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Have started and am noticing the need for a few nasty short representations for other words. Also 13 seems odd with the answer virtually in the clue (I assume the h is extra). Anyway, I will gauge my feelings on 20. I am pretty sure I have the answer and I don't think I am spoiling too much if I ask how one gets the no in the middle of the answer from the clue?

20. think you have the wrong water buffalo ... have a look in Bradfords for another one....
13. last letter is D to fit with 10d

Doh! What is the likelihood of that? Lesson learnt in making too many assumptions. Many thanks. I'll plod on.

Not come across the poem before (not like you educated folks who quickly "guessed" it) but found it with a bit of digging and now just wavering on the last clue, 14a. I assume the Isle must be the famous exile Isle but can't get the wordplay.

Also, on to the thematic word. By "consecutive jumble", I assume I'm looking for the 11 letters in 6 clues but they are consecutive within each clue? I think I have a surplus letter in 1d and 3 letters in 39d? I can see possible surplus letters or words in 4, 8, 15, 19, 25.

Tricky. Any hints appreciated.

in 6 down clues you will find all the contents of one of the verses...e.g. in 1d you have within pecks acorn a jumble of peacocks
The others are in 4d, 13d, 19d, 25d, 39d

Hi Binks,

You are correct in your answer to 14a. The letter that has to be removed is the n in "Grand". The wordplay gives you a two-letter word for a railway often found in US cities (though I didn't think there was one in New Orleans, which is more famous for its streetcars), followed by a two-letter abbreviation for a particular type of grad(uate).

Am done subject to understanding some parsing. Am rather impressed even if the code words do help a bit too much. Two queries. Can you help me parse 23a and is the final theme word subject to different spelling in chambers to elsewhere on the web?

Hi rrrobbo,

In 23a, the letter to remove is the e in "holed". The definition is "thing undone" (Chambers notes that this word is usually in the plural when used in this sense). The wordplay leads to the one-letter abbreviation for the Latin word for "before", the one-letter symbol for "(electrical) resistance", and a four-letter word meaning "to hold up" (other meanings might be "to raise" or "to bring up").

Yes, the spelling of the final thematic word is different in Chambers from the spelling in the poem. Google shows about 21,600 results for the poem's spelling (with the poem itself coming up as the third item), but about 61,900 results for the Chambers spelling. I'm surprised that Chambers doesn't give the poem's spelling as an alternative.

Thanks Wintonian & Sudokulover
Never heard of that two letter abbrev for railway before - I am now better informed. And those consecutive jumbles -how did I not spot them? All makes sense now and very neat.