Guardian Prize Crossword Saturday December 31St 2016

[Gaperon]

I'm filling in the grid willy-nilly, total guess work often, as flummoxed by the special instructions. Anyone willing to give a wee hint without giving the game away?

[scorpiojo]

1a S (Ash) aying - saw = saying

[petew58]

cant see the wood for the trees

[Gaperon]

Neither can I

[hankir]

Hints please.

7d. Cut part of deck (4,5)

This may be a theme clue.

Also 21a has first four letters as theme word but I cannot find that word in Chambers.

Thanks.

[Toorak]

Clubs teak

Decadent dent around Cade - Cade is the undefined part

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Juniperus_oxycedrus

[scorpiojo]

It is...think of a deck of cards for the first part..

http://www.thefreedictionary.com/cade

[Mamyalynne]

Cut of meat

21a middle 4 letters

[Mamyalynne]

Good hints Toorak.

[Toorak]

Apologies - I didn't notice the hints bit

[Mamyalynne]

I did the same on an earlier thread.

[hankir]

Thank you all.
For 21a, Dent appearing at the end misled me.

7D is not part of my diet.

Now done.
But two parsing issues.

12a. I can see letters 1,5 and 6 as Irish party. But letters 2,3,4 indicate cash?

19a. I can see appear and knock down but tools?

Again thanks you all.

[scorpiojo]

19a is a triple definition - appear, knock, down tools.

[Toorak]

The irish part is the second 3 letters

The first three letters are for cash

Down tools is the term .... Go on ......

[hankir]

Thank you scorpiojo and Toorak.

Got it. Down tools means to stop work

I had UUP which is also a party.

My first three letters mean utilize, begins with U.

[scorpiojo]

Correct :)

[Mamyalynne]

'cash in'