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That was indeed good fun, Prospero. Looked like a real beast at first but so well constructed that answers fell into place convincingly. Last in was the second part of 7d and a real “D’oh!” Moment when the penny dropped.

I thought this was a really good puzzle with some very solid wordplay elements, my favourite, perhaps, being "police leader" - great stuff:-)

I've got 11a and all the downs, just missing a couple of acrosses. But I can't figure out what is meant by 'cyclically'. Are all the down answers to be entered downwards in the columns, and acrosses from left to right in rows? If so, I must have something wrong as I can't find the pattern of crossers from my 11a in my down answers, however I arrange them...

Cyclically just means that a clue can start anywhere in the row or column but will then continue normally until you reach the end of that row or column, and then you carry on from the top. Example:-

Imagine the 2 answers to 1a are HOTSPUR and CENTIPEDE - HOTSPUR might start anywhere along the first row, say, for example, the 4th square along - then you'd have

PEDEHOTSPURCENTI

You really need the normal 11a to get a foothold but, once you do, it does all fall neatly in to place.

Apologies if I've misunderstood which, on reading your post again, I think I might have done.

aah, thanks Brendan, that makes sense

Thanks SirCrispin, glad you got it sorted. I found the best way in was with the uncommon letter that 3d and 11a both share.

I think you understood, but,if not, you have helped enormously anyway. I was trying to start with one answer in one column, then finish it in the next, then start the next clue where that one finished - which is why I was expecting to see the crossers from 11a appearing as a pattern in my down answers. They almost did at letter 3 of each pairing, which is why I thought I may have made a mistake. I'm off to apply your insight....

At first glance, I thought this would be relatively simple as I was lulled by the easy 11a. Now I am finding the cryptic clues tricky so will probably give up!

Keep going.

I have a full grid, fulfilling all the rules.

But my last one in was the second half of 13a. I can find only one word that fits with what I am pretty sure are the correct letters from the down answer , but it has me baffled as to the definition and parsing.

Can I have a hint to either (or both), please?