mephisto 2604

[bionicbunny]

I have achieved more than I thought I would at the outset but have ground to a halt and would appreciate some help.
Unconnected to the area in which I am stuck is 26D Old firm limo, eg, hides earl's chauffeur (4) I have ?ICA.
16D Gallery gamble on essence containing a hint of rose (8) I have ?RE??SSE. The only word I can find is crevasse which does not make sense. If I can get 16D it may help me with 24A, 27A and 25D and then my weekend will not be ruined!!!!!!!!!!!!
Thanks in advance.

[slaney]

16d Bretesse - a brattice - covered gallery.
B(r)et esse

[Spaghetti]

I have ??CE for 26 down. There is a word, spelled either SYCE or SICE, meanibng chauffeur, but I simply can't see how it fits the clue....

[Spaghetti]

or perhaps MEANING chauffeur!

[JMR27]

it's sice. Old word for firm is siccar; limo e.g. hides = take away car = sic + E (earl)

[bionicbunny]

Now I see 26D and it makes sense. I also had 32A wrong. Just left with 27A Rings dash in place of the seal (7) I have ?ER?ELS

[Spaghetti]

No wonder I couldn't get it!

[Spaghetti]

verve+ls (loco sigilli)

[bionicbunny]

My sincere thanks Spaghetti. I have also learnt a valuable lesson in that I waded through Chambers up to the letter T before a good lunch in a local restaurant after which my dash (or verve) vanished anyway and I did not do Latin at my borstal!!!!

[mathsman]

Are we satisfied with McKenna as a setter? Many of my friends are not.

[kayakamina]

http://www.theanswerb...s/Question920905.html

[JMR27]

I'm glad it's not just me. I don't enjoy doing his crosswords...they're too much of a slog.