Crossword Help Forum
Forum Rules

Hi Snowwhite,

Rog gave the parsing of 11a earlier. “First Mrs Vlad” yields two letters the implication being that Vlad is on to at least the second Mrs Vlad!

29 is 1 letter (a point) inside 6 where the 6 is a 7 letter word which describes Starmer’s role (for the time being to least ;-) minus the last letter.

Jeepers. Vlad does make you earn your spurs.

Late on parade today due to Park Run this morning finally and green bin day meaning I had to get the strimming done before the rain comes again. A few left.

8d just can't see a word that fits any definition in there but have all crossers.

18d I have answer that means the last word but can't get close to parsing it so think it's wrong.

A few others left but I'm still working through.

8d read crosswords as cross words

18d I have a dramatist, but I can't see where the first three letters come from - the end is from "depressed", I think. This may be completely wrong! "Hackney" usually meanings dropping an H, but I can't think of one to drop.

Thanks Chris I'll have another look with that in mind. Hackney can also mean a type of vehicle. But it's making no sense either.

OK Chris look up the main road running through Hackney.

Thanks rocky. That's really niche!

I used to live very near there and also some friends of ours got married in the Town Hall there and it's right there. So I should have remembered it. I'm sure Brendan will know it.

That’s a very interesting and clever spot, rocky7, but I don’t think it’s anything to do with the parsing of the clue. The four letters surrounding “depressed” are an animal. The capitalisation of Hackney is a misdirection. That’s how I see it

Well Quisling, as Chrise said it is a bit niche and potentially unfair. So you're probably right. But then you have to allow for the Impaler being in charge who takes no prisoners.

Finally all done. Tough but thoroughly enjoyable so thanks once again to Vlad.

FOI was 5a and nearly my COD.
LOI 29a (still not fully parsed yet).
COD 21d. Would have struggled to get it without crossers but what a brilliant use of words to misdirect.