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Yes, indeed!
I have to admit that I am not in the least concerned - despite being a prior Boltonian - as to whether Bolton is a city or a town....
It is only on a "point of law" that I am intrigued!
If the Chambers and possibly other dictionary definitions hold, I wonder why all these 'large towns' that Chambers and the like think are already apparently 'cities' bother to "apply to become cities", then?!
But enough said......the topic has been exhausted!
What are you having for your tea?

Warrington is larger than Bolton, on any measure

Sorry, Rusty!
That last post was supposed to be addressed to you!
Hence the enquiry as to what you are having for your tea!
I don't know what happened to the greeting!!
I swear I typed it!!!

Hello, Malone!
I would say the setter knew, and even if not, the clues are all OK'd by the crossword editor before the puzzle is published.
I think it is fine!

Thanks for that, Rusty. I'd forgotten that there was a crossword editor - and I expect he's quite rigorous! It's a rather crafty clue - and apart from the town/city aspect, I thought it was quite a fun one, with the Bolt On idea.

Hello, Elle!
I had maple pancakes for my tea.
Very nice, too!
Was a good puzzle today.
28a is new to me.

Rusty, I too enjoyed today's puzzle - and this was partly down to it looking harder than it was! I don't like things too simple, but some of the clues today initially looked quite tough. They turned out to be doable, and I liked having to make an effort.

Hello, Malone!
I could not agree more!
I like a tough puzzle.
Tomorrow's puzzle will be one used in the Championship so I'd think it will be a good tussle with the setter!

Rusty, I sometimes lose the tussle in the Championship puzzles - but I enjoy the scrap! It's always a fair fight.

Hi, Rusty!
Yes, your tea sounds nice - I like pancakes, but I usually have savoury ones.
We had sausages and mash, with lots of onions and a thick gravy.
Wonderful!
Yes, it was a good puzzle today, but I'm afraid that I cannot accept 20a, with the interchange of town /city used in conjunction with the name of a specific town that had actually applied to become a "city"......and had been refused!
To me it makes a total nonsense of the clue.
( Perhaps it might have been more acceptable had the setter picked a large town that had never been involved in applying for city status?
That might possibly have been a different ball game?)
Right, I'm now stepping down from my orange box.....
I am stuck on 22a: Town, online , requested Wilts hotel to renovate old bar (7,4)
W?I?T?E/ ?T?P
I cannot see where to go with this?
What am I missing, please?