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Weekend Peer Review 198

Welcome to our weekend competition to compose a cryptic clue to be judged by your fellow contestants. You may enter as many clues as you like, and everyone is welcome, particularly new entrants. Feel free to explain your clue if you think it will help, or to ask another entrant to parse their clue. However, please don't comment on the clues before voting closes.

Clues should be posted before noon (UK time) on Sunday the 20th of August, when voting opens. Voting closes at 6pm the same day.

This weekend’s challenge is:

HARD TIMES (4,5)

Have fun and good luck!

Weekend rules: Each entrant has six votes to allocate across any of one to six clues (no fractional votes allowed). For example, the allocation might be 3/2/1 for the top 3 clues, and many other allocations are possible. In the event of a tie, the number of first place votes will be taken into consideration (if those are equal, 2nd place votes, etc.).

Future setters should note that a complete list of words used previously in Clueless, Peer Review and Weekend Peer Review is available here https://tinyurl.com/4dzss5np

Novel threads I'm seen in? (4,5)

Trouble in the outskirts of Halifax? (4,5)

h=hard, x=times

Misread the endless intrigue in this book (4,5)

Set paper on this book (4,4)

Problem? Dream this out (4,5)

Studs Terkel's priapic narrative? Not very. (4,5)

Old-time US reference to Chicago-based author's book: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hard_Times:_An_Oral_History_of_the_Great_Depression

Biting satirical social commentary? Shame it got lost on the road (4,5)

Hero's odd novel made it into a classic (4, 5)

Hero's odd...H,R,S
Novel (anagram of) MADE IT

into (all letters anag.)

Definition: Classic

Admits “her” fashion is drag (4,5)