Spectator N0 2625 - Playtime By Doc

[Matakari]

Hello there, I’ve been enjoying this one and hoping to set another Doc record of not asking for help, but Doc has got the better of me. I would appreciate parsing for the following, thanks!
35d Last of the unknowns, an All Black egghead (5) RANGE
And here is where Doc has stumped me. Help!
43a Hatchetman? (4-6) :   T?EELY?LE?

[Canary42]

tree feller ?

[Neveracrossword]

35 Zanze, one of the thematic entries referred to in the preamble - I haven't got the wording. Z, unknown +A NZ (all Black) +E(gghead).

[Neveracrossword]

Canary42, yes to Tree Feller. It fits with crossers (Matakari's got a couple of letters wrong). I think the clue is just one of those where the whole thing is the definition.

[Matakari]

Many thanks for 35d, a nice touch from the preamble! And I could not see 43a because I had LOLLS instead of LOAFS for 37d. It’s all fixed now. Grateful, Canary42 and NACW!

[Neveracrossword]

Thanks, Matakari, glad we could help.   Your Lolls would have worked perfectly if an Oll was a Lout!

[FleshpotsOfDevon]

A very similar clue to the LOAFS one appeared just this week, in the Telegraph iirc. Same-ish clue but for LOAF.  

[Neveracrossword]

Thanks, Fleshpots... I know Doc sets puzzles for quite a few publications, maybe that Telegraph one was also his. I know too that he is very keen on recycling!

[FleshpotsOfDevon]

Funny you mention that, because at first glance this entire puzzle appeared to be recycled, even down to the title! I could've sworn there'd been a recent one with the same name *and* the same theme, but there hasn't. The whole puzzle just feels very Doc-ish.

[PiffPoff]

Help with last themed clue. 28A ?ER?NE?T?. Can't find any word to fit this pattern in Bradford's or Chambers.

[TheWinner]

serinette ?

[Matakari]

Yes, serinette it is, The Winner! A type of small barrel organ originating in France in the 18th century.

[PiffPoff]

Thank you! Excellent puzzle by Doc.

[wrd456]

Unusually for a Doc puzzle I've really struggled with some of these.  The theme for the unclued words seems to be musical instruments and I think two of the below clues tie in with this and will be musical instruments.  I'd welcome any hints you care to share.  This week I'm not even convinced the letters I already have are correct. 

13A: US challenge to foil and dismiss at the wicket (5) S _ _ _ _

25A: Violinist's bow? No, the other end! (5) S _ _ R _ - I would think START but cannot find a dictionary definition to tie in with this.

2D: Read intensively of young Thomas in fairy tale (5) T _ _ _ _

20D: Clay theme word with top missing (4) _ _ T _ 

21D: Guard bird consuming bit of fat (9) _ _ E _ E A _ E _ - BEEFEATER seems an obvious fit but I can't parse it.  God, how I hate the word 'parse.'

32D: Walks the dales topless in France (6) _ L L _ E S

[JJ109]

13a a wicket-keeer can dismiss a batsman who charges down the wicket and misses the ball this way - A tree has one!

21 d Beefeater = guard at the Tower of London = bee-eater (bird) around f(at)

[JJ109]

25 In a boat the opposite of "bow"

[JJ109]

32 the French word for valleys minus the first letter = walks

[ProfessorMaisie]

2d digit you use to .... through the pages of a book.

20d is an undefined theme word - remove the 'f' from another theme word for this one (which is also a kind of clay).

(all of your letters are correct.)

[JJ109]

2d On your hand by your fingers