Spectator N0 2603

[Matakari]

Good morning, an intricate bit of solving! I'm stumped by
the following for which I would appreciate some hints.
Thanks in advance!
(Preamble: Puzzle 26 is 6A 18 40 1A 27 40 6A 41 6A 37 40 24 10 40 6A. )

17a Endorsement secured by small firm backing antenatal centres (7) O?IT??S
4d Austrian bread, once cold, put into mostly coarse layers (9) ?RO??A??S
9d Advocates of three-way agreement subsequently pressed by judges? (14) ?R?L?S?R?L?S??
12d The Bard’s to lift up stupid person lying across main road (6) A?A?T? (ABATTU)
25d Old philosophical doctrine uses sin to corrupt maiden (8) ?E?S?I??

[jazzgirl]

You have some incorrect letters in all :(

[jazzgirl]

7 T should be S
4d begins with G
9d the first S is T
12d T is S
25 correct letters

[jazzgirl]

also 4d A is H

[johnpiper]

I only have 2 left
29D taiwan chopping sheltered tree (6)
I have A?erc?

25d old philosophical doctrine uses sin to corrupt maiden. (8)
?e?sui?n

[roslyn251254]

29a alerce taiwan = RC
25d sensuism ..anagram sin uses m(maiden)

[johnpiper]

Thank you, not sure Taiwan would appreciate having same 2 letter country code as Republic of China.
This makes my 41 across wrong
I have ?im?s

[johnpiper]

Whic of course is my favourite crosswords paper

[jazzgirl]

41 that is correct :)

[ProfessorMaisie]

17a - an 'endorsement' in a passport with 'S(mall)'+CO ('firm') reversed outside.
4d is Austrian money - two words meaning crude+chickens (the first word minus its last letter 's') around C(old).
9d 'subsequently' = LATER
12d The 'stupid person' is a (vulgar) body part and A1 is the 'main road'.

[Matakari]

Many thanks, jazzgirl and roslyn! The final hurdle before I attack the preamble.

6 Obstruct whale – that’s not in Will’s character (8) ?ARD?L??
14 Amid the greatest, no good breaks (6) ?O?G?T
20 Lush Pacific salmon eaten by everybody I see (9) A??OH??I?
23 Stopped endless refusal getting spread about (8) ??T?I?A?

[Neveracrossword]

14 Definion is 'amid'. The usual abbreviation for 'no good' inside a four-letter word meaning 'greatest'.

[Neveracrossword]

In 23, your second A is wrong. The definition is 'stopped'
20 The definition is Lush, noun...

[Neveracrossword]

6 A three letter 'obstruct', folllowed by the first five letters of a seven-letter whale, dropping the 'in'.

[Matakari]

Thanks, NACW! On to the end game, now!

[klazomaniac]

Hi Matakari. As I say to you every week, Don't forget the title !

[Neveracrossword]

Thanks, Matakari. The endgame is very straightforward - and you'll have had a similar format several times over your long solving history!

[Matakari]

Many thanks, NACW, the end mathematical game is quite straightforward...the numbers fall into place without any strain...It's just 41a that is obliging me to do the calculation to grasp the relevance of it. I have :
?IM?S
Are these letters correct?

[klazomaniac]

1a 24a 40a should give you an idea of what 41a is

[klazomaniac]

Ps Letters are correct

[Matakari]

Thanks, Klazo! Phew! My brain is overheating, I can only think:TIMES for this one.
Going to get a bit of fresh air and get back to it!