Crosaire No 17809 by Crossheir – Monday, February 14th, 2022

Blog explanations available at 10pm on the day of publication

Across:

8 Those opening 15 across (opening ‘pencil sharpener’ = PENCIL) getting stick for putting things down (PENCIL),

9 Reflects (= reversal indicator) Germany’s refusal (German ‘no’ = ‘nein’ = NI-EN) to take in Gort (Gort = -TROG-) (NITROGEN) Gas (NITROGEN gas),

10 Content of forthcoming amendment (content of ‘forthcominG AMEndment’ = GAME) could be played out in court (GAME in tennis court),

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11 The doctor’s standing in the community (REPUTATION) is upsetting (= anagram indicator) our patient (our patient = REPUTATION),

12 One way of looking with difficulty (MYOPIC) at my (MY-) old (-O-) photograph (-PIC) (MYOPIC),

14 No hints in Christian name (no ‘hints’ in ‘Christian name’ = crianame = AMERICAN) from us? (from US/ United States = AMERICAN),

15 Takes head off writer (PENCIL SHARPENER) for making a point (PENCIL SHARPENER),

18 Targets a (targets a) swimming (= anagram indicator) (targets a = REGATTAS) series of contests on the water (REGATTAS),

20 A (A-) school (-S-) group (-SET-) from small (-S) (ASSETS) estate (ASSETS),

22 Haiti opens (Haiti opens = ETHIOPIANS) complex (= anagram indicator) for the people from Africa (ETHIOPIANS),

24 The joker (playing CARD) from No 10 (playing CARD),

25 Stay put (COALESCE) as duck (-O-) drinks (-ALES-) from edge of Cloon (edge of ‘Cloon’ = -C-) in Clare (CE = C-E) (COALESCE),

26 Is (-IS-) part of the inner circle (ring = R-ING) (RISING) of Easter 1916 (RISING).

Down:

1 What’s left (LEGACY) or lost (L-) by backing (= reverse indicator) Co-Op (coop = cage = -EGAC-) and Yard? (= -Y) (LEGACY),

2 Spots every teenager’s nightmare (ACNE) served up (= reverse indicator) in green cabbage (in ‘greEN CAbbage = enca = ACNE),

3 Charlie (C-) produces a couple of lines (LL = -L-L) about Heather (heather erica = -ERICA-) (CLERICAL) that relates to the office (CLERICAL),

4 Those employed in prospecting (employed in prospecting gold = pans) recall (= reverse indicator) (pans = SNAP) one in the frame (SNAP),

5 David, the figure from the cast, for instance (Michelangelo’s David = STATUE), is broken leaving Buster Keaton (‘broken’ leaving ‘Buster Keaton’ = usteat = STATUE),

6 Ancestor in (ancestor in) sport (= anagram indicator) (ancestor in = CONTAINERS) delivering the goods overseas (CONTAINERS),

7 Look (DECOR-) at (-AT-) Oriental (East = -E) (DECORATE) paper (DECORATE),

13 Serves up (= reverse indicator) mushroom (cep = PEC-) cold (-C-) with a (-A-) herb (-DILL-) and nothing (-O) (PECCADILLO) that will cause a minor offence (PECCADILLO),

14 Waste of a grill (ASHES) for Shea’s (Shea’s) bash (= anagram indicator) (Shea’s = ASHES),

16 Apply pressure (EXERT-) to one of those charged (-ION) (EXERTION) in Endeavour (EXERTION),

17 Comfort (REASSURE) from Erasure’s (erasures) medley (= anagram indicator) (erasures = REASSURE),

19 Brief (e) class (type) (‘type’ without ‘e’ = TYP-) getting award at university (first = 1st = -IST) (TYPIST) from key contributor to The Office (TYPIST)

21 State (= homophone indicator) caught off guard (‘thrown’ = ‘THRONE’) by what the prince, for example, might want to get his hands on (THRONE),

23 Vines from expansive (‘vines’ from ‘expansive’ = expa = APEX) summit on the mountain, for example (APEX),

24 Some series actors (some ‘seriES ACtors’ = esac) turn up (= reversal indicator) (esac = CASE) in a courtroom drama (CASE).