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Think of a Russian whose communist followers never gained power, take the first 4 letters of his name to give the answer. If you write them in reverse you get a legal word for a wrong act.

Sorry Justsolve. My reply to you about 10d appears further along...

Hi to you too Brendan,
I got 7D about half way through so it was "fairly" straitforward for me. About 3/4 done now but I wondered how you more experienced solvers found it!

I seem to have found them more difficult since the move to the Observer. I don't know why this would be the case given that it's the same setter but I that's just how I feel.

#25 Thank you Brendan. 21a I had sands as the evening verb until I read your post. All has fallen into place now. I can go to sleep

I am sure that the parsing of 14d must be obvious, but I can't get it, and it's bugging me..

Hi Albatross,

14d - 3 letter abbrreviation for "resolotion" + 6 letter "consider" as in 'mull over', 'reflect on' etc - definition is "one might be first" (think emergency siuations)

I agree, though Tricky is an understatement. I often find that a slow start means steady progress thereafter, but for me this was a slow start followed by a real struggle. Can anyone please help me with 15a - I'm pretty confident in my four crossers, but utterly stumped by the other three letters. Is it a proper name, of someone I don't know? Thanks!

Bob... I'm almost certain you'll have heard of 'the name' - and it's just an anagram...

Of course - one of those I couldn't see for looking! Thanks, Malone.