Spectator 2614

[FleshpotsOfDevon]

This week’s Speccy is a bit of an animal. Although I’m on the back straight, two clues are eluding me, both linked to 11a, so this q is probably best for those who have already solved that one.

40a German agreed 11 keeps recalling game (3,4) ???/A?A?

31d Bird’s skull, say, broken by 11 (6) ?ON??? BONE-something perhaps?

TA.

[JJ109]

Jai Alai

Bonxie

[FleshpotsOfDevon]

Thanks JJ! I’d got as far as “Ja” but that’s it haha “Bonxie” like too many of this week’s clues, I’ve never heard of.

[JJ109]

Thanks Fleshpots! Good luck with it!

[PiffPoff]

24A In particle, track nucleus (6) ?AR???

[Neveracrossword]

Karyon- Kaon with ry, track, railway, inside.

[PiffPoff]

Thanks!

[FleshpotsOfDevon]

All I have left are the unclueds at 29a (unless it’s exactly what it appears to be and not something more obscure), 38a and 16d, but I think they’re going to beat me. Any clues gratefully received.

[roslyn251254]

look at 1st word of title and see if any of your unclued might fit...although there are some very odd words there...

[FleshpotsOfDevon]

Believe it or not, I think I’ve got it by jiggling the word separation in 16d. The whole blooming lot just by moving a letter haha

[JJ109]

16d Is a 3 word book written by a man with the surname of a monkey. 29a is one of his Christian names but is a very inusual one

28a is 2 words and is part of the title of a book that goes with 13a and is written by an author with the same monkey as a surname

[roslyn251254]

sorry didnt read properly.... 18a 29a together with ....(the theme word)
is the name, then google him for 16d.......

[FleshpotsOfDevon]

38a, yeah got it thanks. Hence the “part of a title” in group 3 in the preamble. Thanks all!

[FleshpotsOfDevon]

And now I’ve got the linking word to be highlighted…never noticed it before, might have blo*dy helped ha Phew, this is one of the hardest I’ve done since I started.

[PiffPoff]

Same goes for me. Lots of Googling required. Very satisfying to crack, though.

[FleshpotsOfDevon]

Fun Fact - 17 and 18 across is the name of one of my aunties!

[Neveracrossword]

Yes, this was much harder than recent puzzles - but also far more satisfying! There was a real sense of achievement to get it finished (in one go, I worked hard!).

[FleshpotsOfDevon]

Agreed, PiffPoff, it felt good when it finally clicked thanks to the hints.

[hypotheses]

Got there in the end but “a sair fecht” as a certain author might have said.

[PiffPoff]

Had to look up "a sair fecht". Indeed!

[FleshpotsOfDevon]

That’s going to be my go-to phrase from now on for difficult crosswords!