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Tom
17a parses 1,3,1,1,1. 3 letter is synonym for cry and there’s the usual abbreviation for river. Meaning of the answer would be easier if ‘who’s under’ is left out.
Meat in 3 down is the type that comes from a pig. Works nicely as a spoonerism

Hi Tom,

3d - remember the word in the clue is "school's" not "school", so you add the first letter S or 'S to the end of the school and then start the second word with the second letter in the clue, so the Spoonerism of the answer would be H......'S P...

17a - "I" from the clue + 3 letter "cry" + "A" then 1 letter "river" + 1 letter "first of stanza" - definition is "lines showing who's under bpressure"

Thank you!!

I managed to solve this puzzle, *except* for the unchecked letters in the second word of 20A. (I am sure of the two checked letters.)

I made a guess that kind of makes sense, but I have no reason to believe it is in fact correct.

Can someone please provide me with a very gentle hint about that second word in 20A ?

Clue is double definition. The 2 definitions are the phrases separated by a colon.
You mean the 3d word of 20, surely?
The 3d word is a musical term, used in the mnemonic sense but more directly applicable to the musical definition.

Thanks for the hint!

Yes, sorry, I meant the unchecked letters of the *third* word.

Sounds as if I may have guessed it correctly, but the entire 3-word answer does not (if I may) ring a bell with me.

Bonus clue for the third word:

(Pot) hole in Church Road (5)

Just to be sure you have it?

Now I do, though I hadn't before.

Thanks, rafflesthegt, for the bonus clue.

(There are at least two common music-related words that fit the letters, *in addition to* the correct answer.)

Finally, this is a very familiar phrase that I should have thought of (but, alas, did not).

Arggh, the ravages of age!

But now that I think of it, the answer seems to be (almost) something that a xylophonist *cannot* do!

Cheers, daz.

Even a professional setter is allowed the odd ‘plonker’!