Can't get going on this one! Need help with one of the long clues to get started, please. 17 Holding back present: sugary stuff with a very soft filling (12)
1 Austere name, Conservative, blue, not entirely upstanding (7) ASCETIC. 21 Dog unable to sit, biting an accompanying setter, cross one (7,8) MEXICAN HAIRLESS. Need help parsing both these answers.
12 Belting coat stops small, powerful draught (8) SMACKING. If so, how does the wordplay work? 8 African winger’s defensive blunder — no way back (6) D?????
Really struggling to get going on this. 3 Showed a permit that is required initially to collect stray dog (8,7) _ _ _ _D_ _ _/_ _ _ _ _ _ _. Yep, that's all I have, one D. Sad, very sad.
Last few 25a Gathering going out on a Saturday night (8). ?L?B?I?G. - is it just clubbing? 30a Call out the name of lad wanted to run errands (4). P??? 21d. Kitsch container on German lace (7)....
1D First of ditties by up-and-coming singer/harpist? (5) D_ _ _D. 9A Home on very busy road emptier than all the others (7) _ _I_E_T. 13 Rubbish beside city hospital in a little pile (7,4) STATELY...
