Crossword Help Forum
Forum Rules

Hi roof
26 as I said earlier, Cook would have been fairer (more recent) than Boycott. It's what position they batted.
12 Great Expectations. I wasted time trying to put him at the start, but that's not where he's found.
1a ??????-ripper is a genre of fiction!

roof, 13 might be a good starting point.
Definition "then", parses as "where a journalist might work" (2,3,5) with the final letter removed, making the answer's last word (4).

Roof don’t give up, its taken me all day and I only have three left from a completely blank grid for hours….crossword solver has earned its keep today …..I have answers for 1a, (but don’t see why the 3 letter ending is “gem” ? , cant fully parse 11a or 7d other than the definitions so any info appreciated. Ive got the evening ahead of me to get the first word for 8d then 12 a and 5d…I’m looking forward to the challenge ahead :-)

Tony stock, the last three letters in 1 are a slang term for diamonds.

These are both sneaky. In 7 you have to split storybooks into two words. Think of the answer you have for 11 as an instruction, and you get "no".

Thanks mathpro , I thought as much and sure Ive seen it used before for gem … cheers.

Mathpro haha thanks i see 11a now , very good….

Many thanks Chrise

I'd actually got 1ac after getting 3d
My husband helped me with Boycotts position so that is 26ac sorted

I'll keep on thinking about 12ac

I'm working with Chambers Crossword companion which has given me 10ac I think.

Dear god Mathpro the penny just dropped to 7d after your hint….thanks very much, great clue and been trying to parse it for ages when it was staring me in the face…I never thought to split Storybook , schoolboy error !

Thanks Geeker

Got that one now.