Guardian Cryptic

[Jennykenny]

Has anyone got a couple of clues, any clues will do, to get me started. Looks horrible.

[CharlieBangersCi]

Don't give up. If I can do it........etc

[scorpiojo]

Who slammed that door...?

[scorpiojo]

.. I wouldn't bother looking for Afghanistan, Jenny.

[CharlieBangersCi]

Agree about Afghanistan Scorpio. Had me down a blind alley with a red herring for ages :-)

[scorpiojo]

;o)

[SussexBard]

It might help to know that Valerie Le Vaillant is a real person, whose job title contains the letters EF,G

[doctordolittle]

I have persisted and am happy to give hints. There are some very difficult clues but I am down to my last!! This one I think is a plain clue I.e without any extra letters to put in:
Having poison at police station docked (7) T-N-H-N

[roslyn251254]

tan GHI n is a poison

[roslyn251254]

and tannA is the police station

[Palustris]

"Having poison at police station docked (7) T-N-H-N "
Cannot even find this clue in the Crossword version which I have.

[roslyn251254]

try 32a

[scorpiojo]

30, 32

Censures US porters having poison at police station docked (7;7)

[Adept1]

30ac is REDCAPS, raps with cde backwards

[greenfarmroad]

Don't know about anyone else but I'm finding this one very difficult ideedc. What on earth it the Iranian city (2 down)? I have ?c?a???a
What is 16 across - starts with G?M.

I think I'll try the Listener

[JHBMK]

"Around a neat ancient Iranian city" - anagram of A NEAT with CBA inserted in the middle, gives ECBATANA. No idea with 16ac yet though, sorry !

[scorpiojo]

16a Piano pieces bring endless pain to young girl's (11)

Gy(p) MNOP Edie's

[greenfarmroad]

Thanks to JHBMK and to Scorpiojo (my word you are both clever and helpful).

I'm struggling on but finding it unusually difficult.