Crossword Help Forum
Forum Rules

My first attempt at a Guardian Cryptic.....!
I've managed to complete all but one - but also cannot parse four others.
The one I couldn't do at all is ...
17A: Woman has kids in tune? (7)
? E ? I ? M ?
and the ones I cannot parse are.....
12A: Instrument with reversed polarity produces undergarment (6) I have 'corset' for this.
22A: Soldiers beginning to talk to soldiers' teacher (6)
Answer seems to be 'mentor'
mentor = teacher( definiiton) soldiers = men? then stuck.....
2D: Pointless role model, allegedly
Answer is idle (= pointless; definition) but cannot see the rest.
18D: Low, racist organisation set up to conceal source of white dance move
Answer is moonwalk but cannot parse .
Help appreciated please!

Hi elle
If you are taking up the Guardian (my favourite crossword), this site is a wonderful resource.
http://www.fifteensquared.net/

Note - it gives answers and parsings, so don't look at it until you have finished or given up.

Well done, Elle!
17. Melisma, a tune.
Parse appears to be "Mel is Ma."
I think Mel could be a woman's name!

2 D. Idle sounds like ('allegedly') Idol.

12. CorNet becomes CorSet, changing North (one of the poles) to South (another).

18, Low is moo, as in cattle.
Racist organisation is Klan, as in Ku Klux.
Source of "w" hite.
Set up means to reverse
OK?

Hello, Chris!
What a wonderful site! however did you discover it? I'm pleased to say that all my answers ( bar the one I couldn't do) were correct and my parsings that I could manage to do were also right! Progress indeed!
I was a little 'upset' after all my efforts, to read the comment that today's was an 'easy' one for Shed!

22. Men = 'soldiers', t is the first letter ('beginning to') of 'talk' and OR = soldiers (used a lot in crosswords, I forget what it actually means!)

22, Soldiers are "men"
Beginning to "t" alk
Soldiers are "OR", (other ranks)

Mentor.

Thanks, too, Rusty and Malone. I'm filled with admiration for you both, as I've battled away with the parsing for these remaining clues for ages!
@ Rusty, I've forgotten which Guardian Cryptic setter you said was an easy one to begin with? Please can you tell me again? so I jumped in at the deep end today!

Hi elle
I didn't think that it was all that easy today.

Rufus (most Mondays) is regarded as the easiest, but he isn't to everyone's taste.

Past crosswords are available at the Guardian crossword site (free!). See:

http://www.theguardian.com/crosswords

Someone on here, a long time ago (it may have been jazzgirl) pointed me towards fifteensquared, so I am returning the favour.