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Agree with Chris.

Also, for abbreviations and common tricks I found this to be a really useful resource when I first started…

http://crypticcrosswords.net/crosswords/usual-suspects/

One of the links at the top takes you to a page dedicated to cricket terminology.

Oops, our posts crossed Jono!

That's a useful link Jono, especially the cricketing terms one, as I know nothing whatsoever about cricket, and my heart always sinks when I see a cricketing clue!

For general abbreviations, I use this link when I'm stuck:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crossword_abbreviations

I

druh6sm

You may already do what I am going to suggest. Apologies if you already do, but it may help. Have a look at the solution to last week's Everyman in today's Observer alongside the clues from last week and try to work back from the solution and to understand the links between the two. When I first began trying Everyman in the '60s, it was rare for me to complete a crossword by the following Wednesday, sometimes not at all. Seeing the solution in the following Sunday's Obsie was the only way of learning how to approach clues I could not solve and begin to understand the way clues are constructed, there being no internet, Google or helpful forum available in the '60s.

I hadn't a clue (pun) about cryptic crosswords until 2006 after my husband died. He thought my place was in the kitchen . He used to hide away in his study solving cryptics.
Around 2011 I finally solved (without cheating) my first cryptic crossword.
Tle late Mamya who was a prolific solver on this and other forums was very generous and patient with her help.

I must be getting better - just one clue I couldn't understand, probably obvious, but I don't understand 7D - not mentioned in despatches by other people.

Helen
First letters of rhe words in brackets

it's the first letters one. romantic name for ireland

It is also an archaic and romantic name for Ireland

Carmelista

I could have written what you put exactly the same. Same era, same learning. I miss doing the paper version, (live some way from newsagent and delivery on its way out).

I too recommend the working backwards technique for
druh6sm