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Nice to see Arachne back in the Guardian with a special tribute. Her last Guardian cryptic was in 2019, though she regularly sets in the FT as Rosa Klebb. If you know the person this is dedicated to then 5, 25, 10 will be write-ins, but you don’t need any prior knowledge to complete the puzzle which I didn’t find too hard, and with some witty touches.

Another sad theme for today similar to a few weeks back. I didn't find this too difficult. I think because of the number of quite straightforward anagrams. I'm not a fan of too many in one puzzle.

I liked 1a and 4d but no stand out clues this week. Thanks to Arachne for the puzzle and the tribute.

I'm stuck on 3. I can't find anything to fit 11d - are my letters right?
?h?r?m,?o?a??
not entirely comvinced about the m

No chrise your m is wrong

Hi Chris, your M is wrong. That letter comes from the ‘unknown’ in 18a.

Chrise - you're right, the m is incorrect. It's an anagram.

Enjoyed this puzzle, sadly the second such tribute in recent times.

Still not convinced about my answer to 7 so if anyone can help.

…also, the second letter of 18a is not R (I had that originally too)

thanks. i had just worked out 11. another look at 18 needed (though my answer did parse!)

7 is a fun take on the old chestnut “Nice” (to give the first 3 letters), then one letter for left. The answer is a dialect/archaic word

yes, i had rejected r as second letter for 18. got it now.

i'm stuck on 7 too. does "nice" imply french?