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Thank you for your help. I am new to Harpers and find it quite different from the British cw puzzles (Spectator and AZED) which I cut my teeth on. Could you tell me if there is a dictionary of reference for it like Chambers is for the two I mentioned. Any ideas on 34d When a teddy bear gets a degree, he's a big deal(6) S???AH

You shouldn't have a problem with that. Think of an English bear and of Gilbert and Sullivan!
I'm sure there are similar resources here, but I usually use Chambers.

Parr: your first letter is wrong!

Sorry, I meant Farr!

Sorry, I should have pointed that out, GK. I was posting on the run and it didn't register.

@ Aristo
23D: the homophone refers to the "Bill of R.....", first 10 amendments to the US constitution, though I gather they might defunct now. (-;

Oh, how embarrassing! Thanks, syzzie. I think I'll crawl into a hole now.

Don't despair folks, I'm not going to post when I complete all the backdated issues but this was the most challenging so far and from that perspective the most enjoyable to date.
I was going to say that I thought 23d was a great clue even before I read the subsequent posts, sorry aristo.
Main reason for my post is I was surprised but not shocked at the use of the "topless parse" used in the wordplay of 4d!

I'm still embarrassed about 23d!

As I said aristo, I wasn't posting to make you "squirm" but point out 4d which other than Viz I can't imagine any publications over here using albeit in wordplay rather than a grid entry (definitely no pun intended)!
Great puzzle.