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Hi Slugabed,

It's an anagram of the last three words - definition is something a hen wouldn't want to be (think cooking or KFC)

Thanks Brenda, aporeciated

I'm still only half done -- like some hen? -- and have found all your hints very helpful. In our setter's defense I think 15ac, 21 is one of the loveliest double definitions (if that's what it is) I've seen. And with regard to his smuttiness, this was often commented on when I started looking at this forum about 8 years ago. He seemed to offend more people then.

This is the first Paul crossword that I've managed to complete - apart from 10a, and my pleasure at getting that far has overcome my frustration at missing the last one.
It'll probably come to me later....

Hi everyone

I started really well today writing several straight in, which is unusual for me. I had completed more than half before grinding to a halt. I've looked through the thread and am still not sure I have the right answers to 5d and 16d. I loved 9ac etc, 10ac, 15,21, 13ac and 8d. I had to look up 6d.
I could do with a couple of hints to get me going.
I think I now have the answer to 24ac, but have no idea why.
Where do the alternate letters start in 18ac?
I have answers for 4ac, 19d and 26ac but again can't parse them.
I could also do with a hint for 27ac
Finally I can't see the answer to 11ac which fits the definition, which I assume to be hampers. There are so many possible words that fit my ?L?N?H.

But mostly I've enjoyed it. I do like Paul even when he is a bit beyond me.

Hi Roof

For 11a your L is right. Now think if an Americanism picnic, as in "it;s a ...."

Oops! Hope you can solve my advice! (Fat fingers and haste.)

Hi Roof,

24a definition is "dark" (or it would be if a room was 24a) - 4 letter synonym for "snake" followed by a 3 letter bird of the night, but it's female/a lady so it has the usual ending that signifies a female.

18d this could well be an error by the setter because it starts off with alternate letters, beginning with sEt Up Ro.. but when it gets to the 5th letter it only jumps one square and then reverts to 2 for the last letter.

27a definition is "bird" and is an anagram of 22a.

11a your letters are all correct - it's a 5 letter word meaning "picnic/easy" around the roman numeral for 50. Definition is "hampers" but a more common definition is "secure" or "clamp".

Soory Roof,

For 11a the definition is "secure" and "hampers" means the synonym for "picnic/easy" hampers or embraces the Roman numeral for 50.

Thanks David

I think I might have the answer to 11ac, which means I got the definition wrong.

I have also got 18d,22ac, 27ac and 19d, though I still don't see how to parse the latter.

This means I've finished.

So thank you everyone for your help.