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I like Paul McKenna’s Mephistos, they are much more challenging than the other two setters, but he’s a bit naughty at times. Eg: 29 AC copious – this answer can simply be found by looking up “redundant” in Chambers. But if you look up copious, Chambers doesn’t give redundant as a synonym, so two Mephisto rules broken there. 27 D Scatt. This is not given in Chambers as a spelling for a Cornish wind.

Ihold no brief for McKenna, but "scatt" is given as a Cornish word for wind, or blow, in my Chambers, which is the latest edition. I have not forgiven this setter for giving "defence mechanism" as a clue for "ink sac": maybe it is, but it would take a convoluted mind that would jump to that as the answer to the clue. There were lots of complaints about this setter in this column a little while back. I consider him to be unfair, misleading and sometimes inaccurate.

Is this Paul McKenna the same one who does "magic" on the telly?

I wondered the same, Turast, but found nothing by googling to indicate that it was the same person.
Happy Christmas to you.

... and by the way, Turast, having just looked at the Guardian thread - and if you are reading this thread - I'd just like to say that my heart leaps with joy when I see Araucaria's name on a crossword.

No, it isn't the magician..