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23d: Progress slowly without teacher, and smile (4): *r*n. Must be "grin(d)". How does "d" mean teacher?

d for dominie?

Must be, thank you, but the abbreviation isn't given in Chambers.

There is a problem with the tense here. It is grind but the past tense "ground" or rather its obselete form "grinded", remove "d ed"( doctor of education) to give grin.Best I could come up with.

How about "grind on" for progress slowly?
Remove don for teacher and we have "grin".

My last one, and I'm a bit puzzled.
20 A. Irregular plan to employ contracted social worker (12) i?t?r?i?t?n?
I can see 'intermittent'/irregular, but don't understand the rest. Thanks.

Intent wih termit(e) inside. Termite will be the social worker.

Thanks, rusty - I don't think I'd ever have worked that out!