Crossword Help Forum
Forum Rules

13dn is a brute, definition is first three words. Drop the next one. Add a 5 letter old word for bar (it’s in Bradford) to the answer and you get a term meaning lose your temper

Also stuck on first two letters of 26 across.

Thank you listenup. I must really be thick because I still can't fathom it out. After last week's voluminous correspondences I don't want to ask for anything too explicit but perhaps someone could put me out of my misery later in the week....?

Thanks for the explanation, listenup. I, too, was stumped by that clue. I think it's the only one that I didn't manage to parse.

I think it's a poor clue. The first part of the answer is in the idiomatic phrase which forms the basis of the wordplay. I regard that as poor cluing practice unless there is a very witty reason for doing so. To add to the confusion, the four-letter word in the answer means 'lose it' on its own, so the solver naturally struggles to see how the last four words of the clue lead to the second word.

macky - same as fourth and fifth

The ‘vintage’ word for bar begins with e, wakeling. An old legal term.

I didn’t like it either, Murky. It took me as long as the rest of the puzzle put together.

Macky, the first three letters of the answer to 26 are repeated, followed by the second and third of the place name

Macky, the two supporters are actually one supporter repeated. The definition is in the last two words of the clue.

listenup. Oh dear I'm losing it myself. I can't fit it together - the vintage word for "bar" was much used in some the 1970's as I recall (Lord Denning was keen on it).

listenup - got it at last, by adding the omitted word to make a phrase.... Thank you again

I also think 13 was very abstruse. Bar can be used as an indicator for the letter L (£) which lead me up a blind alley trying to make sense of the rest of the clue.