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Well said Malone, but if as an alternative you'ld prefer to go to a medium sized library to complete an un-google-able puzzle I for one would explode like FieryJack!

This Speccie was tough enough for me, even with Brewer's to hand!

But enjoy chewing over these points!

I liked the challenges posed by this puzzle: there were some really intriguing and clever bits for parsing.

I also like having Chambers and Brewers as ultimate verifying backstops. Each is a thoroughly lovely book in its own right, particularly Suzie Dent's brilliant edition of Brewers. The trouble is I keep on having to buy new editions as they come out; still, that gives something for people to get me for Xmas when I have no ideas.

Back to the puzzle. The P.O.R.G. at 5d. does not seem to fit with my answers for 16a (ending in P) and 24a (beginning with S). I am pretty sure of these two answers, but Ms Dent's Prince of Sleswig does not tally with either.

Peter, the 5D is closely linked to 11 D - they're listed together in Chambers. Your 16 A and 24 A letters are correct.

I really enjoyed the clues in this puzzle, the 'find the list in Brewer's' part was less appealing, less rewarding.

KT, I don't like the sound of your alternative - 'an un-google-able puzzle', but fortunately we don't have to live with one or the other. There are far more options than that, we see that on a regular basis in themed crosswords. A recent EV, on saints, involved Brewer's, but that was a layered, more cohesive puzzle - far more satisfying than 'pick the items that fit from this list'.

Well, I found that a "little" challenging... got there in the end but would have been completely foxed with access to Brewer's...which is not entirely satisfactory IMHO.

Peter, apologies, that should have been 'listed together in Brewer's.'

An interesting little discussion but where did “a little puzzle” come from? My copy has 2435: Title. Nothing more.

Teenieleek, that's the title shown in the Spectator, in the magazine and online - '2435: A Little Puzzle'.

Ah, thanks Malone, my, always gratefully received, copy comes from elsewhere.

Help please with unclued .......

6a. c?e?ah
5d. co?op?s
17d. ?it

and 20a. OLd king put round fence. (4) o?er

Thanks.