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Hi Jono

Many thanks for your help. I've just written a response, but it has disappeared!

I've been sharing with my friend in Sheffield, but she's not been well. Fortunately, with her background as a museum curator she knew the word for the "roll of sheep's wool".

I seem to have finished. I just have to check the number of theme words I've got, the repeats and the two themed answers. I am definitely of the view that 61ac is one of the full theme words and 6ac isn't.

Back to real life. My husband just finished mowing the lawn and the heavens opened. I can put off doing the edges for a bit.

Thanks to all the others on the thread

I think my gk is a bit too lacking to finish this. When I do solve a clue I can't parse it and I don't know the word is. I'm left with 21a. No idea what Blue Spiraea is. 31d have an answer that is related to sports ground tickets but no idea why. 30a no idea either.

I may just go Everyman for some light relief.

21ac answer is a shade of blue. First letter is all spirea pruned except first letter and then river in south west England.

31d. The answer you are thinking of is also a security. Not sure of all the parsing if anyone has it.

30ac definition is the peak of someone's time. Greatest vigour etc. I think also a kind of dance linked to line dancing?

We definitely found 5 theme words used twice.

Like these as a good challenge.

Snowwhite, 31 is two theme words around a single letter for “blanket’s tip”

Thanks Snowwhite. Again a word I have never heard of 21a.

Hi everyone. New here. I've made Guardian cryptic solving a project over the last few years and can now sometimes finish the Saturday one yippee! But I can't find a way in to this one. Is there a way someone can get me started please? I've solved only 28a 10d and I think 56a. So disheartening! Might have to get my book of old ones out instead....Thanks in advance. ( I've seen that some of you avoid this type...which is comforting!)

Good morning and welcome, try 42a which is an anagram and will help you with the theme. Don’t give up these Maskarade bank holiday specials are a challenge but worth it.

I may be the only one struggling with it, but can someone help parse 1A please?

Actually, I think I see it now - a themed word enveloped within a derogatory term?

Exactly that.