guardian..please enlighten..

[Zhukov]

..explain..

Down to last Guardian clue,which is..

20d Spectator leader supplied energy in tablet(6) _ T _ E _ E

i took the plunge today..and filled in answers,without fully understanding how i had arrived at them..for instance..how is..16d,..ans. THREADS?

16d ..8 sees 26 among the 25 that may be trashed(7) T _ R _ A _ S

..obviously,an anagram of TRASHED,but what is the relation to the AGEING PROCESS..?

answers: 8..is..AGEING PROCESS
26..is..SILVER
25..is..GOLD

...also..

17a Walking girls pretending to cry?(9)..ans..CROCODILE..I get ,line of people..crocodile..crocodile tears..but is it a good clue..?

Thank you for any help..

[dannyk13]

26d Silver threads among the gold (in ones hair)

[kayakamina]

Steele - started the Spectator

[kayakamina]

From the old song 'Silver threads among the gold'

[Zhukov]

thanks to dannyk13
,and kayakamina

..we call it "Salt n Pepa".. ;o)

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vCadcBR95oU