Crossword Help Forum
Forum Rules

For 16D, if you were constructing wordplay for a clue that would take the word "gift" and modify it to be "ift" -- what indicator could you possibly use in that clue?

Both are surely intended. The 5 9 meanings are a far clearer indication in my view. The other is a nice little extra.

Boson

I really don't know. I've been puzzled by the clue and what the definition is.

I'm also having trouble parsing 25ac. I have an answer that can be spelt two different ways and cannot see which it is from the clue. It has all been a bit too obscure for me today.

Are my letters wrong?

For 15ac I have ?E?U???
For 16d I have ??O?E?R? or ??O?E?E?

Boson: assuming that your 25ac is what I think it is, the ‘on’ in the clue should point you to the right order of the last two letters.

roof - for 25 the wordplay "on" gives you the correct spelling

Sorry, snowwhite, but I really don’t see it. If I substitute the solutions for 5 and 9 for the 5 and the 9 in, for example 9ac, the clue just makes no sense. Likewise with 25ac to take just one more. And the words ‘of this’ become superfluous. And why the ‘/‘?

"The other forum" (AB) went through the same discussion and is less concerned with spoilers.

[SPOILER ALERT] https://www.theanswerbank.co.uk/Quizzes-and-Puzzles/Crosswords/Question1853359.html

Thanks, geeker - how interesting!

I agree with Rogissimo

I cannot see anyway one can use the solutions to 5 and 9 to get the theme, especially 5d.

I am pleased to say that I have now finished though I 'm not happy with the clue for 16d or the clue for 15ac. In the case of the latter clue I think the word should be America, not American.

I can say that my FOI was 5d, LOI was 15ac. My CODs possibly 8ac, though I didn't know the battle, 18d and 4d. I'm not totally happy with the clue for 17ac either, or the parsing for 13d. Come on Paul - tighten up.