champagne’ = -C-) that goes to his head (‘His’ head = -H) (CLINCH) to settle a deal (CLINCH),

28 It’s a comfort (RELIEF) to official (RE-F) catching story (-LIE-) (RELIEF),

32 In the thick of (AMID) some pastrami delicacy (some ‘pastrAMI Delicacy’ = AMID),

33 Huge (VAST) gas stove goes out (‘gas stove’ ‘goes’ out/without ‘goes = astv = VAST).