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Orson - without giving the game away... anagram (rough) of clean-timbered with I and initially May and Be cut. Hope this helps!

Thanks Smartie. Still hoping to win the Chambers else it's on the Christmas wish list 8-)

Thanks, smartie. What was holding me up was the fact there is no definition (as far as I can tell) in the clue, just word play.

Orson, I think it's meant to be & lit. As with may & lit clues, the definition is a bit strained.

Thanks, smartie, for the explanation of B. That has been puzzling me.

I thought of that, dryden, but I don't think the clue works.

I rather agree with you, orson. & lit clues are supposed to be the pinnacle of a cluesmith's achievement, but so often they don't stand up to close analysis.

Thanks, dryden. I thought the special word beginning with Q was unusual for this theme but then it dawned on me how cleverly the special entries had been organized. So overall a very rewarding puzzle, which I finished yesterday and posted this morning.

Having just got back from abroad my first thing to do was to check the position of HARE in Listener 4422. My disappointment in finding that it was (unfairly and incorrectly in my view) in the preamble was more than offset by the elegance of both the clues and the grid construction in Listener 4427. By far the best for months and an example of what a really good but fair challenge a Listener should be. A thoroughly pleasant and rewarding day of struggle.

Yes, Notrab. I thought this puzzle was technically very good. Even if the theme was not exactly inclusive.

Notrab -you are dead right about the HARE puzzle - the setter was just trying to be clever/original. I was wondering how many correct answers would have been sent in if solvers did not have this site to sow the seed...
Totally agree about this puzzle - best of the year for me!