The Week 1302

[SirFrancisDrake]

I'm having real problems this week! Again grateful thanks for any help with 10a : "I'm oddly mental about scrubbing final bit of dirt (10)" A - - - T - - - N -
I can only think of Antitoxins but I'm not convinced that's right.

[Captain2]

You say (10) but show (9)?

[Captain2]

sorry - missed final dash on second line.

[SirFrancisDrake]

Hi, there's an extra letter after the N,
A - - - T - - - N -
(It went over on to the next line.)

[Captain2]

Adulterant - to make impure, ie dirt?

[SirFrancisDrake]

Hmmm, I've just got another letter but it prevents 'adulterant' from being right. A - - - T - M - N -

[Captain2]

Apologies SirFD, thankfully I tempered my answer with a '?' :))

[SirFrancisDrake]

I'm very grateful for your help, and 'adulterant' seemed like the solution until I found 'Firm' for 'steady business (4)' which threw a spanner into the works with the 'M'.

[Lie-in King]

Ablutomane - anag 'mental abou(t; scrubbing final bit)'

https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/ablutomane

[Captain2]

Thanks LiK, new word of the day for me. :))

[SirFrancisDrake]

Lie-in King Thank you, that's wonderful - and a word I'd never heard of until now!

[Lie-in King]

You're welcome :-)

[dannyk13]

10a.compliments of L-i k :-
Ablutomane - anag 'mental abou(t; scrubbing final bit)' https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/ablutomane

[Neveracrossword]

Danny, I think you forgot to scroll...

[dannyk13]

nac, I actually posted on wrong thread.Only excuse is it is getting near end of my shift.

[Neveracrossword]

Thanks, Danny. I looked at the thread because I thought there might be a new, interesting or tricky clue... so felt a little cheated when there wasn't!