Guardian Prize 27489

[Cryptomaniac]

Help with parsing, please. 2d Scale a scale, short of the bitter end. (6) -s-e-d. I’ve got ASCEND, but can’t see apart from the definition. 14d 7 in 7, everything originally from a European City. (8) v-e-n-s-. I’ve got VIENNESE, but again can’t see apart from the definition. Btw, 7 in the grid is TRICKY. Thanks.
Also, how did some clever people solve 23, 1 and 5 down when the wrong number of letters was given?

[JJ109]

Ascend(scale) = a sc(ale - remove ale/bitter) + end

[Lie-in King]

2d Ascend - 'a sc(ale) end' (short of the "bitter")
14d Viennese - anag (tricky) 'in seven e(verything; originally)'

[Davemano]

2d It is two part clue. Ascend is scale, the sc(ale) then end.

[Mamyalynne]

2 A sc(ale) + end

[JJ109]

in SEVEN (anagram of the first 7 letters) + E(verything)= Viennese (from a European city)

[Davemano]

Oh - not there when I started typing.

[Cryptomaniac]

Thanks all. Had never come across sc as abbr. for scale before.

[fiction-factory]

It's not an abbrviation for scale - i think it's scale minus the ale (bitter)

[fiction-factory]

^ see jj109's and Lie-in King's posts