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After struggling for a long time today, and only having completed the right hand side, I thought I was going to come on here to read how everyone else found it difficult too, so Brendan’s opening post that it was relatively straightforward was a bit of a shock! But knowing that it was all gettable in the end did prompt me to have another stab at it, and I was very grateful for the hints, thank you all.
2, 3, 8, 10 and 13d were all words I didn’t know, and the definitions for 11 and 21 were not at all obvious, so I feel very satisfied to have completed it eventually

Well done Adnarim and apologies if I mislead you. One of the reasons I don't usually comment on a puzzle's difficulty is because it is so subjective and relative.

I know what you mean about 11 "hornblower" and 21 "scatter" - very cunning 😉

Can anyone help me we the parsing of 11a? I have the answer and can get part of the wordplay but not all of it. Thanks

Hi Danf,

11a - First 5 letters are "gold coin" + A (from the clue) + 2 letters for an acronym of a military "corp" + 6 letters for "hard"

Thanks Brendan. I didn't know the gold coin, I do now.

Hi everyone

I too was dismayed to find brendan et al had found this puzzle easy. Like femmenoire, I've found it very difficult.

I started after lunch as usual, and solved a couple, then remembered I needed to prune another shrub whilst it was sunny, though not exactly warm. Having dealt with the Grisselini, I started again after 4.00pm. Since then it has been slow going and I can't parse some of the clues. I've done about halve, but am stuck on the rest despite your various clues. Like Danf, I don't think I know the gold coin for 11ac, so a further clue would be helpful. I'm assuming this is the name of a famous instrumentalist.

A help for 3d would also be gratefullyl received. I have C?N???L?. I understand the definition is a large number of churchgoers, but fear I might not know the word.

I have an answer for 26, but have never heard of this "coupist". I thought I knew the beginning of 12d, but can't find a word. I have ??P???T?E??

I look forward to hearing from one of you/

Half not halve. and I'm not sure how to spell Grisselini.

Hi Roof,

I imagine it was quite out in the garden but at least, as you say, it was sunny.

3d - People who have good "cake decorating skills" are good at putting the ???ing on the cake, those without C??? ??? this goes around L(arge).

26a - I'm sure you've heard of this famous Shakespearean character. I parsed it in a previous post.

12d - If you "give jobs to the boys" you A?????? M?? + T(ime) - definition is "meeting"

26a - I should have said that he was also a real person.

Hi Roof
In 3d, "large" is part of the wordplay, rather than definition.
I did "Julius Caesar" at school!
Your letters are right for 12.