Crossword Help Forum
Forum Rules

Hello, Elle!
Yes, it was a vicious murder carried out on a country lane.
I always associated Billericay as being the first to declare in a General Election!
Elle, I have just finished the crossword, in between keeping an eye on Lexi and Ha Na Jang at the golf!
Ha Na is Miss Personality Plus and does great interviews!
It's a wee bit chilly for her, in Fife!
It is a toughie, for me, the puzzle.
Hard work to complete.
There is an Asian state I did not know
I have Boil eau, too, though I had not heard of him.
Your parsing is accurate, Elle, well done!

Yes, I remember Billericay from election nights, when I could still be bothered to stay up.

Now I associate it with Ian Dury's "Billericay Dickie", who's "doing very well"!

Elle, I forgot to mention Lexi's antic.
She was standing over the ball lining up her birdie putt when all of sudden she took a big jump back and scampered around the green.
A Scottish bee had came to say "hello" to her and was almost tangled in her hair.
Poor Lexi got a fright!
But, she calmed down, refocused, and sank her putt!

Good afternoon, Rusty!
I have every sympathy with Lexi!
I am not bothered by bees...but I should have been out of there like a shot had a wasp come near me!
Now.....I finished the puzzle - bar two clues - eventually, too.....coming back to it, in between doing other things!
It was definite harder today!
I have two to do ..and one to parse.....
1a ; Reserve a bike, mostly for certain type of sport (7)
S?B???A
3d: Survives the heat, perhaps, but also weakens (9)
??A?I?I?S
The one I cannot (fully) parse is 23a: from right and left, cheers popular hit
Attain = hit (def)
ta - cheers
in - popular
I'm left with "at" to account for "from right and left"?
Obviously my reasoning is at fault somewhere?

Elle do you want a couple of hints, or rather wait for rusty ?

No matter....I have to go out now.

Hello, Elle!
It did Lexi no harm!
She is joint leader, for now, anyway.
A tricky puzzle today!
1a a reserve can be a sub(stitute) in a football team, say.
There are things called qua(d) bikes, Elle.
Giving "sub a qua"
Probably underwater sports, I think?
3, if you survive a heat (in a track race, say) you "qualify" (for the final)
So, it is "qualifies".
I am not too sure about the weakens bit, but I can just about see it.
An argument with a qualifying part could possibly weaken the argument?
Not with the setter on that one!
You are correct with attain.
Ta both ways. To the right, and to the left. At + ta + in.
OK?

Cerasus, by all means join in.
I am not the best parser (or solver!) going about!

Hi, Rusty!
I am glad that Lexi is doing well!
Despite the best efforts of the bee to distract her!
Do you have a bet on?
Yes, I can see 1a now that you have explained it to me!
And I can accept "qualifies" for the first bit...although not terribly impressed!......but am not understanding/ grasping "weakens"?
( I think my "senior moments" are lengthening? perhaps progressing to "hours"?!)
Now.....I have just had a nice surprise!
My elder daughter has just phoned to say that they are back safely from their holiday in Mauritius!
It was indeed a "surprise" because I had thought they were arriving home on Sunday!
I am just popping out with the dog.........back shortly !

Hello, Elle!
You will be glad your elder daughter is safe home!
I have had a visit from my son.
He brought a stewed steak and veg dinner from the butcher for me!
The "qualifies" clue is not a great one and I have really tried to fathom it.
How about if you were arguing a point which was not rock solid and you had to add "but" or "possibly" or "maybe", to it.
That may "weaken" it?
That is as near as I can put it it, Elle.
I can vaguely see what the setter means, but through a glass darkly.