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Geeker, I can’t see a meaningful theme. The letters in row 6 are in fact a Moari word but I can’t see that it has any relevance…

Geeker @38

Pangakupu does appear like he/she is trying to say something about low pay with 25a, 14a and 22d but I'm not exactly sure what it's connected to - there are more references to Egypt than there are to football

Pangakupu aka Phi lives in New Zealand

Jazzgirl, commenters on 225 have observed that Pangakupu tends to include a Maori word in his grids.

Brendan, I've likely been "primed" by having read a number of recent articles about the pay of female athletes, not just in football but cycling.

Being determined to look for that theme, I can posit clues 5, 14a, 25, 27, 22, 12, 4 and (more tenuously) 9 in that connex(ct)ion.

It's not convincing enough to be a theme, though. In particular, nothing specifically "female"! And I strongly doubt "low wages" in general.

Thanks Jazzgirl, I also note he has his own website with a section for setter's 14d

Yes Jazz, that’s why we are looking for something hidden. The last puzzle contained the Nina MATARIKI a Māori holiday celebrated in NZ. Earlier puzzles also contained hidden Māori words which is why we are looking for them (possibly and almost certainly foolishly!)

Jono apologies for stating the obviously known by all 😀

Thank you Brendan and Geeker

14ac was obvious. I had already written in the last six letters. I just couldn't think what the first three were. I had also almost got 14ac as I knew the Porter and 13d I should have got as I'd worked out the definition. I realised that I hadn't actually read all the clues which led to a couple more going in. I have yet to get 14d, but feeling a bit more confident.

Thanks for asking after my husband. He is fine and going for his 6 week check soon. I had him out in the garden fastening thenew loganberry shoots to the trellis earlier.

But I have had a terrible week. I've been suffering from nausea all week and am worried it is something serious (Old age, eh). I had to renew my mobile phone contract; it took me ages. Then I made a dire mistake on my laptop installing a new browser by mistake and lost all my short cuts. I've now managed to get Firefox back and have got most of my shortcuts back, but the Crossword Forum is not quite right. I must have another go at that. Sorry to go on, but it has been bad.

I'll be back.

Best wishes Roof, hope you feel better. No Scandi Noir on BBC4 tonight but I read that next weekend there’s a new Danish one starting :-)

I think I see a Maori word at 3d. column
Inamate which means instantly