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Jazzgirl you've got it

Another detestable homophone. The entry went in right away as it was the only Steinbeck novel that fit, but it took me quite a while to realize what was intended. Then I threw up a bit.

I have some queries…

3dd - I have no idea where to start in solving this!

5d - I have all the crossing letters but, again, I have no idea what the clue is referring to.

20a - bamboozled.

Could I ask for some guidance please?

Hi Druh,

3d Not particularly cryptic. A French term (which one might guess from the apostrophe in the enumeration). ‘Calling’ as a noun.

5d Def is cores. Two homophones in play, one for leaders (sounds like the answer) and one for who they lead (sound like ‘cores’).

20a Parses as 6 (sinful), 1 (American), 5 (Peels back - literally!). Def is out.

Hope that helps.

3d is a French phrase meaning "reason for being"
5d homophone of Colonels
20a. the definition is "out" (not awake)
6 letters for sinful, A for American and 'peels' (in reverse)

Thank you.

Completely beyond my capabilities without your advice!

I have a few more outstanding!

I don't understand how the pronunciation of the letter F in the Steinbeck novel fits into the homophone (even considering British pronunciation).

Daz, I think the problem is that you merely *thought* you knew British pronunciation.

But in fact, the pronunciation of [something like] the vowel sound in "of" is a common [what you know principally as so-called "Irish"] pronunciation, as in "Top o' the marnin' to ya, Mrs. McGillicuddy!"

But: I have a question about "sinful":

For clue 20A, the answer and how it parses are clear.

But the six-letter word that means "sinful" in that clue strikes me as having a problem in the "substitution test". Meaning, can you find a phrase where substituting one word (the answer) for the other (sinful) maintains the same meaning?

Maybe in U.K. usage. But in U.S. usage one would accompany one with a different verb than with the other.

[Postscript: Sure enough, it appears in U.K. usage as indicating someone sinful (in a particular religion) or someone who had extramarital sex (in the past).]