Azed 1983

[hankir]

27 D President, US one has reduced road taxes? (5) ??KES

24A Writer striking gold with new series: Letters from Old Norway (6) T??RNS

"Letters from Old Norway" in italics

Thanks in advance

[vegasmad]

27d hikes

[kayakamina]

Thorns

[hankir]

Thanks to both of you.

[Quizmonster]

27D may well be pikes, which ARE road taxes (see Chambers pike3, where pike is a toll). Ike was a US president, 's is a reduced form of has and I suppose P may be an abbreviation of president, though Chambers doesn't offer it. I can't actually see any justification for hikes.

[greyfox]

Think your reasoning is right qm. Bradford's Crossword Solver's Dictionary has 'P' for President.