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Yielded surprisingly quickly. Never heard of 8d, but easy to work out and Google confirms the exact definition. Quite pleased to remember 13a. FOI 1a, LOIs 3d then 10a.

Only gap - I'm confident that I have 23a right, but can only see part of the parsing.

Hi Chris
23 parses as 1,1,2,3,1 and is an &lit, I think, if that helps!

Thanks rogerm

Roger, I agree that 23a is intended as an &lit.

26a seems a nasty word!

Can someone please explain the formula for 12a? I have what I think is the answer but for the life of me can't see how 'old rustics' comes into it.

What do you have as your penultimate letter of 26a, ianwil? The answer I have isn’t particularly nasty, I don’t think.

Hi flawkes
The five letter word surrounding ‘love’ (which is the fourth letter) is a plural with an archaic meaning which some but not all dictionaries give.

ffawkes
If you take out "love", what is left is an old name for rustic labourers.

Sorry: should have said that the love is the fifth letter not the fourth. Can’t count at this hour.