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I'm struggling with this and not enjoying it much.

Is there a spelling mistake in the answer to 13a?
Lilac arrangement extremely pretty and extremely big, not quite having a shapely 5 (11)

It's not giving away too much to say that 5 is BOTTOM - saving grace the "theme" clue was very easy.

I know what sort of word it should be, and there are two alternatives that fit; unfortunately neither has an "i" third last letter (definitely correct).

Hi Chris,

I've finished but didn't enjoy it too much. Some were write-ins, others pretty obscure. A couple that I can't parse (3 and 26). And I've only spotted five 5s.

Re 13a, everything you've said is correct but I also found 2 options, one of which has the 'i' in the correct position and fits the clue. Hint?

Just parsed 26

Thanks simon. Not in Chambers online or paper - I'll try OneLook!

Interesting - it's in Collins, which doesn't recognise the Cahmbers spelling at all!

I got it by starting to type the word straight into Google and it came up with the 2 options halfway through. Not a word I'd ever heard of.

Hi again, simon
Is one of the six (or five) the first part of 4d, or is the whole solution an expression for it that I don't know?

I don't think so or, at least, I've never heard it in that context. That's another that I haven't fully parsed...... first word's fine and I know the second is correct but can't parse it.

Oh. I've been trying to fit FANNY in, and it seemed to fit there. Back to the drawing board!

Hope this isn't a spoiler but I've found two across 5s and three down 5s