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roof

1st March 2025, 17:06
HI everyone

Managed to finish without recourse to the Forum. So, very enjoyable. I was worried at first that I might not get "Matilda", but in the end I like lots of the clues. Started at 2.00pm with a short break to water and check the greenhouse and was held up at the end in North east corner. 28ac a new word to me and I can't explain the first and last letter. Also puzzled by 23d as I couldn't see where second and third letter came from.

My FOI was 22ac. My LOI was 8d. My COD was 16d, though I liked many others, eg. 14ac and 18ac. Interestingly, I worked out the answer to 3d etc, by guessing 19d and 24d and seeing the anagram. Then I had to work out what the first word was!

More Matilda please and less Enigmatist.

Must get the washing in
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chrise

1st March 2025, 17:40
Well done roof.
I didn't know 28 either, but the solution is easier than you are making it!
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micky

1st March 2025, 20:27
Roof, from what you said I guess you realised what "come back" means in 28a, but it's more than just one word which needs to come back. 3 words in the clue "suppress" the part which is to come back.
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minno

1st March 2025, 21:58
11a. I don't get this as a cryptic clue. The last word is the definition. The others indicate the area. But...
Am I missing something?
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geeker

1st March 2025, 22:10
After googling, I firmly believe 11a is a dd.
Second def. obviously the last word.

First def. could be "wool hoarder", going from the text of the nursery rhyme "Baa Baa (snipped)...":
"...Have you any wool?...Three bags full...".

This seems plausible and raises my opinion of the clue, which I previously considered questionable.
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jono

1st March 2025, 22:18
I agree Geeker, I’m sure that nursery rhyme is the intended reference.
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geeker

1st March 2025, 22:33
jono, having (belatedly) seen the nursery rhyme reference, I think it's a rather good clue. Credit to Matilda.
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pamd

2nd March 2025, 09:36
Thanks, Geeker, I was just about to ask for help in understanding 11: it now might be my COD, a lovely clue.

Finished early, for me, (was out most of yesterday, some of it in a silly daffodil hat rattling a collecting tin for Marie Curie at Morrisons), and unusually got there without using Crossword Solver or reading forum posts. Had to invent and verify 28, but was confident from wordplay and 3 crossers.

FOI: 10a
LOI: 2d
COD: 11; previously the clever 5d
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