The Week 1279

[TioMateo]

Last one, plus a parsing query :-
It's taken up in hard-bitten academy? No longer (4) ?A?E

Venomous creatures in Government succeeded (6) ?O?R?S. Presumably, it's COBRAS, but I'm not very impressed with COBRA used as a synonym for Government. It's a British Government Committee which hardly follows the maxim of the setter "....but you must always say what you mean".

[dannyk13]

Cane- reversed in clue?

[TioMateo]

Hi DannyK - many thanks for answering. I had thought of CANE, given (as you say) that it is reversed "taken up" in the clue, but I'm struggling for a decent definition in the clue to justify CANE, that also takes account of "No longer". The only thing I can think of is that it refers to the fact that corporal punishment is no longer permitted in schools. Do you think that is reasonable?

[dannyk13]

Mateo // Do you think that is reasonable?//
Yes, although I think that both clues are poor.

[TioMateo]

Thank you. I agree.