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Garble,
'retire' is a reversal indicator for 'gave what is necessary' (to survive)...+ 'at home' + 'fit'

so, mattrom, have you made a decision about 2/10?

Umm...I'm still fence sitting, Prospero.
The ? could indicate that it is a cryptic definition, but in that case I would expect another interpretation of 'bowlers' than the obvious one.

Can anyone give me a hint as to 26d as I attempt to finish this uninspiring crossword. By the way my 8a which I'm fairly confident is right is not in my Chambers but appears in Onelook. Cheers all.

uncle_w - 26d: word for about (going up) inside abbr for genetically modified - definition root.

I have only the top right-hand corner to do now. I think …

Can anybody give me hints for 9A and 5D please?

And I cannot parse the only real answer I have for 15A.

I then have to address the horizontals I am not completely happy with …

Is 25A celestial?

I think I have 5D now, if the dogs are pet names, not breeds.

How to finish the Genius ... post a query on here and suddenly the answer will be obvious (i.e., 9A).

I'm still worried about 15A and 25A though.

pendragon - 9: anag of even, then usual abbr for queen and son, lose 2 letters
5: something that involves six and can mean dogs without outside letters - just seen your next post - yes ...
15: slang (criminal) synonym for pipe outside synonym for school (verb); drop the first letter
25: similar usage - yes, celestial
what's your take on 2/10?

Thanks, Prospero.

I’m a little confused about 15A. I don’t think pipe’s synonym has to be criminal, but does the word for school actually form the gerund answer too?

2D. I’m not the person to ask about this, as I play pétanque, not bowls!

But I was swayed by the idea of the technical B-word , although it does seem that the clue is general knowledge, not cryptic. If 2D ends in E, then the across words are a little obscure (not that obscurity seems to worry Kite).

I always feel that a good cryptic crossword should be one that may be difficult but, when one has arrived at the answer, one should know it’s correct.

Alas …