I see the LETTER solution now, but 31 is clearly another one for the Telegraph Crossword Commemorative Toss-a-Coin which I'm sure they'll be marketing at �29.99 as a special offer very soon...
Do I sound cynical? Well it IS Christmas; bah humbug to vague compilers & thanks & Seasons Greetings to you all.
Hi Paul - long time, no chat. Thanks for that, but it's still a poor clue. Even the commas don't excuse the ambiguity.
By the way, how is the online site behaving? I'm so fed up paying �1.90 each Sunday for a load of rubbish and two crosswords I'm thinking of subscribing.