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themadwomanintheattic

2nd January 2026, 11:47
(NewYear’s Day edition)

Happy New Year, everyone!

We finished this one, but don't fully understand some of the parsings:

19a: Muscular dog's last to come forward in pen (7)
I have S - A - P - E. Could it be SHARPIE (pen)? If so, why?

56a: Some towers are so topped on high? (8)
I have - T - E - L - D. STEEPLED?

35d: Cool university with conceptual drawing space inside (11)
I have U - E - O - I - N - L (the L is from STEEPLED, so maybe both are wrong). Could it be UNEMOTIONAL (cool)? If so, how does it work?

All help gratefully received!
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malone

2nd January 2026, 11:55
35 D. U - university
Notional,conceptual
Em, space (printing term)#
Drawing = put the Space, Em, inside the Conceptual.
U n em otional.
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malone

2nd January 2026, 11:58
19 A Sharpei is a muscular dog, the last (letter) moves forward...
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themadwomanintheattic

2nd January 2026, 12:00
Thanks Malone!
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malone

2nd January 2026, 12:00
56 A.I think it's one of those where the whole clue is the wordplay.
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bobbycollins

2nd January 2026, 15:26
Now I know what a Pussycat Doll is! Bit of a stretch I thought.

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themadwomanintheattic

2nd January 2026, 15:46
I had to Google "Pussycat Dolls". I'd heard of the group but didn't know the names of any of the members.
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bobdown

2nd January 2026, 16:11
56a: Some towers are so topped on high? (8)

Could it be 'high' as in price = STEEP + LED light?
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chrise

2nd January 2026, 16:19
I think it's just a cryptic definition - some towers are topped with steeples, so STEEPLED. I don't think many towers have LED lights on them!
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bobdown

2nd January 2026, 17:18
On the contrary ChrisE, aircraft obstruction warning lights on high structures are mostly LED these days, due to lower maintenance costs.

If it is just a case of some towers being topped with steeples, then ‘on high’ is redundant, and the clue makes little sense, which, I grant, has been an increasingly common feature of the Jumbo for the past year.
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