Times 23474

[rmleake]

Last one (unless I have made an error) 17a W?N?O?I?G

Applying blows to ears, landing belts that hurt!

[orly]

Winnowing

[rmleake]

Thanks, ears of grain,silly me!

[Phil7]

Can anyone explain?

The only "blows" in Winnowing (as opposed to Threshing) are as in the wind (air) blows the chaff away.

So, what about "landing belts that hurt!" ? It's not like the Times to have anything redundant.

[Quizmonster]

Phil, winning = landing as in winning/landing a prize and Ow! = That hurt! Putting the former around the latter means that it is 'belting' it, as in a trouser-belt.

[Phil7]

Thanks, QM, I'd seen winning and "ow" but that was just too convoluted for my brain. Glad to see that the Times does NOT confuse winnowing with threshing.
Thanks a lot. :-)