Crossword Help Forum
Forum Rules

Following on from last week, I also found this at the harder end of the scale.

In fact, there are still a few I can't fully parse...

12a - Nurse schooner, perhaps port overseen by me (7,6)

6d - Dessert: tomato on a rusty nail? (5,8)

13d - Charlatans’ trendier analyses heard (10)

I'm sure of all my answers but feel I'm missing something in each of them. In 13d, for example" I can see the "trendier" homphone but not the rest.

Thanks to Everyman.

Did you find this as difficult as me or was I just off form?

Also found the parsing of a couple odd. But the ones you mention, Brendan, I actually found OK. Well maybe a slightly dodgy homophone.

I'm sure the penny will drop, so I'll refrain from hints this early on in the thread.

Hi Brendan, I also found this tricky.
Definite CODs 8 and 26 (short ones!)

12a: I had trouble with the second word, which IMO is often used with a numerical prefix.

6d: also had trouble with the second word. Difficult to say more without spoilers, but it hinges on "rusty nail" (for instance).

13d: I always struggle with homophones and think the 2nd part of this one is dubious. Think of a slang term for a type of bicycle race on a circuit, if that's not too obscure.

Okay, thanks guys - I'll think on them overnight:-)

I came here to see if anyone could shed light on 26a, which was sitting there taunting me with two out of four letters in place. But I just put that in with a groan.
Not parsing the 7D antlers clue yet. Was unhappy with the music clue until I looked up the definition, and found that it was spot on. Had trouble determining which of two cities belonged in 18a until I got 19d. Otherwise a nice Sunday morning treat.

Damn, these captchas are hard. Had to fill in 7 before it would let me post.

Plutocrat, apparently the answer to 26A is an accepted nickname for a certain royal name. Did not know that.

Assuming you are not looking for a hint for 7D based on your earlier reply to Brendan.

Brendan re 6d - Scotch and Drambuie!
I agree this is harder than usual.

Finished at last after a tussle with the NE corner. Some tricky anagrams.

Anyone else thinking of Craig Revel Horwood pronouncing the 26a dance in his own inimitable way?

I didn’t find this any more or less difficult than recent weeks. Liked 24 and 26, but thought 21d a bit iffy.