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jabiru

27th October 2017, 08:48
Help. I cannot understand the parsing of these clues
5a Awful rogue bedding good fan (7)
Solution Groupie.
Comment I get awful (anagram) rogue and bedding indicates contains, but "pi" for good? Is it a reference to an obscure book "Life of Pi"?

11a To a great degree, where taste initially is found in sweetness? (2,4,4)
Solution In many ways.
Comment I have absolutely no idea. Presumably the ? indicates a need for lateral thinking. Is it related to an English idiom, and thus impenetrable to an Oz resident?

14a Entering sport, degenerate retaining cards originally - general idea behind poker? (12)
Solution Proctologist
Comment My workings are Sport degenerate (anagram) retaining c (cards originally) PROC??????ST
General idea behind indicates GIST at the end but I already have ST so degenerate may mean take a letter off sport, but then there is no indicator that it is to be anagrammed. I still have OLO to find.

25a Winger starred with flankers in blue pants (9)
Solution Redbreast
Comment I can see an anagram of starred with flankers in blue (BE) although I cannot find an indicator that it should be anagrammed. And where do the "pants" come in.

27a In Oz when we barrack for a team, we support and cheer, we do not jeer. I know the dictionary says otherwise, but the solution seems to be out of kilter with the real world.

3d Where potential ministers learn caution ultimately, dividing two houses? (10)
Solution Seminaries.
Comment. I know that is where potential ministers learn, but caution ultimately gives N which divides two houses. Aries is one house of the zodiac, So does the semi mean a semi-detached (which is apparently common in England)?

5d A very empty bowl firstly filling old tin vessel on dinner table. (5,4)
Solution Gravy Boat which is a vessel on dinner table
Comment A VY (very empty) B bowl firstly filling GROAT which must relate to old tin. All references I find, tell me the Groat was a silver coin in France, England, and Scotland. It was practically worthless, but I do not see the connection to old tin.

6d Top squares belonging to Guardian Supporters (4)
Solution Ours
Comment If one is a guardian supporter I can see that you might say these squares are ours, And maybe the squares are blanks in the grid. But how do you convert the clue to the answer?

17d One's always helping to improve, using very bad grammar. (2,6)
Solution Do gooder
Comment I am happy with "Do good" as "to improve" but "er" as bad grammar is beyond me. "er' is hesitation.

20d One giving permission, I say? (6)
Solution letter
Comment The solution is obvious, but for me the ? does not convert this from a straight clue for any crossword to a cryptic.

I appear to be quite a grump this time. I usually find Paul challenging, but mostly solvable with the parsing making sense. Perhaps I am having an off day.

Anyway I hope some of the experts can help me to see the light.
Thanks in anticipation.
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stevie gee

27th October 2017, 08:51
5a pi sort for pious.
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chrise

27th October 2017, 08:52
Hi jabiru
This site is exactly what you need
http://www.fifteensquared.net/
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chrise

27th October 2017, 08:53
btw over here "barrack" is always critical, and often directed at politicians
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stevie gee

27th October 2017, 08:57
5d tin is slang for money.
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jabiru

27th October 2017, 13:24
It clearly makes a significant difference that I am on the other side of the world. Our slang would be as hard for you as yours is for me. Thank you for the comments and the direction to fifteensquared. I am off to have a look there now.
So we have sorted out 5a and 5d, plus the barrack issue.
We only get one really good puzzle set in Australia - the Stickler weekly. I used to work on Rufus when I was looking for a decent challenge, but tried Paul when he did the challenge 26 mile marathon. I liked what I saw, and decided I needed greater exposure to other setters, so here I am
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jabiru

27th October 2017, 13:35
Now I see it all. Local knowledge and persistence would have assisted greatly. Particularly thankful for the guidance to fifteensquared
Thanks to all
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