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Hi, Rusty!
Beyond having heard of Munro as a writer, I knew no more.
Well done on looking him up.
I am now down to four left......plus one answer that I cannot parse..........
I shall put the puzzle to one side and go for a walk..... if I still cannot solve these on my return........I shall ask for more help!
Fair enough?
Back shortly.....

Hello, Elle!
Good idea going for a walk.
There are several tricky ones today!
Yes, just ask if you would like help.
I still have my puzzle here!

Hi, Rusty!
It is becoming chilly out...…. a definite bite to the air that wasn't there this morning.
I was just back home in time for my daughter's phone call!
Good organisation!
Yes, please, I shall ask you about those other few clues... inspiration has failed to strike me.
If you still have your puzzle handy, I do not need to write out the clues.
4d: A? - D?A?
17a: P?O?O???
16d: ???I?E?R
20d: ?C?F?N
And I cannot fully parse 15d.....
I have " In a bad way" = poorly (def)
but cannot see the rest?
I shall go and plan what we are having for dinner......

Hello, Elle.
I thought it was colder today.
4d, is new to me. I have "am-dram" "a MD (managing director) with drive/"ram".
The definition is "unrewarding roles".
I liked 17a. Suspend is "prorogue". "For"/pro with "not behaving predictably"/rogue.
16 The Christian is "Fletcher" giving "mutineer".
"largely saying nothing" is "mut(e)", "in" for "smart"? and the poetic "e'er" for "at any time".
I am not completely happy with my parse for this, but it's pretty close, I think.
20 is new to me. "Ecofin". It's a group of European finance ministers, or something like that.
"Upset charming" is "nice" reversed and hosting "of" in the clue.
"In a bad way". I see it as " I nab ad way". "Ad" is the promotion, "way" is "technique". "Poorly" is the definition.
I had a kipper for my tea!

Good evening, Rusty!
Thank you for your help.
It is much appreciated.
I follow your explanations; but I should never have got there unaided!
"Am-dram", "prorogue"and Ecofin" are all new words to me.
I perhaps should have seen "mutineer", though?
I would never in a million years have got the parsing for 15d!
I thought today's puzzle was very hard.
I have never had a kipper?
Is it similar to mackerel?
I like smoked mackerel.
We had Shepherd's pie and mushy peas!

Good evening, Elle!
I knew "prorogue" but not the other two.
I agree today's puzzle was hard work.
Mind you, I prefer that.
1a took me a while to get.
I knew of "Saki" and eventually parsed it as "it" is "sa" (sex appeal) with K1 as the mountain in the Karakorams.
Better known as Masherbrum.
Not easy unless you know your distant mountains!
A kipper is a herring that has been split and smoked.
It is an oily fish and kippers are very tasty.
Herrings are smaller than mackerel.
I like smoked mackerel, too.
If you like smoked mackerel, Elle, I'd say you would like kippers, too.
Kippers at one time were called "silver darlings" in Scotland.

Hi, Rusty!
It is interesting how different clues appeal to different people.
I got "Saki" fairly easily, also "Vltava" ...although I tended to make a hash of a lot of the puzzle!
Yes, I think I might like kippers from what you say of them.....I have just never come across them?
What are you doing this weekend?
Are you meeting up with any of your granddaughters?
I think tomorrow is a free day for us, but we are seeing family on Sunday.

Hello, Elle!
I get kippers and mackerel at ASDA, and I know TESCO sell them, too.
I may meet Miss O on Sunday if she can fit me in!
No plans though.
But I'll be watching a major bike race tomorrow.
Milan-San Remo.
It's the first cycling "monument" of the year.
There are five "monuments".
Major one-day classic races.
Milan-San Remo is the longest, almost 300 kilometers. 185 miles.
Peter Sagan is just back after illness, so may not figure at the end.
I am looking forward to it!

Hi, Rusty!
I shall have a look out for kippers!
I like to try new foods, and they will be 'new' for me!
Speaking of foods.... as you know, my husband is going to a weekly physio exercise class to help his osteoarthritic knee, and the guy running the class has been recommending that his charges eat plenty of turmeric, which he say can be taken in tablet form.
Apparently, turmeric is very beneficial in helping with joint problems.
So I thought it worth a go, and have ordered some from Holland and Barrett.
It cannot at least do any harm.
Yes, you will be looking forward to the cycling tomorrow.
I don't think there is any Athletics?
Certainly not showing in my TV guide.

Hello, Elle!
I think you should try the kippers.
I heat them in a microwave oven for a minute or slightly more and take boiled spuds with them.
A very simple tasty meal.
I have read that turmeric is good for relieving inflammation but I am not sure that it has been proved in proper trials.
No harm in trying it for several weeks to see will there be improvement.
It may take several weeks to have an effect.
Mind you, Elle, my optician advised me to eat kale to slow down or stop macular degeneration and since I started eating kale smoothies just over a year ago there has been no deterioration my optician says.
That's encouraging.