Guardian Crossword Prize No 29,589

[HughSW]

Enigmatist too enigmatic for me today. Can anyone help?

In each of these four I see the definition, but not the wordplay.

11) Italian kid, a fifty-something on a vespa! I have BAMBINO 

24) I'll give wry renditions no end (7) I have IRONIST

26) Canary with the cuckoo flower (5,8) I have WATER HYACINTH

22) Closes in on prey, after antelope (5) I have NYALA

These two I just don't get:

23) College beak looking over hopeful's entry form (5) I have BENCH

25) A bewitching old woman keeps back ingredient (7) I have AMALGAM

 

[Toorak]

24 - anagram of renditions minus end

[Toorak]

26 anagram of canary with the

[Toorak]

 22 (o)n (pre)y a la (after)

[Toorak]

H(opeful) c (college) neb (beak) all reversed

[Toorak]

25 a &  ma (old woman) glam (bewitching) both reversed

[Toorak]

23 form is another word for bench

[Toorak]

11 Bambi is an acronym (born again middle-aged biker) not sure about the no - maybe on reversed?

[elliemay1]

A brilliant solo run Toorak, well done!

[Toorak]

Thanks Elliemay x

[thestath]

I saw Bambino as Bambi plus no as the diminutive as vespa is a small bike... Bambis are usually associated with bigger bikes 

[Toorak]

That makes sense

[HughSW]

Brilliant! (And too good for me)

Thanks.