Spectator N0 2690

[Matakari]

Good evening, I seek help for the following thanks in advance:

13a    Auntie putting end of thumb on buzzer (4)  :??E?

15a    Idiot and old spies regularly billed as ‘potentially connected’ (10) : ?S??LI??L?

20a    Footballing great from Lazio once collared by detective (7) : ?UAT?N?

35a    Enthusiastically start distributing inoculant around hospital (6,4): ?A????I?T?

22d    Last of lackadaisical dons perking up and marrying (8) : S?L???N?

 

[elliemay1]

13 Beeb

[scorpiojo]

35 Launch into anag inoculant around H

[scorpiojo]

22 Sp L icing

[newmodarmy]

Isoclinals?

[scorpiojo]

15 Ass o s CIA ble

[newmodarmy]

TI couldn't parse mine at all, it was all I could find based on the given pattern ... yours will be right scorpiojo

[scorpiojo]

20 P Latin I

[Matakari]

Many thanks, all! I got 13a, 15a and 35a, but doubt got the better of me. Going after the quotation should be fun now.

[Neveracrossword]

Matakari, stop doubting yourself! 

[Matakari]

Thanks in advance for helping with these last three:

26a     Start to put axes in box (3):P??
12d     Quantity of mescal affects part of inner ear (5) : ?C?L?
36d     Communist cobblers holding up introduction of technology (4) : ?RO?

[Toorak]

Pyx

scala

trot

[Matakari]

Many thanks, Toorak! At a loss for the quotation, but guess that it may have to do with the banning of Platini? A hint of two or three key words would be appreciated.

[Neveracrossword]

Matakari, the quotation is very famous. 25 D  should help... The four-letter  word reading upwards from 37 A is pivotal.

[Matakari]

Many thanks, NACW, I'm on to the quotation.

[Neveracrossword]

Matakari, glad that helped.

PS I know nothing about any banning of Platini, so I just disregarded your mention of that!

[Matakari]

Good morning, NACW, I read too much into that part of the preamble that said “beginning with the last letter of 20”. And now that I have the quotation, I’m still not sure of the unclued lights. 25d is quite clear, the speaker of the quote, but for the others, I’m guessing:
19a: STRIP
23a: BAN
10d: BOOK
27d: YACHT

[Neveracrossword]

Thanks, Matakari. I'm sure you can finish this yourself. Your suggested 23 is wrong. All the others are correct and fit nicely with the word going up from 37 (and I virtually gave you that!)

[newmodarmy]

I don't think Platini's ban (if he had one) has any relevance. It's simply PI around (collaring) Latin

[newmodarmy]

Oh I see- you're not referring to that clue but you're wondering any ban he might have had is relevant to the 4 words you have to find. Sorry, I've not seen the crossword ao don't know how it works- I just like to pop into  your threads as being only an occassional crossword I find your posted clues quite accessible/manageable for me.

[Matakari]

Thanks, Newmodarmy and NACW, Platini did have an eight-year ban for a breach of ethics in FIFA, but I agree it’s not relevant to the present puzzle.
My final 23a must begin with M and not B. Phew, it’s done now, I hope and thanks again for your patient assistance!