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if you make bread, as i do, 9 will be very familiar.

Started even later than usual today, though I did manage a few over lunch. I couldn't resist the nice weather, which gave me an opportunity to get in the garden. I've actually managed to plant some seeds and set up my propagator - about two weeks later than usual. Many more seeds to plants tomorrow.

I've done lots in the bottom half, but hardly any in the top half. I've not found it easy and not spotted the theme. Can I have a hint for 14ac. Meanwhile, I'll go away and see if I can make head or tails of some of the hints given above. I only do the Saturday Prize crossword, so can't remember coming across Qaos before.

Hi roof
Lucky you - so much rain here today (though sunny now).

14 def "faithful". Tory (3), Special (1), then "article" (grammar) inside "times"

Theme won't qctually help to solve any clues, I think.

HI Chrise

It rained here nearly all day yesterday.

I've got quite a few more and the theme, but as you say the theme doesn't actually help with the solving.

Thanks for your hint, which has given me 14ac and hence 6d.

I'm afraid your bread making hint for 9ac hasn't helped (I do make bread occasionally) and I can't get the anagram for 11ac. Is it straightforward?

I'm also having trouble with 13d. I have ??A?A?T?E?. I have no idea what a six footer is, but I've got the drugs. Are my crossers right?

I've just got 9ac

Well I've got most of it, a few still to do in the top half. But I have no idea what the theme is!

Did you do maths at school?

11 the anagram is straight forward, but I've never heard of the answer.

13d your letters are correct. "Six-footer" is crossword code for an insect - usually a particular wingless one.

On the whole this was easy, but I found some clues difficult. I finally gave up and came to this forum for help with 4 clues to do. I was surprised to read mentions of a theme, because I hadn't noticed one, so I looked again at all the clues I had solved, and still couldn't see it. In fact I saw the theme only immediately after I filled in my LOI (26d) which is amazing, and even a little embarrasing, because I spent decades teaching mathematics and statistics. The one thing which I still haven't figured out, and for which help would be welcome, is "Perhaps 4 or 6" for 1d. I'm confident I've got the right answer, because it fits the rest of the clue and also has the cricketing connection that someone mentioned, but I just don't get the reference to 4 or 6. Am I stupidly missing something blindingly obvious, as I did with the theme? FOI 8a, COD 6d, as I liked the double reading of the clue.

Mmm, yes, missing something blindingly obvious, I'm afraid. What do 4 and 6 have in common in cricket?

Oh, what an idiot I am. 4 or 6, obviously cricket. I don't know what is wrong with my brain today.