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24 down is ro(o)t. Rot.

I can run with SARK but why ? (Thanks Terry but why?)

SPECTRE sounds good, Thanks, Terry.

If Terry's SPECTRE is right, then 23 Across is Her Majesty's got in a state (8) as ?I?T???A which must be VICTORIA. And all that leaves 24 Down as Half-hearted support's to weaken (3) as R?B

That doesn't fit EBB (thanks Terry) or Jule's LOB (thanks Jules).

Where do we go from here or do we wait for tomortrow's Times for the answer?

It all appears to be falling into place - the answers seem to be 19 Down is SPECTRE (thanks again Terry)
23 Across is VICTORIA (thanks again Terry, The Joker and Jill)
24 Down is ROT (half-hearted ROOT - thanks CHALD).
All that leaves 8 Down as SARK - is it SARK and, if so, why?>

Boltonian,

This is supposition not fact...

If you take capital as meaning "important" then what is important for a scotsman's chest is a shirt, i.e. sark (scottish word for a type of shirt).
This is a clue where you get the obvious answer (s[scottish] + ark[chest]) and then try and work out how it fits the whole clue. The answer fits the whole clue not the last two words. In am starting to convince myself.

Good answer, but I think I am going to wait for our paper boy to post tomorrow's Times through our letter box. Who knows, I might still be at a loss as to why the last piece of the jigsaw is SARK - or perhaps it will be something else!!

Boltonian,
Do let us know,please.

I certainly will but it may be tomorrow evening before I get back to you - I am due to be at work by 0800 hrs which doesn't leave me much time for discussing why 8 Down is SARK .... or is it ?

Ohh tempted to say "sark" as in sarky bastards...that maybe another fenetic spelling.

Behave boys,

p@

It was SARK - Terry's explanation was correct. Thanks all. And I am sure that Pastille will consider our behaviour has been impeccable!