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As usual a lot of fun from Paul, although I was surprised he didn't make a more Pauline reference in 6d to a rather notorious film of the same name!

However I have been staring at my LOI 1d for far too long, my crossers look right _ a _e _ / h _t.

I'm pretty sure I can guess the second word but haven't got a scoobie about the first word... Any pointers please?

Think crackers

JustSolve, look for an anagram, your letters are correct, I think you’ll kick yourself

This is a tough crossword! Struggling with 12A. I have _h_a_d but not sure about the d?

simonh
Your D is wrong. I had that first, but there's an alternative spelling

Thanks Chrise & Jono. You nudged me towards the PDM and you are right I did kick myself! Very good CW overall.

As I come from the area 4d was easy for me though 22a was not familiar to me - seems it's a word that's only used in a particular type of school? 22d was a new word for me, as was the non-animal meaning of mole, so Google was required once I'd guessed the homophone. Saw an exhibition of 23a's work at the Tate Modern a few years back (in the days before the plague, it seems an age since such things were considered normal!). Thanks to all, including Paul.

Finished, thanks to hints on here, but with zero pleasure. Almost all my answers have been by guesswork and reverse engineering rather by clue solving. I get the impression that Paul has been constructing wordplay as a comment on the solution rather than as a means of reaching it.

6d: What's the definition? After looking at this forum, I have a probable solution.

22a: I have a 3 letter element, but that's all. Tips welcomed

6d the definition is 24d/10a. It's a person.

22a the rest is how you would stop someone talking

Still 5 to go but really not sure it’s worth pressing on. I agree Davidw really no pleasure in solving these clues, just a bit of a slog for little reward. We all have our off days and this is Paul’s. Heck I couldn’t put together a crossword at all - doing this compiling thing can’t be easy and making it entertaining even harder I’m sure. Not to take away from anyone’s good experiences here who ‘get it’.

Probably time to move on with my day in another direction but it’s frustrating to leave it unsolved...