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yes, I had thoughts of giving up too, but pleased to be of help ... I've finished all the 197 (I think correctly) - but never won the prize ... wonder if anyone on the site has?

Yep done all bar a few when had no access. Won prize years ago. Don't usually submit them now.

Finally. Only seven days to crack this. Might have been five but for capitalised Gds in 9a.

Hi

I came late to this. Almost wish I hadn't after a couple of days of struggle. I think I've got all but one, so a bit of assistance would be appreciated.

23d I've got H*K*N*. Am I right so far?

I've run through the obvious combinations of shtng and grtng to no avail.

yes, your letters are right, puzzlepom. the shtng is what you probably think - the grtng involves only 2 vowels added and the first four letters of the (unreduced) solution are a word for it which I certainly had never heard ....

Yes, your letters are right.
I'm sure you've got the first, pretty obvious, word - the other one is a common enough word but an obscure definition that leads to a punning 2nd definition for a 'lttl grtng'.

Thanks for the hints.

Got the answer, but I've never before come across the meaning of the first four letters.

Hardest Genius for a long while, I thought.

Re 26 across, I believe the "fr th dtr" applies to the whole clue, and the pronunciation of the final two syllables (rather than the spelling) accounts for "pch".

jimm89 - I've spent a bit of time looking through Chambers trying various possibilities for what might sound like the last two syllables of the answer (I was especially hopeful of the weight) but can't justify any of them with 'pch' - starting with or without a vowel.
Could you please spell it out?

So my understanding is this: pronunciation of the word is ba-keh-raa, which is close enough to 'back era' (support an epoch) for me to be satisfied that this is what the setter intended. I'm sure he'll correct me if wrong!