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I had not really thought about 17A BAWL, which is certainly correct (I did have WAIL).

Now that I have corrected it I see that there is indeed a tiny tiny joke being made: KNOBBY STYLES for World Cup footballer Nobby Stiles.

Thanks for clearing up that small mystery.

Cryptic World Cup references now - I think this is getting out of hand!

I still think wail parses better. You don't get blubber from a ball.

to blubber is to bawl
sounds like ball

Yes, I get that. But to blubber is also to wail, which sounds like whale, which is where you get blubber from. It fits the clue better.

Ball is a 'round mass' whereas a whale is torpedo-shaped

OK. You're probably right. I'll change it.

I'll have egg on my face if I'm wrong