These Have Stumped Me - Help Appreciated

[NHF7]

1d. Sanctimonious leader of cult in affair, having fling (8)
P_T_H_N_ Pit C hing?

22d. Loathing that's irrelevant without a purpose (6)
_A_S_A Nausea? Cannot parse this one.

29a. Top player finishes off the heavy season (6)
_N_D_N

[iminoz]

1d yes
pi=sanctimonious, + C(ult) in thing (affair)

[iminoz]

22d Yes
a purpose=a use, in NA (not applicable, irrelevant)

[fiction-factory]

29a has me stumped too. Is that your last clue ? I'm just wondering if all the letters are definitely right.
I have tried each meaning of season and can't see anything that comes close.
Maybe the top player is seed

[donny48]

29 leaden

[fiction-factory]

Looks promising although i can't parse it fully, donny

[fiction-factory]

Is it leade(r) but I am not sure whether heavy gives the N. may be on wrong track

[donny48]

I got the "en" from finishes off (th)e , (seaso) but as a novice at this game I will appreciate any correction.

[fiction-factory]

Yes, I thought of the N from N season but the definition usually comes at the end or start- it would work better if the clue ended "the season heavy".
But I'm no expert either- I just dip in sometimes

[donny48]

Should have been an "n" after last set of brackets. I wish there was an edit function.

[aelmpvw]

'top player finishes off the season heavy' works better for me

[fiction-factory]

Ha- the clue is wrong- it does end SEASON HEAVY not heavy season.
So leaden works perfectly- LEAD +(th) E + (season)N

[fiction-factory]

Crossed posts, sorry. Yes, I just checked the correct clue on Big dave's Blog

[donny48]

Yes, I got the answer originally from Big Daves Blog whilst attempting the Telegraph crossword and until you pointed it out I was still reading it as season heavy.

[aelmpvw]

it is 'season heavy' :-)

[dannyk13]

Donny, why Dave's Blog? You can always get answers to Telegraph puzzles o here.

[fiction-factory]

I only use dave's blog to check when I want to check a clue is right if it looks a little odd as in this case

[fiction-factory]

AB is great for answers danny but I think dave's blog just gives hints which is all people want sometimes