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Thanks EVERYBODY.
I've spent some time, below,justifying no.3. I'm almost convinced to drop 'doubles'. ALMOST!

AB got 'preserve'.

Many solvers said last week's was too easy - so I stepped up the difficulty a bit. Next week will be more normal. Hope you had fun.

1. small = S; garden centre = KEW; hint = WHIFF (a whiff of scandal) = SKEW-WHIFF = crooked
2. supports = backs. anag (terrible – not IVAN heh,heh!) of ‘tsars’ inside = b(rasst)acks = BRASS TACKS = details of practical business (Chambers).
3. (double) salt = preserve = field
salt (v) = to sprinkle, PRESERVE or impregnate with salt (Chambers Dict). & Conc Ox Dict)
salt (v) = bottle, tin, can, chill, freeze, freeze-dry, quick-freeze, pickle, SALT, cure, dry, etc (Chambers Thes.)
preserve (n) = DOMAIN, realm, sphere, area, FIELD, speciality (Chambers Thes,)
preserve (n) = domain, area, FIELD, sphere, orbit, realm, province, territory; informal turf, bailiwick. (Oxford Thesaurus)
4. big + wig = BIGWIG = sombody
5. the ‘turbulent’ = ETH + river = R = ETHR: over = DONE. D(ETH + R ) ONE = DETHRONE = topple.

Bless!

Thanks Jolan. I toyed with dethrone but couln't work it out. Enjoyed it very much though.

Good one, Jolan. Trust you enjoyed yet another protraaacted dinner (he says snidely). :)

Thanks Jolan, nice clues as always

Thank you Andyc, Ixion and Ari. I abstained from putting salt on my dinner.
Look forward to seeing you all next week.

'night!

John