Crossword Help Forum
Forum Rules

ChrisE, I seldom do the Guardian puzzles, so don't know which dictionaries they use, if abbreviations are always indicated and so on. That one isn't in Chambers, but I didn''t check in my other dictionaries. Glad I could help.

Hi Malone, the Guardian allows Chambers, Collins and both Oxfords. This one is in Collins.

I clearly found this trickier than other people posting here!

17d is new word for me.
13d is a good but fiendish clue.

Still cannot parse 7d and have 2 alternative answers that fit 8d but cannot see how the clue works. I have a word that fits what I assume is the def of 23d.

Any help making sense of 7d, 8d and 23d would be much appreciated.

Thanks, Jono. I have all of those dictionaries, but didn't bother checking (as the internet had confirmed my thinking!).

7D. 1 letter abbreviation of university, 2 letter word for close (as in a door), all in 5 letter word for case.
8D look at 2nd element (not word!) of clue
23D usual single letter for love, single letter for "marks the spot", homophone of I

Found it quite straightforward but quite a few I can't parse (or can't be bothered to, in the current temperatures!). don't see any theme - is it UK-based?

Think anatomically…

Thanks Jono

Buzzybee @14
It's a well known phenomenom, there must be a name for it.

I didn't find this as easy as others but then again I came at it in three different sessions. I would generally expect Brendan to be tougher than this however. Having said that, there was some inspired misdirection. 2d being a great example, my LOI and my COD.

I don't fully get 8d despite previous hints here. I shall keep staring at it for the pdm to materialise.