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Wigwam, your entry will have a four-letter word for 'attack', noun, with a two-letter abbreviation for 'without' inside. The first two words (with one corrected/altered) provides the definition.

Hi, wigwam,

You are correct. The misprint is in the first word. The wordplaygives a two-letter abbreviation for without inside a four-letter word that can mean attack. You might use this word to make an expression equivalent to “an attack of flu”.

I think I do this every week now, I get within touching distance of the end and my brain goes to much and lose all knowledge and confidence.

Much like last week (and before, and before), I've gotten to the last niggling doubt and focused in on one interpretation of a clue and can't shake that it MUST be the correct one.

Of course without can be that, and of course "blocking attack" isn't necessarily something to do with parrying. I knew both interpretations of those words and the instruction, but just couldn't bring myself to see them. Ho hum...

I'm sure I'll get over this sometime... in the meantime, thank you both for the quick responses, time to properly relax for today!

Seventy years ago I had an English teacher who, as a girl, had been in love with this author. I remember her reading this work to me with tears rolling down her cheeks.

Wigwam, I don’t think a week goes by when I’m not saying to myself “That’s so obvious, why didn’t I see that answer hours ago?” This week, it was 35dn, which I got almost immediately, didn’t believe my answer, and dismissed the idea of checking it in Chambers until I’d nearly finished the puzzle.

Greetings from the bottom of the class! I've completed this one, needing only a brief glance at the forum. Well done to the setter: if the clues are not over-difficult I persevere and always enjoy the end game.

Two questions. When I log in using my name I get the thread in reverse order, but not when I go straight in without logging. Does any one else experience this.
On 16 across does 'nude' indicate deleting d and t from a longer word? If so I'm not used to nude as this sort of indicator.

(Will Hay the music hall and film comedian schoolteacher said to a boy "go to the bottom of the class" "But sir, I am at the bottom of the class" "Well go the top but remember you are a lap behind" - many thanks Aedites)

williamseal, yes, in 16a nude means removing the covers (outside letters) of d-epic-t.

When you log in, if you click the edit button next to your username, at the bottom of the next page you have the option to order posts in chronological order or most recent first. When not logged in they are simply in chronological order.

Thanks quisling - your guidance and reassurance much appreciated.

I have just one answer to unravel and hope that someone is still checking into this thread. 15d "Case contains direction to sit up". I know the misprint letter is "e" but am not sure which word it affects. I also have **eet* and even then I can't see the answer! Help would be welcome.

Catkin, your second E is incorrect. A word for a case around a direction.