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jono@57,

I even knew that about 24/25! As a crossword beginner, read about him in a crossword book or magazine my father showed me.
Initials of first and middle names, followed by first 3 letters of surname. Once tried a couple of his puzzles, but I seem to prefer a more modern vintage.

Thanks for that info Moonjets., very interesting.

I've just Googled the book and Wiki has this...

" In 2019, crowdfunding publisher Unbound published a new stand-alone edition of the puzzle in collaboration with the charity The Laurence Sterne Trust.

Both editions, when published, were accompanied by a competition which offered a cash prize to the first reader to solve the puzzle. Cain's Jawbone has been described as "one of the hardest and most beguiling word puzzles ever published."

More info here (if we’re allowed to post links?) https://www.lrb.co.uk/blog/2020/november/all-the-nice-gulls-love-a-sailor.-ugh

I didn't start until after 4.00pm following a memorial service for a neighbour who died (a strange experience for me). I'm on the second week of my bad cold, but despite this, started well and thought it might be easy for Brendan. But I am now completely stuck on north west corner. Can I have hints for 1d, 2d (I've no idea what Rugby sides means). I haven't got 9ac or 11ac.

Some answers I cannot fully parse (10a or just a bad clue, 3d, 5d I can't see the second part of the bible, 14d a complete mystery to me,18d). I'd never heard of 25ac before. And I've no idea what theme you are all talking about.

I look forward to some guidance.

FOI was 4ac

1d: defn. "fare collectors"

Parses as I ("current") inserted into a 6-letter word for "often resented officials" (e.g. plural of a Beatles song narrator).

Hi roof
I hope the memorial service was ok, despite the inevitable strangeness. And get well soon.
Re 2d: you need to separate Rugby (which gives you the first two letters) from sides (which gives you the 3rd and 5th)

2d: defn. "person in charge"

Parses as 2 (standard abbrev. for "rugby"), 1 (a "side"), 1 ("English"), 2 (the other "side").

Hi Roof,

Sorry to hear about your neighbour and bad cold.

1d - "often resented officials" are 3,3 and go around single letter "current" - defition is "fare collectors" but, even though you'll get why, I doubt you'll have ever heard aanyone use the term.

2d 2 letter abbr. for "rugby" (there's 2 trypes) then "sides" are 1, 1 and they go around 1 letter "English" - defition is "person in charge"

9a - 3 letter "cast out" + 1 letter "line" - definition is "jump over ice " (if you're into ice skating or dancing you'll definitelyu know it:-)

I didn’t like 10a either.
The second part of the Bible indicates an abbreviation of the second book of the Bible.

Brendan - I THINK that geeker is right that the resented officials are a 6 rather than a 3,3.