Genius Crossword N0. 245

[Matakari]

Good evening, answers to the following would be appreciated. Thanks in advance!

9 Screech, seeing water swirling in protective covering (9)

13 Group not right about John’s bone (8)

14  Scornful response: “What’s attractive about nut cracking?” (9)

17 Country, transformed on inside, beginning to advance (9 )

[Neveracrossword]

Matakari, you are being very unfair... again! This is a thematic puzzle and the preamble contains crucial information about the order of the clues (and other aspects). 

PS I thought this would be your least-favoured type of puzzle!

[cashier]

9 Caterwaul

[cashier]

17   Indonesia

[Matakari]

Many thanks, cashier! Any help for 13 and 14?

[scorpiojo]

Any letters placed?

[JJ109]

13 Clavicle

14 Contumely

[JJ109]

Sorry Jo but it is a jigsaw also- Matakari will not have letters to help until he starts putting some of the answers in the grid

[scorpiojo]

Thanks, JJ.

[TRIALNERROR1]

If anybody feels so inclined, I need a (strong) hint about "Person getting chill in clothing that’s ripped?" (6) I guess it starts with "B"...

[Neveracrossword]

A three letter word, slightly old-fashioned for a person, followed by a three letter word for 'chill', piece of cold stuff,vthe answer is a piece of clothing that can be ripped, torn ....

[TRIALNERROR1]

Ahhh... clearly I don't read certain kinds of cheap fiction. Thanks NACW

[Neveracrossword]

Glad that helped, my hints are sometimes rubbish! 

[TRIALNERROR1]

good enough. For the longest time I was wondering if "blazer" fitted, though the parsing was a bit of a stretch. 

[TRIALNERROR1]

Down to four before I start the jigsaw phase. "Trimmed..." seems to be one of those where one is never sure if one has the correct word. The Bird is the Word, right, Peter Griffin?

[Neveracrossword]

Trial... I think you probably have the right word (Peter Griffin means nothing to me, sorry!). There's a five-letter 'feather' which loses its last letter (so 'trimmed') and the other letter is in the clue.

[TRIALNERROR1]

The sort of GK you could maybe do without but you never know what comes in useful with cryptics. I was talking about this: 

Anyway, seems I chose right. How about "Skill..." etc. Er... As in Lindsey? Kronos? Schubert's Trout minus one? I can't quite see how it all parses but there's a synonym for "skill" in there which was in a Guardian cryptic this week

[Neveracrossword]

Thanks, Trial, I might look at that later.

 

For  'Skill...' a  three-letter skill  replaces  a single letter in a five letter word in  a synonym for 'piano' (piano being an instruction, not an object). 

[TRIALNERROR1]

In fact, I got it. So... "new look..." and "person pierced..." then move on to jigsawing. I'll come back begging if I'm really stuck. Thanks again NACW

[Neveracrossword]

Trial... you're welcome.

[TRIALNERROR1]

Matakari, jj109 and Cashier, wouldn't it be a little more considerate to work with hints rather than outright answers? It rather spoils the fun.