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Good Morning, Rusty!
We have rain in the air...…...and heavier rain is forecast from noon onwards.
The plumbers have just arrived.....
I wonder how far they will get today?
I know they are planning to work Saturday, too.
I have a worried dog, and a completely unconcerned cat, shut in the lounge with me.....because at the moment the front door is wide open, whilst the guys are carrying in all their clobber.....tiles, and shower cubicle and stuff!
I shall have plenty of time to look at the crossword today, as I am housebound because of the workmen.
I know you like the crossword to be difficult, but spare a thought for those of us who are not so adept as "solving"........like me!
Right, coffees all round, first......

Hello, Elle!
It is raining here.
I am home for the day now.
Well done the plumbers!
Hope they make good progress!
I found the puzzle to be as tricky as it has been for quite a while!
Finished it now, but one or two parses escape me for the moment.
I liked 1d! I've had a few of them!
16d, 17a, are new to me, and I have vaguely heard of 11a.
It's a good test today, Elle!
Happy hunting!

Hi, Rusty!
No rain as yet, but it's chilly....
Well, I have "done" what I can of the puzzle.....
I have three clues .....17a; 27a; and 21d.......for which I am unable, as yet, to provide answers .....
But I shall try again later, before seeking help.
I think I have parsed all the others satisfactorily....
Re 11a...Thisbe is the lover of Pyramus (in a work by Ovid).........they were forbidden to marry, by their parents, who were rivals.
There is a by -play, based on their love affair, in Shakespeare's "A Midsummer Night's Dream".
The crossword is difficult, but not as bad as some I have tried recently.
I'm thinking it's time for another coffee round....I shall go and see what is happening!

Good afternoon, Elle!
Rain is easing here.
How are the lads getting on today?
I vaguely knew the name "Thisbe", but that's all.
I have heard of Ovid!
It is a tricky crossword, and there is something unusual about the clues.
I wonder if you have spotted what it is?
My broadband was very slow for a while, and cutting out.
I unplugged it for a while and it seems to be back to normal again.

Good afternoon, Rusty!
I hope your Broadband is okay now?
I had some trouble with my computer late last night...and ended up just switching it off until this morning..... as I couldn't "fix" whatever was the problem.
However, it seems okay today.
The plumbers seem to be getting on fine......they have tiled the cubicle area.....but I haven't been near the "scene of the crime" to see for myself.
I have been handing over the coffees at the top of the first flight of stairs!
Now, the crossword?
What is it that is unusual about the clues?
I have not noticed anything ......
The only thing I have found is that a number of them - such as 11a; 12a; 6d; 16d - are based on classical references,which is perhaps why I am liking today's puzzle?
I do a bit better when the clues tend that way.....
Oops! I'm running out of the coffee that the guys like.....
I think a visit to the supermarket is needed before tomorrow!

Hello, Elle!
I have unplugged at the wall in the hope that when I replug, the wifi will select a different channel that may have less traffic on it.
I read that that may help. So....!
Good to hear that that your lads are cracking on with the job!
Now the clues!
Write down the first letter in clue 1a, which is "b"(ack), then the first letter in the next across clue, then the first letter in every remaining across clues.
Do the same with the first letter in 1d, and the same in all the down clues.
Read out what you get.
Is someone getting married today?
Yes, best get the lads their coffee!

Hi, Rusty!
I came up with "Best wishes both from today's setter"........
Goodness, however did you notice that?
That is incredible!
And have you discovered to what it refers?
Now , please can you help me with my three remaining clues?
I am no forrader, nor likely to be...so shall concede defeat, and throw in the proverbial towel.....
17a: Eastern country cheers one chap protecting couple after I set about one (10)
TA?I?IS?A?
ta - cheers
i - one
but that is all I can see?
27a: Feel like hugs: is making up!(6)
?T?N?S
21d: Edinburgh's goes towards mostly music (7)
G?N?S?A
I have no ideas here?
Oh, I'd better go...the plumbers are just packing up......

Hello, Elle!
Well done!
No, but it could be a wedding?
It is not too unusual to find "hidden" messages in puzzles.
These setters are very clever!
For 17, I discovered there is a country called Tajikistan.
The chap is "Stan".
The couple after "I" is "JK", alphabetically, and "one" is "I", and you have "ta".
That's pretty close to the parse?
21, "like" is "as", hugging "tone"/feel, giving "atones" for making up.
I did not like 21d.
I do not think the folk in Edinburgh speak like this.
But in Scots, "goes" is "gangs", towards mostly, is "ta(e)"
Gangsta is some kind of music, apparently!
Did you get coffee for the lads?

Hi elle
21 is probably GANGSTA - a "music" genre. GANGS is Scots (Edinburgh) for "goes"; don't see why "towards mostly" gives TA, though.
A wordsearch finds TAJIKISTAN for 17. Don't see it apart from definition and TA, though.
27 might be ATONE - making up, "at one"?

ChrisE, Gangs Tae would be 'Edinburgh's goes towards', 'ta' is 'towards, mostly'.

I think Rusty parsed 17.