Guardian Prize Crossword 27,250 Saturday July 15Th 2017

[plutocrat]

Not enjoying this one much. Some unsatisfying answers which fit, but I don't know why! Help appreciated with these ...
24. The 14 man with no piano, instead getting drunk (7) _H_L_E_
... got all the letters, just cant work out why it might be chilled, whelked, shelled, shilled, or whatever. 14 is BLUES.

12 Best group Way Back in the 1960s (5) _ _ _ _ M ,
I guess it might be CREAM, but in that case I don't like the clue.

9 For an actor, breaking a leg is good! (4)
Is that really Gale? Please ...

[dannyk13]

Cream is best and also a 60's group

[plutocrat]

Well I got that, so what's the Way Back doing in there?

[dannyk13]

Way back in the 60's

[aelmpvw]

24 chelsea? but can't parse

[plutocrat]

So here's another ...
3 The writer inspired by ditty about bankers? (6) _N_M__
I guess it must be GNOMES, but I've no idea why.

[dannyk13]

Me(the writer) inside song(ditty)reversed

[emeritus]

3 ME in SONG reversed

THe Gnomes of Zurich = Bankers

[plutocrat]

More head-scratching ...
12 Fish caught by 21 down revolutionary (5) C___S
Chubs? Carps? 21 down is SOHO

[emeritus]

24 Looking at Letters The (blues) man could be (Ray) Charles but not sure after that ?

[petew58]

ch(else)a...instead in cha(p)

[iminoz]

24 CHELSEA Blues Football Club?
ELSE, instead, in CHA(p), man with no Piano

[aelmpvw]

24 chelsea
anagram of cha(p) else

[dannyk13]

Cohos (salmon) - c(caught) + soho(reversed)

[iminoz]

12 COHOS, fish

[plutocrat]

OK, I'll concede the bankers one, although I wasn't familiar with the Gnomes of Zurich phrase.
Chelsea ... that's just mean. Didn't know they were the Blues, and that word isn't even in the clue, its referred to by a number. Too convoluted!
Cohos, thanks for that. Hadn't heard of it.
So after that I filled in a couple more and got _ _ _ G for the four letter actor clue.

[sedge47]

9 (Simon) PEGG ? (G inside peg)

[Davidam]

Chap minus p with else inside - from Davidas CHELSEA