Spectator 2495

[LancastrianOik]

I have all the cryptic clues completed, and I have the theme.

However, even with access to Brewer's I cannot find the (unclued) answers to 25A and 25D.

I can find answer to 25A which works, not from Brewer's but from general research, which gives me a type of headgear fashionable in a specific era of British history, but that leaves me stumped at 25D!

I'm not looking for the actual answers, just a hint as to where to look in Brewer's...

Thanks all.

[Neveracrossword]

25 A and then 25 D together form one word, a surname .

[dannyk13]

How many letters in 25d.?

[LancastrianOik]

Ah.... of course!

Many thanks.

[Neveracrossword]

Lancastrian, glad I could help.

Danny, these unclued answers were very thematic, so the letter count wouldn't have helped.

[greyfox]

Unless I'm being exceptionally dim(it has been known) I can't find the answer to the themed answer at 10ac. in my Brewers. It's the four-letter theme word followed by a second word ?U?T?R.

Preparing to kick myself...

[Neveracrossword]

10 A isn't in Brewer's, it's one of the four that contain the theme word... mentioned in the preamble.

[greyfox]

I have the theme word Nac (that's why I didn't mention it) ...

[Neveracrossword]

Greyfox, I don't have a copy in front of me, so can't remember the exact wording. There are four entries which CONTAIN the theme word, that entry is one - and not part of the 'can be found in Brewer's' stuff.

[MrNZ]

A village in Aberdeenshire.

[greyfox]

Many thanks MrNZ. I'd never have got that! Obscure or what? I would say that wouldn't I though? :-)

[Neveracrossword]

Greyfox, I have a famous poet there! Hope you worked out why Brewer's wouldn't help with certain answers?

[LancastrianOik]

Whilst I was out for my daily afternoon walk, it struck me that this puzzle is part three of a trilogy from "Doc", following "Fade Away" (2489) and "Little Man" (2492)...

[Neveracrossword]

Yes, Lancastrian, I'd been expecting the third part of the trilogy!

[greyfox]

I'm getting confused now Nac. I have the answer at 41ac: (Mary)Oliver. If the Aberdonian village is the answer for 10ac I still think it's pretty obscure.

[novalis]

The Aberdonian village is rather obscure but Doc seems to like his Scottish references. I found it in the Universal Crossword Solver which gave a two word possibility but the preamble precluded that.

[LancastrianOik]

Greyfox- the across unclueds all have something in common apart from the theme, which should allay your doubts re: the village.

[LancastrianOik]

Sorry- should add “apart from the specific literary exemption”.

[greyfox]

Many thanks for the further clarification Novalis and LancastrianOik :-)