Spectator 2608 - Support By Cheesecracker

[Matakari]

Good afternoon, this week’s Spectator offering is far from being tender for me. Hints would be appreciated for the following, thank you.

(Ten symmetrically placed un-clued lights can be entered given consistent support. )

27a Group of stars missing king’s refined irony (7) A??????
34a Late birds dance without it (5) ???T?
35a Conservative avoiding dirty red (5) ??D??

4d They repeat base tasks with delayed runs (7) : ?CHO??L
15d Old German crosses Westminster court (2,4) : A?W???
20d Unknown gunk over E. coli loosely related to mass of bacteria (9) : ?Y?G?????
26d Seabird found by sailor on boulder (7) : ?A???C?
28d Smooth expert nets fish (4,3) : ?????A? ( SAND DAB )

[flobbo]

No - it can't be reheel

[Matakari]

Ok, I see it, and am trying to work out: "Monte Cristo guy with Queen returned." What's the meaning?

[Boethius]

I think 15D begins with ‘g’, because 15A is typical Indian dish (Ruby Murray to some), but replacing initial ‘c’ with ‘g’ giving fish offal.
Could ‘goth’ be involved with 15D?

[Neveracrossword]

Boethius, yes to your thought on 15 D.

[Matakari]

Hints for this last batch should see me through to the theme. Thanks in advance for your insight!
32a Worker mostly dependent upon backing (6) N???D?
40a Pipe valley running through Britain (5) ???R?

5d Making much of revolutionary PM’s no good (10):?H?R?S??N? (THORISMUND)
7d Rout out second large moulding (5): ?O?A?
8d Drummer sporting ever so terribly small garment (9): ???A?W?S?
9d Modify state lines (4): ???M

[jazzgirl]

5d Cherishing

[Neveracrossword]

9 A common (in crosswords) US state + the very common two-letter abbreviation for lines.Modify is the definition.

[Neveracrossword]

40 The very common crossword 'valley' goes inside a usual abbreviation of Britain

[Neveracrossword]

Matakari, how did Thorismund work?

[Neveracrossword]

7. Your A is wrong - just an anagram of Rout and the usual 'small'.

[Matakari]

Looks simple enough, but I'm held back with these two:
9d two-letter abb for lines = ls
Us state ? =
40a – abb for Britain, br + crossword valley, val?
Thanks for another nudge!

[jazzgirl]

hint Trains run on "lines

[jazzgirl]

Put a 3letter word for valley or inlet inside BR

[Matakari]

Many thanks, jazzgirl, this one is a real teaser. I’ve solved the last two Spectator puzzles in record time and without requesting any help. Thought I had cracked the setters’ technique, but Cheesecracker is a hard nut this week! I’m still left with the following for which I would like some help or confirmation.
33d Swelling, more and more grim, finally advanced (5) : ??E?A ( EDEMA )
40a Pipe valley running through Britain (5) : ?R?A? ( BRIAR )
15a Good spicy food omitting cold fish offal (5) :GS???
32a Worker mostly dependent upon backing (6) : N???E?
8d Drummer sporting ever so terribly small garment (9) ?????W?S?
9d Modify state lines (4) ????
( I see the lines, ls, the train, rail…But that’s as far as I get… )

And one bizarre entry I have for the Unclued 39: KC?R?K?AB
What’s wrong with this? Thank you!

[jazzgirl]

33d and 40a both correct
15a S should be U
8d correct letters
9d last 2 letters abbrev. for railway
39. correct letters. Just read it in reverse

[jazzgirl]

sorry 8d W is wrong I think

[Neveracrossword]

Yes, Matakari's W is wrong in 8 D.

[jazzgirl]

I miss Klazo who appears to have gone user-inactive.

[Matakari]

Thanks, jazzgirl, for the wonderful hints! I'm on the home stretch,now. Going for a little stroll to take advantage of the sparkling sunshine before I put this one to rest.

[jazzgirl]

Bonne balade au soleil :)