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[Rossim @55
Thanks. Far too cold here for them - they would need to be houseplants!]

Can anyone give a hint for 21? I can see an expression that means ‘surreptitiously leave’ (first word something that children do in playgrounds) but I can’t see how it fits the second half of the clue.

Oh sorry can see it now. A long time since I possessed one.

I would appreciate a hand with 17 across.

Thanks.

17a: defn "bit of a nut", wordplay breaks down as 1+2+2.

@petercarlington, the last five words give the definition. I hadn't heard of it, but the wordplay's pretty straightforward when you unpick it. It's in three parts, all of them the usual suspects. Hope that helps!

Thanks to both of you on 17a. Got it!

Hi everyone,
Sorry to have been awol. I didn't even finish last weeks in the end as I had my first Covid jab and then felt so bad. I did try doing some of it at 2am when I was both hot and cold at the same time, but all my muscles were twitching so I couldn't sleep. That wasn't hugely successful.
Enjoying today's so far, am glad it's not an occasion we celebrate as it's cold and wet here. My husband's old neighbour used to do that every time though, which was always quite a sight. I guess it saves getting your clothes mucky.
FIO was 24d, still a few to go but I won't ask for help just yet, it's more a lack of not having had the time. Number of possibilities for COD, so far I think 1d is my favourite.
Good to read everyone else's thoughts on the puzzle and interesting that it may be a combined compiling effort. :-)

Hi Abicoop

Sorry to hear about your reaction to the Covid jab. I was feverish for the first jab, but the second was merely a painful place on my arm.

I started this puzzle after lunch - about 2.30pm, but was stuck on what the numbers meant at first. I thought it was a date. So I looked through the very long thread on here and started to see that it was right up my street as a keen gardener. I read the rest of the clues and started solving the crossword steadily, but still have some to get at the bottom half. Despite hints, I haven't yet got 18d or 24ac. I'll keep at it a bit longer.

Rossim, I manage to grow Amaryllis Belladonna here in my Exeter garden, but I do shelter my Aeniums over winter, unlike the Scilly Islands where they grow everywhere outside.

Hi Abi, I subsequently discovered a post by Puck on the first “Bog/us” puzzle back in 2016 which confirms that the “Bog” part is a reference to the ‘lavatorial’ theme in that puzzle (you’ll need to look that up) and the “us” part refers to the three way collaboration.
Hope you’re feeling better!