Crossword Help Forum
Forum Rules

It's a good start. I doubt that I'd have got it without Buddy's hint, though.

Before I begin trying to fathom the meaning of the thematics, I'm still unsure about what I think is one.

Suspicion of Otis lifts failing to open (5)

My answer, which is a cockney pronunciation of a group of 4 legged animals, is parsed "suspision of Otis" followed by a 5 letter musical term for "lifts" (also a slang term for part of the anatomy) minus its first letter/'failing to open'.

The problem is )t doesn't seem to be in any dictionary - have I got it wrong?

Brendan, no, you haven't got it wrong! You have a very significan word in your main paragraph.

Good morning and thank you Malone:-)

That tip got me over the line.

Manny thanks again Malone,

Brendan, thanks. I was just about to post to say that I'll be out for the day and was hoping you'd let me know whether the hint was too big, too small ... or about right.

D’ohh! I have finally twigged the theme. I will stand in the corner for a suitable time…..

What a wonderful, and difficult, puzzle. Interspersing the thematics certainly upped the difficulty level.

Well, I actually finished it yesterday lunch time (27/9), after completing the Chalicea offering this Saturday.

Stone the bleedin' crows Guvna, but I got there in the end.

And to think my dad was born in Betnal Green, in 1916, too!