Crossword Help Forum
Forum Rules

22d "One's chuffed in the main?" looks like it ought to be Steamboat, in which case 36ac "first person in Grenoble to pen acceptable bit of humour" could be Joke, but I don't fully understand why. Explanation appreciated!

They speak French in Grenoble, so "first person" would be JE. around OK for acceptable.

Doh! Many thanks!

Like Bustard I came up with STEAMBOAT for 22d. But it's not 36a I then needed help with, but 31a: "Description of pottery enthralling male or males in general": it looks as if it ought to be obvious, but I'm stuck with just ???T?M?N. Is it that I need to know a technical pottery term - or famous potter? Or am I just being thick? Help appreciated.

EARTHMEN

EARTHEN (description of pottery) around M(ale)

'males in general' is definition - description of pottery around a single letter abbreviation for male

earthmen? earthen with an M in it.

Thanks all. Not really come across "earthmen" as a word (nor, incidentally, has my spellchecker now I've looked it up!) Apparently it crops up mainly in science fiction - not my suit at all! But .... you live and learn.

Oh .... and it looks like I haven't got 50d. "Old fashioned hospital worker upset, having lost first of patients". R?T?O. Was thinking of something to do with matron ... but can't make it work. Final call for help please.

retro = old fashioned (porter without the p)