Azed 2678 - Queries

[JJ109]

15d Lizzie was champing at the bit for Rev. William in chequer design. (10) ?HE?S??ARD.

(presumably CHESSBOARD, but why?)

24d Hydrocarbon disreputable house served in regular bevvy (6) AL?ENE

(presumably ALKENE, but why is Ken a disreputable house? If it was"DEN" I could understand, but I don't think Aldene is a hydrocarbon!)

27d Spreading this source of corruption cold be cruel (5) ??CER. Is this ULCER (anagram, cruel)

29a Depression overcoming one farming settlement (5). ?O??N. If ulcer and chessboard are correct then it is ?OLON

Many thanks

[1ozzy]

24d ken (plural kens) (slang, UK, obsolete, thieves' cant) A house, especially a den of thieves.

[JJ109]

Thanks 1ozzy!

[1ozzy]

If 27d should read "could be cruel"

I'd agree with ulcer.

Can't help with the others though, too tricky for me.

[1ozzy]

PS: How's things in the tropics JJ?

[JJ109]

Thanks 1ozzy, I also thought it was a misprint, the only thing that I have against "ulcer" is that I can't get 29a!

Everything is fine here 1ozzy just coming towards the end of the rainy season and therefore, cooler at the moment, how about Oz!

[JJ109]

29a Colon (plantation in a French colony) =Col (geographical depression) + on (overcoming!)

[JJ109]

So it is just the explanation of "chessboard" that is now required!

[scorpiojo]

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Wayte

[JJ109]

Thanks Jo, but I still can't parse it!

[scorpiojo]

Nor me, JJ! Still can't find 'Lizzie'.

[JJ109]

I have tried taking "Bess" out and Borden sounds like to no avail!

[1ozzy]

Getting hot and dry here JJ.

Good luck with your final query 

[ProfessorMaisie]

I think the Spoonerism is 'Bess chawed' ('chaw' is Spenser's word for 'jaw'/chew?) Bess chewed...

29 - I think the full def is ''one farming settlement'' (according to Chambers a 'colon' is the person farming, not the farm itself) COL + ON (='overcoming'/surmounting).

[JJ109]

Many thanks ProfMaisie!