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Silly boy 27ac-MON-AD abbreviation as per preamble plus ANNO DOMINI

Thanks AJH ;o)

this is one of the solutions where an abbreviation has been ignored. After Christ - AD. Go get it !

Thanks guys - I put crossbeam but still not convinced about the wordplay

I thought multitudes might relate to muesli(oat(e)s) but that leaves "tut" and perhaps D for dead

Thanks ChrisG - your "multitudes" explanation works perfectly

Thanks Joker - your Boss Cream looks good also

Capt. Lawrence Oates, aged 20 years was a member of the Scott expedition to the Antarctic in 1910. He walked to his death from the tent during a blizzard, famously saying "I am going outside and I may be some time."

I have to correct myself - Oates was 32 at the time of his death.

I think I'm probably the only person attempting this crossword who doesn't fully understand the preamble and the example of MONAD hasn't made it any clearer.

Please could someone explain to this thickie what the preamble means, preferably with a worked example...

Thanks a lot!

Ericg #19

As the preamble states, 10 of the solutions start or end with an abbreviation (HINT: There are 7 different abbreviations) - all abbreviations are of a kind (ie are similar.)
The part of the solution that is the abbreviation (start or end) is not 'covered' by the clue - in other words the clue only 'points' to the part of the solution either following the abbreviation or preceding it.
So - MONAD has one definition in my OED as 'God';AD = Anno Domini, which is clued as 'after Christ' - so the part of this solution that is not 'covered' by the clue is 'Mon'.
Similarly 21d 'Sailor with personal problem' = BOSUN. A bosun is a sailor; BO is ...... and again the abbreviation is not 'covered' by the clue.
Looking at the 2 abbreviations in the above should give you the idea!!