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Hi Brendan

It was a bit scrappy to be honest. Not the two teams of 20 years ago. But definitely a white knuckle ride for sure.

Hello all - I've just about finished this, but definitely stumped on the last two! Any hints for 5a/2d?

Wuluag
2d isn't Charybdis...

Thanks ChrisE, that fits my intuition - still can't fully parse it mind 😅

Hi Wuluag,

5a - 3 letter "expression of outrage" (you hear it in Shakespeare plays) + 4 letter (group of) "people" minus A(nswer) - definition is "intense"

2d - 2 letter Latin abbreviation for "namely" then a 4 letter "helping fighter" (or fighter who helps (you)) reversed/upset - definition is an odd sounding monster

Aha, perfect! Thanks Brendan, that makes sense

And that abbreviation isn't one I've met before somehow! Another useful one for the toolkit going forward...

Thanks Wuluag, Latin abbreviations have started to creep their way into the Guardian a bit more regularly of late so you're wise to make a note of it:-)

Hi Brendan

Daughter visiting today and brain getting worse. So I didn't start until after she left at 5.00pm. Like you I got 3d and 6ac as my first entries. Then got stuck as I couldn't see the theme. Thanks to the forum I've got a few more and hints to work on some.

Sorry I don't get the football references, so I have only heard of one Botham. But I'm hoping a glass of wine will jog my mind a bit. I did get the literary references in 9ac. Although I learnt some Latin during lockdown, I'm afraid it didn't all stick. I'll have to look up that one.

Back to the drawing board!

Hi Roof,

I guarantee you've heard of this ex-footballer - he's dead now but was world famous in the 60's and 70's, both on and off the field. Geeker is American and he knew him instantly. He was probably one of if not the first "playboy" sportsman.

Yes Brendan, I did know him and so have got 11ac and all the top half from the hints given. I've been held up by the wrong answer to 18ac, which I have now got and possibly 22ac. I have ?T?E?D?O

I suspect 15d is related to theme though I can't parse it.

Can I have a hint please for 20d (C???O?), 19d M?E???

By the way Brendan, I did finish last week's fiendish marathon and even plotted all the states out on a map to match the grid. But I wish, like ChrisE, I hadn't bothered as it took me three days and I had other things to do. I did manage to fit in some gardening, but other things slipped. I think I'm suffering from 1d.