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I agree, cockie. There's an elegance to the construction in that, only by working out the anagram can definitively work out the grid's antepenultimate clash. That I got there quickly in no way lessens my admiration for the construction.

I have 11 clashes so far, but stuck on the top row. Tips please for 1ac and 7ac

Thanks, and happy new year to everyone

Hi Dylan,

7a - 4 letter "African orchid" + 2 letter "room" - definition is "win over"

1a - reversal/spinning of a word meaning "worth the time spent" (took me over an hour to see this meaning!) gives a "cloth"

Thanks Brendan, very helpful. Now I have 12 clashes!

Thanks Dylan:-)

Very nice construction and the first in awhile that I solved within 24 hours. Thanks for the fun Karla!

A nice 2hr gentle breeze for a change due to some very generous cluing. My last solve was 32a which is a very nice clue. By discovering the 3,4,3,5,2 phrase relatively quickly helped me a lot. Nice title as well.

HNY everyone

Not finding all the clues "january" enough - can someone provide hints for 18a and 32a please

18a) soldiers on leave to see sugar
32a) light once delaying luminance in light fluctuation.

With 32a i am assuming this is old word for light and if you move single letter (representing luminance) you get word for light fluctuation?

just 18a eludes me now - posting gave me a sudden burst of inspiration so have the theme and the last two words.

Hi Andy,

18a - 2 letter "leave" + 2 letter "soldiers" - definition is "sugar"

32a - 4 letter "light fluctuations" (you have to think really, broadly about what this can mean - forget science) and then, like you say, you delay/move that single letter to get an old/'once' word for "light"