Crosaire No 16716 by Crossheir – Wednesday, August 8th, 2018

Blog explanations available at 10pm on the day of publication

Across:

8 Fear (PHOBIA) of copper (copper = penny = P-) finding what’s illegally obtained (hot) mostly (t) (“hot” without “t” = -HO-) from bank (AIB = -BIA) hold-up (= reversal indicator) (PHOBIA),

9 Hooligan (TEARAWAY) from Split (TEAR-) is on holiday (-AWAY) (TEARAWAY),

10 Some control a temper (some ‘control a temper’ = LATE) – it’s long overdue (LATE),

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11 Comes as a blow (PUNCH) to dishy type (BOWL-) on bender (-S) (PUNCH BOWLS) holding the party drinks (PUNCH BOWLS),

12 Provide service (RENDER) for bartenders getting rid of tabs (‘bartenders’ getting rid of ‘tabs’ = render = RENDER),

14 Alarm (B- -ELL) over Bill (-AD) sending back (= reversal indicator) manuscript (MS = -SM-) (BAD SMELL) which causes a stink (BAD SMELL),

15 You’ve probably heard this locally (ENGLISH LANGUAGE), in a manner of speaking (ENGLISH LANGUAGE),

18 Party (Fine Gael = F-G-) taking in organisation (-UN-) employs (-USES) (FUNGUSES) a number of mouldy, foodie types (FUNGUSES),

20 Rendezvous (MEET UP) to announce (= homophone indicator) team (“team” = “teem” = MEET) backing (= reversal indicator) youth centre (‘youth’ centre = U-) park (-P) (MEET UP),

22 In favour of (PRO-) initial talk (initial ‘talk’ = -T-) to serve (= anagram indicator) notice (notice = -ECTION) (PROTECTION) to security (PROTECTION),

24 It’s not easy (it’s HARD) to express surprise (HA-) on avenue (road = -RD) (HARD),

25 Ration out (ALLOCATE) cook’s (cooks = anagram indicator) local tea (local tea = ALLOCATE),

26 It’s not us (it’s them = THE M-) losing the head (j) with biblical figure (‘Job’ without ‘j’ = OB) (THE MOB) – it could be the wise guys (THE MOB).

Down:

1 Put into words (PHRASE) episode (phase = PH-ASE) about regiment (-R-) (PHRASE),

2 Tips on back of envelope (tips ‘on back of envelope’ = OBOE) by one of those down the pits (OBOE / orchestra pits),

3 Fish (carp = CAR P-) from old big boat (-ARK-) is (is) fairly (half of) (half of ‘is’ = -S) (CARPARKS) set out in a number of lots for Americans (CAR PARKS in US = parking lots),

4 Crazy (nuts = STUN) about (= reversal indicator) what Taser can do (Taser gun can STUN),

5 Charged (DASHED) with this – (“–” = DASH-) alongside journalist? (-ED) (DASHED),

6 Questions determination (MAN OR MOUSE) of big house (manor = MAN OR) to get a computer connection (MOUSE) (MAN OR MOUSE),

7 Inexperienced (RAW-) novice (learner = -L-) from Cork (-PLUG) (RAWLPLUG) is one of those with an attachment to The Wall (RAWLPLUG),

13 Heartless (no centre/remove middle = uc) Duce  (‘Duce’ without ‘uc’ = DE-) with military force (legion = -LEG-ION) surrounded at (-AT-) (DELEGATION) diplomatic mission (DELEGATION),

14 By all means get rid of meany (‘by all means’ get rid of/ without ‘meany’ = balls = BALLS) in the pool room (BALLS),

16 Saunter (saunter = NEUTRA-S) wandering (= anagram indicator) around lake (-L-) (NEUTRALS) with a number of those who aren’t committed either way (NEUTRALS),

17 Mention a (mention a = NOMINATE) play (= anagram indicator) to recommend (NOMINATE),

19 What was the function (SOCIAL) of The Gathering? (SOCIAL),

21 Forcibly remove (UPROOT) our top (our top = UPROOT) model (= anagram indicator),

23 Leaderless (s) factions (‘sides’ without ‘s’ = IDES) in Rome warned about them (IDES of March warning to Caesar),

24 No wind in New Delhi (no ‘wind’ in ‘New Delhi’ = eelh = HEEL) or down the bottom of Italy perhaps (HEEL of Italy).