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Stuck on parsing of 54a. Correspondent in prison, day before death (3-6) The answer is PEN-FRIEND. Can see PEN as prison, possibly FRI as day before and maybe D as death, but a bit lost after that. Any help, please?
Also I have 53a: A cockney idol,bringer of brightness in a mist. The answer is AEROSOL. Sol is the sun, but is Aero a cockney idol?

END is death
A 'ERO (I do dislike these "Cockney" clues!)

54.Pen, prison, Fri, day and End, death.
53 . It's A 'Ero, A hero, as said by a Cockney (allegedly).

Hi Despard,

I think it's PEN FRI(day) + END (Death)

53a A + 'ERO + SOL (Dropped H so Heo becomes 'ero)

Thanks chrise and malone. Having posted the query I repeated it to myself and came to the same conclusion. Good grief, what a ghasly clue!

Thanks, Despard. I never like the Cockney, Eastender etc clues - and I think their day is long gone.

You're welcome, despard.

The Cockney clues have been dated for ages. In Shaw's Man and Superman the hero (whose name I forget - John something) introduces his Cockney driver as 'Enry Straker.
"That's Henery, sir" he corrects.

Hi all,
Still stuck on 2 clues:

41a A fine handout arranged for spring (12)
- O - N - - - G - E - D

and

42 d Unknown investigator probing teetotal movement with any number of old people
- - T - C - N

Many thanks !

42 Aztecan, old people, the Aztecs. AA, teetotal movement, Z, unknown, Tec, investigator, N, number. A z tec a n.

41 Fountainhead, spring - anagram (arranged) of ' a fine handout'.