Have struggled through this and now have a complete grid apart from 34 across where the word play and thus the answer is eluding me completely. Any pointers/help would be much appreciated.
Clue is Yankees spread betting competition stars. ( 4 )
The word play yields an extra E.
o?es ( although given the change needed to be made to 12 down the last letter could be o. )
Many thanks for your help Kilgore Trout.
Greedy Kite, the change you need to make to the last four letters of 12 down is indicated by the first line of the verse. In case you do not yet have that it was written by a well known female American wit.
I have just realised that I got a week ahead of myself with my original post. ( I never was very enumerate! ) I have just been transferring my rough copy to the grid and have realised that the unchecked letters between 4 and 5 down and 5 and 6 down could be transposed and still be in keeping with the verse. Any thoughts please? I have meely reversed the key word.