Shellac Is A Shortage, They Say

[satprof]

Alphapuzzle clue from today's Express. Apologies for missing yesterday's but external problems made it impossible.

[Toorak]

Lac

[satprof]

Sorry, Toorak, but there are no 3-letter grid positions, but I'll try it with 'lack'.

[mallyh]

lacquer

[satprof]

Lack doesn't seem to work either. K is a given letter & doesn't appear in the 4-letter possibilities. (There is a 5-letter possibility that ends with K.)

[geevo41]

alack?

[Toorak]

Lacs?

[satprof]

I guessed the answer might be 'lacquer' and the puzzle actually works out completely. Most of the 7-letter possibilities can be eliminated and the correct location is given by the uniqueness of the Q.

[satprof]

Thanks to Toorak for putting me on the right road.

[mallyh]

see 7.24 :-)

[satprof]

Sorry, mallyh. I must have missed your post. (Could have saved myself some time by paying better attention!) Thanks & well spotted.

[mouseymick]

Lacquer .. 2,4,6,8,10,12,14 and Y is 11