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Hi, planks,

The answer is an anagram of orders a d.s. (abbreviation for document signed), so you need an O as the third unchecked letter.

Many thanks wintonian, I didn't know about d. s. all sorted now.

Dylan
The 8 & 9 letter downs?
First down clue Hints given just above
"One expecting..." Word is given under optimist in Brewers
Tipper is the definition (4,5) L is the misprint
Skunks also given in Brewers. There are not too many synonyms foe menageries. W is the misprint.

Wintonian, thanks for that. I don't actually have Brewers, but your hint for the first down clue has opened up the puzzle, allowing me to find the skunk answer as well. Still struggling for Optimist and Tipper!

Hi Dylan, 'Tipper' - 2 words, one meaning slack (with a letter removed) and one meaning to have dealings ( an old term usually heard as eg I have no ..... with these people) making a rather american sounding tipper.
Optimist - religious anagram of cheats - 1 letter + odd letters of following word.
Meanwhile, can anyone enlighten me on what Boss in Chicago has to do with the apparent answer? Thanks.

Granama1, Chambers has 'boss' as synonym of the answer in the US.

Turast, Thanks for the tip on "one expecting". I had all the letters but couldn't find the word. It's in Bradford's as well.

Re 'boss', actually it's the other way around.

Thanks Mattrom, I didn't delve deeply enough into Chambers.
Strange crossword this. I sussed the subject pretty much before solving anything and worked out almost all the spare letters early on, then struggled with solving/parsing a fair number. Still staring at a few even though I think I have the answers and the extra letters eg eastern cult, highest points and tannoy. Think I have the entry numbers sorted though.

Having said that I'e worked out highest points which solves tannoy!