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Just being polite, as I was asked by Samovar

The "I am primarily blotto" clue is an "&Lit" type where the whole clue constitutes the definition of a word for drinker. The solution is 7 letters, but one letter (M) is dropped. Wordplay = Usual short form of I am + B(lotto) inside a German word for what Kolsch is a type of

The "ascendant" clue. Definition is "sHallow out of the ark". All reversed a 2 letter word (verb) for live + an abbreviation of Black. It is the penultimate down entry

The "Straight" clue's definition is "jobseeker possibly". Wordplay is a 4
letter homophone of a word for straight when used to mean an unadulterated alcoholic drink. It is an acronym. The entry is 3 letters as it loses its final T. It is the last down entry

Simondx9 the middle column has 4 letter words top and bottom. Both have a misprint so no missing letters.
Just noticed how clever the title is....

Thanks, Smithsax. I'll start my grid-fill afresh in the morning (groan!)

SimonD9X

Like the rest of us, you will kick yourself when you realise how much effort you have put into region B at the final stages of the solve.
The pattern of your down solutions, reading from left to right, and counting up from the bottom, should be as follows
Column
1. 7 letters none dropped "aSians having
2. 7 letters none dropped "planT"
3. 2 barred cells + 6 (entry 5) "I denied vagrant" (def = I or aye)
4. 4 (entry 3) "Thick-skinned" + 1 barred cell (A) + 3 "I may judge Hockey)
5. 6 none dropped "fan of Eire" + barred off l
6. 4 (entry 3 E dropped) "One more.." + 4 none dropped "Item uprising"
7. 4 none dropped "Element in Pisa's Cooking" + 3 barred cells N J B
8. 3 barred cells U I L + 4 letters none dropped "like a cRop"
9. 3 none dropped " sHallow out of the ark" + 4 none dropped "informeD about"
10. 2 barred cells I I 5 none dropped "patSy there"
11. 7 (entry 6 E dropped "recorders" + barred Y
12. 4 (entry 3 T dropped) "jobseeker possibly" + 4 9none dropped) intestinal Parts
13. 7 (none dropped) "They curE"

Only just seen your post, Turast, as I have been out.
Thank you very much.

Thanks, turast. I only had one error in the gridfilling I was doing - that was to have columns 6 and 7 starting with 4 letters and 3 letters respectively instead of columns 7 and 8 and that was causing problems down at the bottom. Not sure now how I went wrong but can hopefully make (some) progress again.

Grid 95% complete but struggling to solve the following so hints would be appreciated please.

"Sniff out-of-date....."
"Make nothing of....."
"A place to eat........"
"Lower steel....."
"What follows dancer...."
"I may judge jockey......"

Many tired thanks

1 misprint in 'sniff' - what kinds of vegetables parsnips are reversed.
2 synonym for 'cancel' (5 letters) + 'our group' (2 letters)
3 type of pastry (4 letters) reversed.

simond9x - parsnip is a kind of vegetable like a carrot... reverse for obs. Word for sTiff. Make nothing as in cancel + our group = us for a ring shape. A place to eat... think of a jam pastry and reverse. Lower as in under - steel is a type of narrow sword. What follows Cancer... zodiac. I may judge Hockey. Hope this helps!

4 type of sword = 'steel' (4 letters) reversed in 2 letter abbrev for 'road'
5 misprint in 'dancer' - think of birthdays,
6 misprint in 'jockey' - an american term for a referee.