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btw thanks for a particularly challenging set, jolan. I await the solution to #3 with interest!

Romeo?

Very good, ChrisE. One of those transatlantic mental blocks again; aeroplane is in my vocabulary, but it's "under the radar". :) I did think of airplane for flier, but obviously the count was wrong. Duh. And I've never heard "aborning" used on the mean streets of New England. Perhaps I should get out more.

I think I've only some across it in a folk song - Joan Baez, possibly, but I can't quite place it.

or Bob Dylan?

Donovan, I think - still can't name the song

Definitely folksy-sounding.

Great stuff Chris. Didn't take you long once a few paltry letters were supplied. I never guessed they'd prove to be so challenging this week. I'm secretly delighted, of course :)

Here is my working. I wonder if you'll think no. 3 is a "self-kicker"? Here goes:-

1. subtractive anag (from & representation) of “elected MPs bars” – “ accepted” = RESEMBLES = favours.

2. A = a; flat = boring (flat = boring and boring = flat in Chambers and Oxford thesauri); nitrogen = N; yielding; a bor(N)ing = ABORNING = aborning (US) [adv] = while being produced (Chambers D)

3. (crypt) (m)ADMAN = he plays a part in promoting

4. opening = pore; back opening = erop; a way = a lane; a(erop)lane = AEROPLANE = a flier.

5. (charade). about = c; mother = ma; whip = lash; a beginner = L; underground explorers = cavers. c(lash) ma c(L)avers = CLASH-MA-CLAVERS = gossip (Chambers Dict).

I found the song I was thinking of - The ballad of Geraldine - and what do you know? "Aborning" isn't in the lyrics!

Thanks again, jolan.

I saw that we had to take the front of a "fruitcake", but I couldn't get to "madman" - oh well.

A real challenge this week.