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Help appreciated parsing these....

18d. Exotic woman's stopped about three times with ambassador (9) - RECHERCHE (Exotic)

I know 'Ambassador' is often HE but that's as far as I get.

12d. Second couple of stupid people turning round in recess (4) - APSE (Recess)

38d. Possibly psychotic American taken in by sign in wood (10) - DELUSIONAL (Possibly psychotic)

It looks like 'Amercan' = US + 'Wood' = DEAL, but that leaves LION for 'Sign'. which I don't get.

52d. Bird with long legs in bar (4) - RAIL would fit the definition for 'Bird' and 'Bar', but why 'Long legs'?

Hi brendan,
Exotic = recherche, her (woman's) stopped (inside) re, c + c (about X 3l + he (as you got)
Apes, reverse the second couple -> apse
Leo the lion
It has long legs, a wader.

That's brilliant, many thanks Ginge.

A rail actually has rather short legs!

Hi Torquinian, not according to my encyclopaedia.

Rail: A bird of the worldwide family (Rallidae c. 130 species) possibly the most widespread group of terrestrial birds; large legs .......

I'm with Torquinian here - I'v seen several species of rail in various parts of the world. I wouldn't say that any of them had short legs, but certainly none had long ones!

Hi chrise, I'm certainly not an ornithologist or twitcher but I did look in my encyclopaedia before providing my suggested answer and I only go on as what see.
If you, torquinian or anyone else can provide a parse for the long legs not applying to rail I'll gladly learn from and accept it.

Hi ginge
It looks like the compiler trusted the encyclopaedia!

http://www.google.co.uk/search?hl=en&site=imghp&tbm=isch&source=hp&biw=1242&bih=585&q=water+rail&oq=water+ra&gs_l=img.1.2.0l10.1245.3802.0.7146.8.7.0.1.1.0.96.495.7.7.0.msedr...0...1ac.1.62.img..0.8.498.mccZAxdNJDE#imgdii=_&imgrc=TjSkmeXwVg9YUM%253A%3BidQ0iRIUdbfb_M%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252F4.bp.blogspot.com%252F-K-XT3OUxQDg%252FTzaVV2o8SiI%252FAAAAAAAAAKg%252FI0IPl_msaII%252Fs1600%252FWater%25252BRail.JPG%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fmontgomerybirdblog.blogspot.com%252F2012%252F02%252Fbittern-and-water-rail-at-dolydd-hafren.html%3B1600%3B1067

ignore that!