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Sympathies with Jogamel here. To be honest, the tricky clues, because of the nature of (quite a long) preamble, if reproduced, might distract possible helpers here. There are twelve random definitions scattered throughout the clues. These definitions are of 12 entries which are clued for shorter words taken from sequential letters within the longer defined words. e.g

A random definition is to be removed from another clue = "someone behind hanging" (23Ac Type B clue)

The answer is GALLOWSMAKER , but the clue at that entry is "Look fierce and good at a more basic level" Answer GLOWER (You can find these letters sequentially in GALLOWSMAKER). Type A clue.

Just to make things even more complicated there is a third clue type where a letter must be restored. The restored letters spelling a description of the (12) type A full words.

If the person asking the question is unsure of the clue type, then it's pretty difficult to interpret what they are after.

I am not clear whether the description from the type C letters refers to the long answers or the short ones. My letters spell out "dusty a.....s". It doesn't matter for completing the crossword but I don't know what it means and I am still unsure if I have got it right.

You're right with dusty a... s, tomsdad. It's a phrase I'd never heard of before but if you look up dusty in a dictionary you will find it.

Thanks Orson.

The letters you've got are right - I didn't know the phrase until I checked it in Chambers. I didn't spend much time thinking about the short/long bit - like you, I decided it didn't really matter!

Completed with your help. Some things like rustic games are a bit obscure....

Glad you got it finished, jogamel. I can cope with 'obscure' things if there aren't too many of them!

Well, all finished, but have to admit the title is appropriate.

Found the phrase in Chambers, and ok, it means "unsatisfying", but in what way does that "describe what Group A solutions are"?

Preamble is explained in #11 by turast. Thanks turast.

Help with:

1. Swallow up most of vacant grass? Regulators won't help me (8)

10. Main course initially dished up incorporating wrong French game (12)

thanks.

I now have 1a,

Any hint on 10 appreciated.