The Very Logical Prize Puzzle # 276

[Matakari]

Thanks for some help with the following:
ACROSS:
1, see 17 down= Wee Arthur and me coming up is one little answer(7):
O?E????
3 Defective item informer (5-5 ): ?E?????A??
11 Given some grief fending for respectful title(7): ????N??
29 Hobble oxen team in front of cellar opening(7 ): S?N????
31 Ragtime band lacks possessive quality(10):A?R???????( ABRIDGMENT?)

DOWN:
21 Pierced as well as irritated(7):??E????
22 Bullfighter gets dung beetle size first(7):??C???N
27 My comeuppance in the solution!(5): T????

[sandyRoe]

27 thyme?

[bookbinder]

21d fretted

[elliemay1]

21d needled

[Mamyalynne]

3 Lemon grass

[Baldric]

3a LEMON GRASS

[Mamyalynne]

31 Alexanders

[Mamyalynne]

11 Effendi

[bookbinder]

22 picador?

[bookbinder]

It looks as if picador is correct:
http://www.thefreedictionary.com/dor

[Mamyalynne]

17/1 - Aniseed

Wee Arthur is at 15d

[Mamyalynne]

15d Artemisia

[Mamyalynne]

29 Spancel

[Matakari]

Many thanks to all for the great help!

[Mamyalynne]

Glad to have helped a little, I always forget about the puzzle until I see it mentioned here.

Have you ever won?

[Matakari]

Help for the last one, please:
DOWN:
#24 Flower arranging in a bake-and-shake scenario ( 7 ): I?A?A?A

Many thanks in advance!

[elliemay1]

ikebana

[Captain2]

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ikebana

[elliemay1]

^Ikebana - Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Etymology "Ikebana" is from the Japanese ikeru (生ける, "keep alive, arrange flowers, living") and hana (花, "flower"). Possible translations include "giving life to flowers" and "arranging flowers".

[Mamyalynne]

26a DescendEnt - to give the 'e' you need

[Matakari]

Thanks, elliemay1, Mamyalynne and Captain2, for your enlightenment!