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In suggesting a possible &lit in 3 I was trying to justify the ‘wants a’ in the clue, but I agree that it’s almost certainly just padding, which I’m afraid I don’t like.

I really enjoyed this . I managed to parse all but am stupidly stuck on the short one 22d.
I 'm not sure I have the correct answer (a colour) in which case it would have been a tree minus one letter.
Arnica ready......

Hi jazzy
Nice to hear from you!
22 is indeed a colour, but only applied to horses, as far as I know. There is a letter subtracted from a tree.

Hi Chrise 🙋‍♀️
I'm back !
Pleased you agree with my answer.
So it was simply 'with' that was lost.
I'm out of practice...
(My grandfather used to call anyone that was a 'nobody' a 3d !

Finished fairly quickly today with a few words I didn’t know (4, 13, first bit of 26, 7) but were led to straightforwardly from the wordplay. I actually really liked the neat double meaning of 19.

13a new to me. Obvious clue in hindsight. (Swarbrules, hindsight's something to do with foxhunting).

So last one in was 12d. Looking for wrong definition.

Duplicate thread by Wulimaster

Very enjoyable. Alas, however, 19d has stumped me.

Malone answered

…. ...and it's always good togive the clue too! That, and the number of letters, details of any you already have, make it much easier for those without the puzzle.

Wulimaster

Please read the thread headed “PLEASE READ - Do not Create Duplicate Threads” which explains about duplicate threads on the Forum.

Please also read the other thread headed “PLEASE READ - Posting Guidelines” which explains about posting clues etc.

Thank you.

Agree with comments , an easier prize but enjoyable.
Having said that still not sure of parsing of 17a
FOI 5a
LOI 17a
COD 5d with 11a close second.
Hope you are all staying warm and safe from Storm Bert .

17 has a novel anagram indicator....