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Hello, Elle!
I did not know Bush was referred to as "elder", only "H"?
And if it did mean him surely the clue would have "Bush"?
As I understand it, a "yorker" is a ball which lands close to the batsman's feet.
I do not know why it is a "yorker", but it's a fairly well known term.

Hi, Rusty!
Oh, I am sure that you are right!
That is just how I saw it....
I was probably being unnecessarily fanciful!
Although.......why would one pick on "elder", without the presidential reference?
I mean, what made you think of "elder" as the requisite "bush"?
BTW, Chambers gives "elder" as "a shrub or tree".
I hadn't heard of a "yorker", but then I don't know anything about cricket" - apart from legs, extras, and byes!

Hello, Elle!
I knew "grouse" shot, meant an anagram of "grouse", and I had crossing letters which made "elder" fairly obvious.
There are hundreds of folk known as "elder".
Pliny springs to mind, and Pitt?
I don't think the presidents were in the setter's mind.
It is very mild up here.
What like a temperature do you have?

Hi, Rusty!
Yes, but "bush" was in the clue!
Pliny and Pitt, weren't!
Anyway, it really doesn't matter.......
As I said, maybe I was just being fanciful!
( My slant on it pleases me, though......!)
It is supposedly 8C here.
But I've just been out in the garden with the dog and it feel chillier than that to me.
But at least the fog has now lifted!

Hello, Elle,
I thought I had a great answer for you, there, but no!
The Times has a rule for crosswords, you cannot have the name of a living person (but I am not sure if that's in the clue, or answer), except for "ER" for the Queen, though ER could mean one of the Edwards, too.
But George H Bush died recently, so he would now be allowed.
I am just glad you did not ask me who Pliny was, for I have no idea!
We have 5C here, quite mild.

Hi, Rusty!
We had best enjoy the milder spell whilst we can......
I have just been reading in the online News that a second "Beast from the East" is set to hit the UK at the beginning of January, bringing with it dense fog.....especially down South.....and lots of heavy snow throughout the country......
We have had fog here off and on for several days now...….
I do hope the Met Office is wrong on both counts!

Good morning, Elle!
Lovely day here, but a sharper edge to the wind, when I was out, I thought!
Hope that is not the first hint of the "Beast!"
Just read in my paper that Nicola Benedetti has been awarded a CBE in the New Year's Honours list.
Being "big sister" to hundreds of young musicians has been rewarded?
And all her performances as well.
Made my day, anyway!
She comes across as a very nice lass!

A Very Good morning to you, Rusty!
Dull, mild and a tad foggy (again) here!
I am just home from my walk.
I am awaiting to hear whether the 'Midlanders' are going to join us today.
They have all been down with coughs and colds, and aches and pains (? flu) over the Christmas period, and consequently have been delaying their arrival for New Year, until hopefully free of infection, as we have to be so careful of my husband's health.
One of our grandsons still had a temperature yesterday, so I am not sure what is happening.......
That is very good news about Nicola Benedetti's award.
I think she certainly merits it, not only for playing her own music...but for all the encouragement she gives to youngsters.
Any plans for today?

Hello, Elle!
Hope your family are on the mend, but you are correct in prioritising your husband's health.
Hopefully they will arrive bugless!
Yes, great news about Nicola, and well deserved.
She puts in many hours encouraging the young ones, and has to fit it all in with her concert programme.
I saw her being interviewed the other day and she was telling about her Stradivarius violin.
She does not own it, but some kind person loans it to her.
Finished my puzzle.
9a is new to me, and 13a and 21a, and 12d.
And I do not see the parse at 23a, but I'll come back to it!

Hi, Rusty!
The Midlanders are hoping to arrive tomorrow (Sunday).
But if "push comes to shove"...they could still come on Monday!
Just so long as they hopefully make it (bugless!) for the birthday itself, on New Year's Day!
Oh dear..."the best laid plans of mice and men....".....eh?
I, too have finished the crossword ..and cannot parse "tautological" in 23a ?
I wondered about a homophone......but couldn't see how that would work?
("taut sounds like "taught"?)
The definition is "repetitive", isn't it, as "tautology" is saying the same thing twice, using different words.
I have "taramasalata" = "fishy one" (cod roe) for 12 d and cannot parse the rest of that, either?