Crossword Help Forum
Forum Rules

Thanks Brendan, I'd missed your reply. I'll look again at 23 - with a bit of Google help for provinces if necessary! I got 1d - I think - and am hoping 1a will get me 2d and 9a/11a. Feels so maddeningly close! But still racking my brain for booze that fits. Or words for breaks. Rocky, I know how you feel...

1a Think closely about "announcement" and what it may mean.

Hi Lucy,

2d is a simple anagram/"ar sea" of a word in the clue minus its first three letters/"leading trio lost"

9a they used be on some desks at school - many years ago!

11a definition is "he'll eat his own catch" and is a 2 letter word for "what" and a 3 letter word for "and not" - both reversed/"thrown back".

Oh! Just got 1d correctly this time. No wonder I couldn't get anywhere with 1a (or 9 or 11...). And got 23 without google - phew.

Got them all! Thanks Brendan. I'll sleep better tonight without them in my head!

Glad to help 😉

Hi Brendan

I got three of my last four and then watched all of the Bridge. It's well past my bedtime but I simply can't see 10ac even with your hint. Forget that, I've just parsed it. So that's me finished.

Jono, I live in Exeter, so there is no real excuse for not getting to the coast more often. We normally go there in September for the literary festival, but of course this year it will be on line - not the same.

The cat is patiently sitting next to me waiting to go to bed, so I must be off. I'll be back next week no doubt.

Hi Roof,

See you next week.

PS I hope your cat's paw is fully healed:-)

Hello everyone. What a very helpful forum.

Enjoyed this crossword, but I'm unable to parse 20ac. My answer only has one A in it. Is Cardigan not to be 'cooked' as I am seeing it?

It's an anagram of "in cardigan" with one of the As removed - "first of Aylesbury ducks"