Crossword Help Forum
Forum Rules

Hello everyone
Back from sunny Florida to 18inches of frozen Surrey snow. Reckon Bees dumped it personally in revenge.
Didnt find it particularly exciting and also suspect that we are back to the old compiler.
The only clue I enjoyed was 3a, but like Caravaggio I struggled with 19d.
PHILIP

Sorry, TomCat! I was distracted by another RT thread and therefore delayed my answer. Didn't knowingly "steal" your answer.

Hi Philip and welcome back. Only 18 inches of snow? How mean was that of Bees, you could at least have got a couple of feet even if not the 3 metres that's currently visible on the A96!

Oh and I think you mean 3D as there isn't a 3A.

Nice one Mandala! Got the answer Caravaggio?

No problem, Nimrod. I was beginning to wonder if this thread had an echo. I'm not yet sure how 'cryptic' to make alternative clues. Your answer was a little more straightforward than mine.

Hi Philip,

Good to see you back. Have you stopped shivering yet? Thank you to the contributors who preceded you for confirming what I thought was the answer although I'll will have to read the clue again.

Mandala: I've read your response on t'other thread and I thought I'd use italics too!

Nimrod: An effusive welcome! Thank you. I've added a comment re 'House of Cards'.

Regards,

Caravaggio

Philip. Frozen snow in Surrey? Whatever next?? Welcome back!

hi Philip, glad to see you back, but methinks you elaborate just a little.. I've just come back from Surrey where we only had a foot of snow.... and it was virtually all gorn by Monday on my return.... are you sure you didn't go to Texas, they always exagerate there!!
Cheers
Chris

I don't understand 14D, 22A and 24A I have in my head Targeteer as 14D spread=teer, rag=scrap of cloth and then not sure about the rest? I have re-read the previous posts about 24A and am none the wiser!

Hi Nicola,

14D: The answer is a spread and the word is made up from a naval soldier around a scrap of cloth backwards. As it's a down clue, "up" is used to mean backwards. Alternative clue:

Spread arm a reign about

22A: The answer is a fish (or a boat) consisting of a word for dehydrated around a single letter for "old" (sometimes clued as "zero" or "duck"). Alternative clue:

Unknown perch backed fish

24A: The whole word means to squeeze out and sounds like (hear) a sound. Alternative clue:

I escaped from wiring the squeeze

Hope those help.