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Sorry, I must be being thick here but "additional matter written about leaner driver (4)" is "plus". Can someone please explain?

matter is pus - oozing from a wound, say

Should read learner not leaner.

Also "Precise, short theatre cleaner" (8,6) is "surgical spirit". Understand the cleaner bit but otherwise clueless.

Thanks ajt

I thought that it probably was "plus" but pus = matter is something I can't get my head around. I suppose pus is matter but no more so than a bus, for example, so I still don't really understand the answer.

One of the meanings for "matter" given in Chambers is pus. It's perhaps not used in that way nowadays, but when I was young it was commonly understood.

I'm not clear about your surgical spirit either. It seems more of a GK clue than cryptic. If we talk of a surgical incision we mean something clear, concise, but I don't see where the "spirit" is coming from.

AJT A spirit is a SHORT drink eg whisky,rum etc.