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Much better, with an accessible theme. One or two unfamiliar words - easy to get misled on 4D

PS - is this a new compiler?

Not a setter name I recall and no older reference that I can find on the Spectator site or on 225.

Very good I thought. Should have spent more time thinking about the title but the theme quickly emerged.

I can’t find support in Chambers, Collins or ODE for the abbreviation of translation in 16a. Translator or translated, yes, but not translation.

It would be fun to know if Eumolpus is an established setter.

Yes, Eumolpus is a new Speccie setter but an established compiler, as is evident from the quality of this one. It was good that the theme emerged fairly quickly, wasn't it? No miserable head scratching and only a few obscure words to check in Chambers.

founder of the Eleusinian mysteries, I believe. This was a gentle enough initiation, though, after the least two head-scratchers. Held up a while on 20, and some other very dodgy spellings but perhaps the setter's time machine got stuck in the 16th century ...

I've just read (in the usual 'elsewhere') that this setter appears in the Financial Times and his clues often feature Greek mythology, ancient history and literature. We could, fingers crossed, be returning to the Speccie puzzles of old?