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Cancel that last query!

I'd still like an explanation for 9A. The only Blair I know is the PM. What's special about room 101 (unless I'm off-track)?

Could be that Eric Blair is George Orwell, and in his book 1984, Room 101 is a torture room where one meets one's greatest fear?

I'm really struggling with this genius. Can anyone please give me clues to 5d Raise issue about boring poet (4-6) and 14ac Silent actors screened exotic tale (9)

Still stuck on 3 down. Last one.

Thanks ab!

My literary knowledge doesn't extend to knowing the Blair/Orwell connection.

Decided to carry on with this after reading all through comments, without which I would probably not have finished it, so thank you all for your help! Let's hope January Genius is more entertaining - this was just too much of a slog.

hi all, got to this genius late (again). I think I got the corrected letter counts. After reading these postings and solving quite a few that conform with the 16a "theme" , I must confess my frustration, my suffering from the answer-guessing "4d" of the "9a". some contributors have expressed disappointment at not getting satisfaction in solving. I say '13a". I will keep trying until submissions are "5d" and look forward to a more enjoyable genius in the new year. Cheers from OZ , dizoz

Hello, all you early bird people - I've only got one clue left -

11ac. Champagne's drunk, I think (7) E?M?E?S (no definition)

Am I right in thinking that the answer is a way of referring to a puppet? If it is, I don't quite get the 'thinking' bit, If not - hints please...

lizthewhiz

You have the first letter wrong. I had the same as you and got held up for quite a while.

I wonder if you've made the same mistake as me - I thought I had a feasible answer for 1down except my answer wasn't a complete anagram of the info in the clue. I had 1 "S" too many and 1 "M" too few.

The answer is a word I have not come across before but has a name of a well known champagne('s) around 2 letters that could be taken as an informal way of saying "I think."