Sunday Times Cryptic 4510 Sunday November 4th 2012

[herbage]

Yes, Mark it's already answered but what is the explanation for 19a Mean adult from the east giving present?No. (4) being AWOL. AWOL means not present. A for adult. But why from the east?

[dr b]

Mean = low (as in a low blow.) from the east means reversed.

[MarkRae]

From the East means "read from right to left" i.e. LOWA

"low" is a synonym for "mean" in some contexts, and A = adult.

[herbage]

Thanks Mark and Dr B. I did think of reading right to left but did not associate low with mean. Easy once you're told