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I have had to make 18down fit my answers for 21 and 25 across which i had as vermicelli and apache. Am I wrong there as well?

Vermicelli is an anagram of evil crime with L from liberal.

Not sure how I worked out apache. It may be wrong.

I am having trouble with 8d Tabloid upset about cryptic clue's central part (7). I have N???E??

Any clues to help me with this one would be appreciated.

8d. NUCLEUS, central part. SUN, tabloid, reversed about an anagram of 'clue'

Hally (at 19.29), glad that helped - though I was really just confirming the answer given earlier by Chrise!

Thanks malone. Can you see why "players" was included?

Thanks, ChrisE - I too was a little puzzled by the 'players'. Chambers defines 'rugby union' as the original form of the game of rugby with 15 players on each side, so maybe if you stretched it (RU) a little bit...?
That was me simply trying to make it work, but I find myself shrugging at times with some Eye clues!

Thank you Malone. As I mentioned in my 19.40 post yesterday, I am still having trouble with 18down, as CHEER UP does not fit with my 25 across, I have APACHE for "minor service provider chain acquired by Native American people. I have ???C?E so I cannot think of any other US first nation tribe that fits. But if CHEER UP is correct the second letter must be an R (not a P). If CHIRP UP is correct, VERMICELLI (21 across) is not correct.

CRECHE, minor service provider. CH in CREE

Thank you very much, Mattrom, I am done now.

Re 18d. I parsed it that, slang for rubgy player(s) is "rugger bugger(s)" and buggering rugger, could get you RU to put in CHEEP. Feels a bit of stretch, but can't see anything else.

Hi all, thanks for previous hints and solutions - much needed!

I am now on my last one; 17a Nurse's hand-out prior to operational cuts? (7) -C-L-E-

The only word that fits and seems vaguely relevant is scalpel, but I can't parse it.