Phoenix

[werbone]

One clue left. Reckon it's SMUT but unsure why:

14a. Sounds like it could be I represent an element of filth at the centre. (4) _ M _ T.

Thanks.

[Svejk]

strange clue-could it be amid?

[sandyRoe]

Svejk has it. The id is the seat of all our dark desires
Am id

[Svejk]

Yeah, that was just what I was thinking, sandy. ;D

[werbone]

Thanks guys.

I'm sure of the T (4d Torture those soldiers found to be in the wrong:
T _ R _ E _ _, has to be TORMENT, MEN in TORT, the final T is the last letter of 14a.

[scorpiojo]

Tort - wrong
Men - soldiers

[shoota]

Smut - sounds like 'soot' with 'm' - the middle letter of element

[ladyalex]

Where in the world does smut sound like soot?
They are totally different sounds to my ears.....

[scorpiojo]

Yorkshire ;)

[shoota]

Sut + m

[ladyalex]

Really????
I must get out more.
:-))

[scorpiojo]

:-)))

[werbone]

Thanks, Shoota. Where's the "I represent", do you think? Is it I, as I am the answer to the clue?
PS In Ireland, where the Phoenix is published, SOOT is pronounced to rhyme with SMUT...

[shoota]

This was asked the other night and the consensus was the clue was poor and jumbled but that my suggestion was correct.

I hope it is....

[ladyalex]

Thanks for the info, werbone....I had absolutely no idea that soot sounded like smut.

Does it also sound like hut, or would hoot be nearer?

[shoota]

Shut not shoot

[ladyalex]

So your name sounds like shutter?

[scorpiojo]

:-)))))

[werbone]

Fair enough, Shoota, I'll submit SMUT.