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Nice clue shooty, interesting word Les

My head is so full of other stuff I didn't even notice it was done and dusted! Well done Shooty, don't let my remarks detract from your elegance!

Just arrived in the real world from childcare by pensioner!!!
Well done shooty.
By the way.
Who is/are/were Hall , Oates and Cat (Catherine??) Stevens.
And although Les can see the parsing I cant find a definition. Surely not 'mentor'.

Heres one I made yesterday.
Holey Persian carpet. Spellcheck advised.

Lots of love
Thea

Please would someone explain shooty's clue to me?

Thank you Les for the kind words and the accolade (the link). aristophanes No 9 made me smile and BBM's No 18 worked very well indeed as did redundantelfs No 12. So many other great clues also for a challenging word, I think.
I had not really thought this through as I didn't think I would be selected. (I joined in for fun). I work 13 Hr days on a building site with no laptop or internet. Therefore I will not be able to set next weeks challenge in your regular times and deadlines. So I am asking if it would be possible for a stand in to cover Please.

Explanation.
Hall 'n' Oates say, avoids ways to confuse Cat Stevens mentor (9)

I gave it a musician theme.

Hall and Oates (famous duet of the 80's)
Hall 'n' Oates say (letters to be considered)
avoid ways = take out all directions [ i.e N,S,E,W]
to confuse is the anagram indicator of remaining letters.
Cat stevens is a famous musician from the 60s/70s.
he converted to Islam and changed his name to 'Yusuf Islam'.
Therefore, Yusuf islams mentor would be an' ayatollah'.

OK, The parse I believe is (and please correct me if I'm wrong)

Hall 'n' Oates say, avoids ways to confuse Cat Stevens mentor (9)

Hall 'n' Oates say = anagram fodder
avoids ways = extract - N E S S from this
to confuse = Anagram indicator
Cat Stevens mentor = Def

Cat Stevens is a musician who was prevalent in the 70's & 80's . He converted to Islam and changed his name to Yusif Islam and has done much work around this since.
An Islamic leader is an Ayatollah, so maybe can be construed as a Mentor to him as his religious leader.

Also, (and this is the bit that clinched it for me) Daryl Hall and John Oates - also musicians around in the late 60's, 70's and 80's had a song called 'She's gone' and they likened it to (and I loosely quote) "A funky song like a Cat Stevens number"

Hope that's correct Shooty.

I did like the clues from the rest of the setters but that one just took the edge for me this week.

Les40

spot on. look above. : )

Thank you for the explanations
Maybe a second choice Les, as shooty can't set next week? I would do the Miss Moneypernny bit but I guess he/she couldn't judge it either?

Well done shooty and thanks for the mention .
My work circumstances are (uncannily !) similar to yours .When I am lucky enough to win one of these contests , a rather special lady normally offers to help out .

Pastille has also offered her services - but I reckon she just wants to try out the pencil skirt and stiletto heels...