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I have to take issue with Everyman over 18d clue.

The definition in the clue has a comletely different meaning to the answer in the grid (assuming I have guessed the right anwer).

The two are completely incompatible and neither can be substituted for the other. One describes a non-starter and the other describes one who may start but is not expected to finish successfully.

A most unsatisfactory clue imho.

My wife is adamant that 23a is incorrect - after searching found that it is a US name for the species as opposed to the UK name. Do you think it should have an indicator for US usage? Answer is clear from the clue, just has triggered herself into nitpickery…

Hi Coffindodger,

I know what you mean and I initially thought the same thing, but a quick look in Chambers shows that while they can mean very different things, as you say, they also share this one definition ....

a) Non Starter - "A person, idea, etc with no chance at all of success"

18d - "Any person or thing that has absolutely no chance of success"

Hi Lupus,

If your wife likes a bit of 'nitpickery' she's come to the right place 😂 and Chris at @25 share her misgivings about the answer.

Seriously though Lupus, these discussions are just the sort of things this blog is for so keep 'em coming:-)

When I said Google (grudgingly) found it, I meant that when I searched for the answer to 23a, it said "Did you mean (....correct spelling)"

Many thanks for your reply Brendan.

I guess I must bow to Chambers' superior knowledge rather than my very limited knowledge of the sport of kings !

I thought this was harder than previous weeks, had to resort to quick solve on this site with the letters I had already to get 6, 14 and 16.

I had the wrong type for 23 and I still can't get 22 :(

Afternoon. Thought I had 23 and was stuck on 22. Then I read mystogue’s answer to Johnson and saw I was wrong. So what’s 23? Letters for first word: s?o?c?

Interesting discussion today. Which app are you talking about please? Afraid I still use the version in the paper.

Hi PS,

22d - Is a homophone/"noisily" of a word meaning 'rise' (as in like a bird might to when not flapping its wings - definition is "peeved" as in angry or disgruntled.

It's the mobile app (dunno if it is android or apple, or both) which has the tick.

I use the website which doesn't have a tick.

I also changed 23 after seeing ?o?e for 22. Maybe you need a glass of it or you need to be an egghead?