The Week 831 - 6 I Don't Understand

[cracker22]

11a Big beef is serious complaint by an individual (1-4) T-BONE. Complaint is BONE but where does the T come from?

16a Puzzle about US president being short of backing (5) REBUS. Why?

21a Lovely sandwiches are primarily good alongside small beer (9) BAGATELLE. Lovely is BELLE but why AGAT?

10d MA, a cellist beginning in Schubert moves up and down (2-3) YO-YOS. Yo Yo Ma is an American cellist. What is the Schubert connection?

18d Press say, almost lost (3,2) EGG ON. Why almost lost?

Thanks all

[Mamyalynne]

TB one

[factor-fiction]

say = eg
almost GONE

[boxtops]

TB is a serious (medical) complaint

[factor-fiction]

^ I meant almost lost=almost gone= gon

[Mass_Hysteria]

21a Bagette + Ale or something like that

[Psybbo]

Rebus puzzle re b us

[shoota]

10d Yo-Yo S(chubert)

[Psybbo]

More likely re Bus (h)

[cracker22]

Well done all and thanks. I still don't understand BAGATELLE though. Anybody?

[shoota]

Sometimes some things just are........

[bibblebub]

BAGATELLE [=small beer]

lovely = BELLE
sandwiches = put that outside...
are = A
primarily good = G
alongside = AT

B a g at ELLE

[shoota]

Or:
Belle - lovely
At - are
GA - 1st letters of good alongside

Bagatelle - a trifle or unimportant thing - small beer

[cracker22]

Thanks bibblebub and shoota, although I've still been struggling with it.
It must be bibblebub's though, with primarily being for Are and G is for good (as usual), with alongside being AT

sorted!