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Surprised there's been no mention of this week's AZED. Special instructions looked a bit daunting, but this turned out to be one of the easier ones, I thought.

Hello, peterm. Just started this, but already have a question. 18a: Old soldier among those limping in retreat a long way (5) I have the answer, but "old soldier" seems superfluous; "a long way" seems to be sufficient. What am I missing?

Hello Aristo. You might be missing a Chambers. Incredibly, the word is also Latin for "soldier" and forms part of a Latin expression in Chambers meaning "a vainglorious soldier, used as a stock character in Roman and later comedy".

Don't forget Clueless tomorrow!

Figured as much, but works without it, doesn't it? So it's a double clue?

And yes, I am missing a Chambers. They're available here, but the books on my shelves seem to have been promiscuously reproducing when I'm not watching and I've taken something of a pledge to be more vigilant.

Just a double definition, I think. It would work equally well (maybe better) without "a long way".

Hi Peterm and Aristo. Just finished this (got the required name quite quickly) but I can't verify my answers to 5 down and 19 down. The words I have put in seem to bear no relationship to the clues. Perhaps they are wrong.

I have 5d SPA(O)R and 17d BULLNOSE.

Can you confirm - or hint at corrections? Thank you

Can't think of a spoiler-free way to put this. 5dn is spur[ious]. The last letter won't match 15ac, so needs to be changed in accordance with the preamble, but you've already got the right letter.

Your 17dn is right. It's just a cryptic definition - a way once used to describe car shapes, like frogeeye or flatnose.

'U' not 'A' of course in 5 down. Sometimes I am so dumb. Thanks, peterm. Afraid 17d still makes no sense to me, though I know what the word means. What part does Maidenhead play? Or am I just having a bad day?

Thanks again

17dn - Maidenhead??