Crossword Help Forum
Forum Rules

Hello all, nice puzzle which came together quite fast (for once). Can anyone help me out with my last unsolved clue, please? 21A: forgotten giant space around the northern tree (5). I have high degree of confidence in my checked squares but these don't match any word in Chambers. Is the def forgotten giant? Thanks in advance!

Hi piffleworthy. Yes, ‘forgotten giant’ is the def for 21a... it pops up fairly often in the Listener but this is the less common spelling. A two letter word for space around T (the northern) and a two letter tree. Hope this helps

Yes the definition is an archaic term for a giant - but not the usual spelling. It is in my Chambers. One letter northern way of saying “the” with a two letter tree surrounded by a printers space.

Thank you, merenz and smithsax. All clear!

I think this puzzle is a real stinker, while everyone else seems to find it easy. I’ve got 6 of the thematic entries with the right hand side complete, but am really struggling with 1, 23 and 29 down, and 26 and 41 across. 41 seems to be a non word according to Chambers, and 23 also, according to Collins. I’m still mystified by what is going on. If there’s anyone still out there can you help please.

XIJ

41 is in my Chambers - are you remembering the bit about Arabic characters? (I've no longer got the page, so can't remember the exact wording.) 23 Is in my Chambers too.

xij - 1d and 29d are thematic devices involving numerals, a bit like Apollo13. 23d is a Latin word with an extra L in it. 26a and 41a each start with an Arabic, which in the latter case looks like a Z in 28ac.

Thought the puzzle was quite straightforward, but I cannot parse 2a
Any help would be much appreciated

Casanova, that's a wordplay only one - involving anagramming.

Thank you Malone. Does anyone know why the puzzle is called ‘Black Maria’