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First pass and I don't think I'm going to finish this today. I have a belated party for a big birthday I achieved over Christmas and it starts early afternoon. And this is tough!

I think I met Enigmatist once in a pub in Goodge St where I used to go to do the Guardian crossword with the then manager. He saw us and introduced himself. If I remember rightly he also gave us a copy of what he considered his toughest ever puzzle.

This is frustrating. I know two other words for the shriek of an IT consultant, but neither has 5 letters!

Hi Buzzybee,.

22d - Coincidentally, if you initially ignore the 2nd letter of the answer and look up the remaining 4 letter word in Chambers, you'll see one definition is "ravine", then look up that word and go to No.2 and one definition is "prey" (Spencer and Milton) -- add to that original 4 letter word "close in prey" and you get an "antelope" !!

Likewise Chris. I've even googled it and nothing is forthcoming.

Hi Chris,

7d - I'd never heard this word and only got it because I had all three crossers and checked every possible word in Chambers.

You can also find it on the Wiki page for the “shriek” meaning…

…at the very top of that page it says xxxxx redirects here.

Re 11a - I think drdubosc and jono have the only possible explanation, but I’m not convinced that it really works.

A general remark, prompted by bits of this puzzle: at what point does a clue cease to be witty, challenging, ingenious, etc and become unfair? This isn’t sour grapes because I solved Enigmatist’s enigmatic variations – eventually.

Well, I am making some progress - getting 8d helped - but several of the "clues" seem to be more allusions rather than actual clues.