Crossword Help Forum
Forum Rules

Was this a particularly tricky offering from Picaroon, or did I have too much good wine with dinner? I suspect a combination of both.
Southwest corner took a long time to yield, mainly because of two completely unknown (to me) words.
FOI 21 (yes, I had to go that far down)
LOI embarrassingly 24. I’m no chemist.
Classic Picaroon with some very granular clues, nice surfaces and plenty of misdirection. If I’m pushed, I’d go with 18a, simply because I laughed when the penny dropped.

If I’m pushed for COD, I thought I’d said. Good night.

Picaroon has become one of my favourite setters, because his wordplay is usually so precise and elegant. Of course, one of the clues makes it obvious there is a theme, but it was one of my last in so it didn't help at all. I don't think it would have made any difference if I had seen it earlier - the thematic elements are pretty well hidden even when you are looking for them.

Morning all, enjoying this. Foi 6.

Hi Rainman
I can attest to what you say in your last sentence, in that I got 10a relatively early on from the crossers, but it didn’t help me with any of the subsequent thematics, even in the case of the word which was new to me. Which is of course not a criticism of Picaroon - on the contrary, it’s a tribute to his ingenuity.

I too started in the far south (any further and I'd have been in the Solent). A struggle which I wasn't enjoying until I eventually got 10a, when a few lines by Ian Dury concerning the intellectual ability of certain people came to mind.

Thanks Pickers

Good fun I thought. Spotted the theme early but as others have said it really didn’t help much, but was fun the confirm the across answers.

I wonder had we not been given the direction in 10a whether anyone would have spotted the theme. I think between us we might have.

I’m generally useless at spotting hidden themes, Nina’s and so forth, jono, so I think I’d have had to leave it to you and the other lateral thinkers!

I too have problems spotting themes and only saw them when, like others I got 10a which I found a help with some answers that I wasn't sure of.

For those who didn't get my earlier reference:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q63UoIPZFe0

Pickers can be added to the list.

Nearly finished. Missing 11a. I can think of two possible thematics, but can't parse either, and I think one can be ruled out as it appears in 12
No idea on 25 either.

Can't see the 10 in 18 or 23. I can't parse 13.

Never seen 15 as a word before!

Any hints on these, please?