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First to appeal again? Has anyone got to grips with what is needed today, eg theme because I am stumped.

It wasn't as bad as it looked at first, it's worth persevering.

I solved clues where I could and ticked them off if the answers were the right size. I then got some answers of the wrong size and tried to find slots for them - some were tricky, but others were straightforward.

It was good fun - and quite clever - in the end.

Thanks Malone. I have become better at perseverance. With encouragement. However, can you help with 1a? Comprising a pair. I have ?L?M??? (Is this a normal clue?)

It's not a normal clue. The answer is shorter than the length given, so goes in one of the shaded slots.

The clueing style took a bit of getting used to, but it's well worth persevering. I've got all 8 thematic bits but am stuck on two crossing lights in the SW quarter: 32A where I have AN- and 26D where I have -N--W with the middle letter crossing the blank of 32A. Is either of them a misprint clue?

Like you, I had all 8 thematic answers before I'd finished solving. Like you, I found the clueing style took some getting used to. I didn't bother doing all the misprints, and I don't know if your two clues are involved. I've looked again now and I'm almost certain 26 D doesn't.

For 32 A, use Chambers to read/check the words in the clue.

Hope this helps.

Sadly not, Malone. I must be dim today. Which of the words in the clue to 32A should I be studying in Chambers? It's surely not ANN, being a "name".

Hi Cockie

I struggled to understand 32A as well. It is a definition of TO that I have never seen before.

also struggling with the parsing of 33D.

It was the To in Chambers that I was trying to nudge you towards.