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think of it as two words, with the second one truncated

It was all going in so easily but stumped on 7 and 14. I have great solutions for both but the crosser is wrong!

Hi Hkw,

1d - think of "rot" in terms of food or, better still, milk - the term is 2,3 and you omit the last letter, signalled by "a lot of" (but not all)

Hi Redpete,

7d - first 2 letters are "in French" then 5 letter "plot" (as in 'land') then single letter "English" - definition is "break" (but it's not a commonly used word)

14a - 3 letter "problem" reversed/'about' then single letter "current" then 3 letter "state" - definition is the theme word.

Oh yes! I have it now. Thanks so much

Great stuff, thanks Hkw:-)

Brendan, we’ve let you down again. And I recall the Pauli exclusion principle discussion, though regrettably, not the clue that triggered it.

Do you know the problem also attributed to 11 “How many piano tuners are there in Chicago?”.

I was once asked at a job interview “How many pigs are there in China?” which I suppose is a variation of the same question.

Hi Everyone

I wish I could say the same. I thought there might be a theme, but I've still no idea what it is though I've done about a third I think. I often struggle with Picaroon, although I suspect some are easy. E.g. 9ac. I haven't even found the anagram in the downs yet, Brendan. I hate it when you all say it is easy and I'm struggling.

Perhaps a hint for 12ac will help. I have no crossers yet. Meanwhile I'll have another think about the hints in the thread and see if light dawns. I'll be back.

Hi Roof,

You're absolutely right, people's solving experiences vary so much that gauging a puzzle as "easy" or "difficult" is probably pointless.

12a - single letter "husband" + 4 letter "makes public" + 4 letter "petition" - definition is "cosmetic solution"

The anagram I referred to in the downs occurs very early on - hope that helps.

Hi Roof
You’re quite right - it’s only easy if one gets on the setter’s wavelength, and it’s pretty dispiriting to be told that it’s easy when one isn’t!
12ac parses as 1,4,4, the first 4 words of the clue providing the fodder and the last two the definition. It’s also one of the 14 thematic solutions.
Hope this helps a bit!