Mephisto 2591

[foxspur]

Last couple.
9dn "Clean up in, say, union at end of strike" (6) I have EM???E fourth letter may be N
14dn "One's a workaholic and so crazy" (10) I have ???OMANIAC second letter could be R
The R and N assume that 15ac is SAPPHIRINE
Also, is 30ac "_, term for which alternatively is arachnida" (8) ACARIDAN or ACARINAN
Thanks for any help

[slaney]

14d Ergo maniac

[bathtub]

15a is indeed SAPPHIRINE. 9dn is EMUNGE, eg (say) + NUM (union) + e (end of strike), reversed. 30a I have as ACARIDAN, anag of arachnida less h (term, ie end, of which), but I'm not sure beyond that how it solves the clue - unless the reference is to the spider mite

[foxspur]

Thank you very much slaney and bathtub, for both explanations. ACARIDAN is as you say the spider mite and part of genus(?) arachidna, and an alternative spelling is acarinan.