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Thank you: it means I do not have the correct four letter word for the first part of 2d and can't think what it can be that goes with the second word I have which is correct I think: ?O?T/S?I?.
Clue is: Caged bird, perhaps, holding us up, 1940s' style.

zoot / suit?
zoo tit (caged bird)
su - us reversed

Many thanks, finished now.

Glad I could help.

Very typical Paul crossword. A real slow burner but once you get going it gets easier even though I have no idea how some clues are parsed or what some of them mean.

I agree. I started this one late following a charity do at my house yesterday. It took until 8.00pm to clear up, so I didn't really get going until this afternoon. So far I haven't had any trouble parsing them, though the Forum's confirmation for 11ac was helpful.

Thanks for answers to14ac and 22d. I'm left with 6d. Go with man like mad, embracing very intimate experience (4-6) for which I have the following crossers ???E-?A?I?G.. Any hints please, but not answers.
My last one would be 9ac. European city left in the midst of floods (6), for which I have O???T?. Again hints would be helpful.

Hi roof
6 is a multi component anagram, and the experience is extremely intimate!

9 the "left" is nautical

9 A. The 'left' is on a ship, the 'midst' is literal.

Sorry, ChrisE, I hadn't noticed you'd already mentioned the nautical/left bit.

Many thanks Chrise and Malone

I've now got 9ac and am cross with myself that I hadn't got it before - I've been there!

I'll have to think about 6d a bit more - ahhh light dawns. I've got it, though without a hyphen.