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dumbelina

7th October 2025, 20:10
If 3d is an anagram, then I don't see where the O is coming from (last letter of 11a).

I'm stuck on 1a, 16a and 29a. Any tips?
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buzzybee

7th October 2025, 20:13
CastaFiore
You need to apply the theme before you know what the definition is. Rest of your interpretation is correct.
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castafiore

7th October 2025, 20:15
Your 11a is wrong. The definition in 1a is the first 2 words, then an anagram that includes a one-letter abbreviation for one of the words. (Obviously you will have one spare letter.) 16a is not the most immediate definition of bouncer but it definitely bounces. Definition in 29 is last word. The first three letters are a fairly common synonym for the first word, and the rest is an anagram (with a spare letter).
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castafiore

7th October 2025, 20:17
Thanks, Buzzy Bee - but I can't 'apply the theme' because I don't know what that means in spite of having picked up on the reference. I can't therefore parse any of the down clues completely, although 17d seems to work without any kind of modification.
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castafiore

7th October 2025, 20:21
Should have said that the anagram in 29a includes a common one-letter abbreviation for one of the words.
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buzzybee

7th October 2025, 20:26
In reply to CastaFiore and others.
This puzzle was outstanding, in that it takes several steps to fully interpret the preamble.
First, come up with a phrase that fits the extra letters of the across clues. Pay particular attention to the first word of that phrase.
Do a bit of Googling following that.
Apply what you discover to the down clues.
Hope this is not too spoily.
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dumbelina

7th October 2025, 20:49
11a - is the definition not the last word? That's what Brendan has said here.
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ilippu

7th October 2025, 20:51
Thanks jono.
Nho 26 word for that.
I think I have all in hand.
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castafiore

7th October 2025, 20:55
I’ve got the phrase and I know what it refers to after having googled the additional clue that I was able to ‘see’ after focussing on the first word of the phrase. (Very brilliant setting I agree.) I get how 5d is relevant to it. So I’ve arrived at a two-word expression that could indicate an operation I have to carry out on the down clues. But I have no idea how to do that. In the case of all the down clues except 3d I’ve got the answer via the definition & partially the word play. I now know what the answer to 3d is but I still don’t know why. I’m going to have to wait a month for 15 squared, I think.
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jono

7th October 2025, 20:56
Good stuff, Ilippu.

Dumbelina, 11a yes last word is definition. Parses as a 3 letter reversal (one letter is extra) and a 2 letter abbreviation. It’s a dialect word.
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