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Hi HW7,

They all have the same 3 letter word missing, so? I don't see what you're getting at.

Eg. 23d "permit" - give + "colonist" ant minus E(nergy) = g...avant - what has this to do with P and Q?

23d I meant G...IVANT

34d "that is" = ie "held by bishop" rr = r...ier

30d "difficult person" HOOR around D(epartment)" - H...DOOR

I've parsed them "all" - what have they to do with P and Q ?

Assuming you’ve completed the phrases as required in the preamble, try putting inverted commas around the work given by the first three letters (1A, 9A, 16A)...

Okay, forget it. Thanks anyway.

Brendan, the setter has taken a common idiom and given it a literal interpretation as an element in a piece of syllogistic logic (implied by the title). It makes a welcome change from themes that require extensive Internet research to complete. This was a neat, self-contained puzzle.

Brendan... I’m sensing a bit of frustration but you’ve got this. If you can complete this week’s IQ you can do this... all is not lost!

In the title, replace P with the message spelt out between 1a and 3d. “Then” replace Q with the rest of the message (5d to 29d). Read it as a question quite literally... and you have ‘found’ your answer with the endgame.

I hope this helps but if it’s still too obtuse, let me know.

This puzzle has been infected!

Of all the Roman poets in all the crosswords in all the world , he walks into mine.

I wonder if this infection is part of a recurring theme?!