Araucaria

[amalgam]

only 3 left.
15a Acceptance speech to shellfish-I'm not sure....(7) ?e???m? Could it be meseems, and if so, why shellfish?
13d Fruity food in piece of church soap, possibly (6,4) ????e?/ cake.

If I got those 2, I might get 12a!

Many thanks in advance.

[greyfox]

Welcome(acceptance) sounds like(speech) Whelk(shellfish)-um(I'm not sure)

Eccles(iastic - part of church) cake(soap)

[hammersgirl]

Have you got 1d?
Extra Time again ? _ n _ e / _ l _ e
I had it sketched in as once more till I filled in 12a.

[greyfox]

You were right first time hammersgirl. Your 'l' is wrong. Answer is Herb ?O?E?T(Boy's name)

[amalgam]

greyfox, many thanks for your invaluable help! I was just going to ask you re 12a because I too had once more for 1 down, and couldn't make it fit with 12a. Now I've got it, how stupid of me.

hammersgirl, glad to know I wasn't the only one confused re 12a. I thought a herb must be included in the 6 letters.

[hammersgirl]

okay, so it isn't Herb Albert then.
Please put me out of my misery

[amalgam]

hammersgirl, it's herb robert. I dont think the clue is very good, as the definition, ie 10, is also part of the cryptic bit, so far as I can see.

[Chree]

Has anyone got 21D please?

[amalgam]

Chree, I think 21d is europe. Hanging presumably = rope, and eu is greek for well.