Crossword Help Forum
Forum Rules

Once again, after two fun successes, I can make neither 'moss nor sand' of this week's challenge although I seem to have completed most of the "normal" clues. Is anyone else struggling?

Jogamel

I think it helps if you are a follower of the nation's "favourite" sport. I have fallen out of love with it but do recall the old days and old locations where it was played. Hope this helps.

I did struggle a bit, knowing nothing at all about the theme. The last of the two words from the extra letters (6,6) is the key. It might also help to know that some of the thematic answers are significantly shorter than the entry, in one case by five letters.

I should add that once you get the theme, a Wiki page will give you all you need, and the whole puzzle folds very quickly.

I have a Nostalgia entry for 31A, but can's parse the clue for it's modern replacement - which I think is three words.
Am I on the wrong track?

Nelson

Yes, the modern version is three words but the clue is referencing just the last word. Not ideal to my mind.

Thakns muraria.
I know the word you mean, but I still can't get parse it from that clue. The word I got is a 4 letter word beginning with H.

Nelson

I just read the clue as a double definition, "Amusing" and "person attracting attention".

Nelson, if you know what the clue answer should be, look at definitions 1 and 2 in Chambers. The clue is a double definition, with the first definition consisting only of the first word, 'Amusing.'
It's a very difficult clue to solve cold without being sure of the length (though in this case entry and clue answer are the same length). I got it only after getting the entry and back-solving.

( I thought I had posted this earlier)

Thanks everyone. Got the defs in Chambers.