Genius 240

[tedsgran]

Number of letters not known ( 4-10)....jigsaw grid...so basically blind solving

Simian really losing head in area with many trees
Persian queen sans husband hosted by reportedly wise listener in the past
English abandoning great love for 19th century writer

[Neveracrossword]

3. A four letter word for 'great' (very big) loses its last letter and gains an E... leading to a famous French writer.

[Neveracrossword]

1. A five-letter 'simian' (which often has a longer name), then a four-letter word for 'really' loses its first letter(head). It's where you';d find many trees, a more excotic word than wood or forest.

[elliemay1]

^ should that be gains an O?

[Neveracrossword]

Elliemay, thanks - yes, it gains an O (for love).

[tedsgran]

Thanks ...got those 2 now

[Neveracrossword]

Thanks, Tedsgran. The other one is tricky to parse, give hints. There's a famous Persian queen, 'sans husband' means lose a letter,'reportedly wise' gives two letters(reportedly - sounds like') and 'listener' is the usal. The definition is the very end of the clue.

[JJ109]

wise = YY ear
Esther - H(husband)

[tedsgran]

Thanks for that ...got that one too now!

[JJ109]

Sorry NAC - I thought you were Tedsgran!

[Neveracrossword]

Thanks, JJ .

Tedsgran, glad you've got all of those now.

[Loki2034]

Can someone parse the second clue for me without giving too much away? I have the answer but don’t see where the first part of the same comes from.
PM briefly losing face and energy,finally put in the shade.

[JJ109]

I am assuming an "ell" is a face
ThereforeM losing Ell + E(nergy) + (pu)T

[JJ109]

no it is Liz losing her first letter!

[Neveracrossword]

For that one I have a brownish shade, got from Liz....(PM briefly) and E and 'finally put'.

[Neveracrossword]

JJ, we crossed...

[Loki2034]

Thanks jj109.Looks good.