Crossword Help Forum
Forum Rules

Hi dottie, sorry. I thought you were querying which of the "clashers" to retain rather than parse 28d. I do hope you didn't spend too long on it. You could have posted again but at least now you have the satisfaction of solving and parsing it yourself.

Exactly. I really enjoyed this one, it was a struggle but not too difficult once I had the theme.

I've got everything apart from the pesky additional essential. Could some kind person tell me which 3 clues have the omitted letters?

6d, 7d and 21d

Thanks. Actually I thought it was those but couldn't see how to join them to create an essential. Could you please explain?

grendel If you have drawn all 11 lines correctly, then the 12th line is necessary to complete the middle letter of the essential in question. Please note that it is only the three letters missing from the wordplay of their respective clues that need to have the line drawn through them ! Hope all is clear for you now !

Thanks! But I fear it means I must have gone wrong with the 11 lines. Just to clarify: once completed, the 12 lines spell out 1 essential. Is that right?

Yes they spell out something I m terrible at reading!

Now I see it! Thanks - it was staring me in the face all along!!

nearly there , just need a bit of help with last few please:
27a Courtesan gives up donut for last piece of cake -- in what circumstances (5) ??ERE
where seems to fit but can't parse? replace "d" from donut with "e" somewhere??
defn misprint?
extra letter in wordplay?

36a Samuel stares, taking in special trick projectors - ans is megascopes - samuel = me + gapes = stares but where does "sco" fit in ?