Sunday Express Skeleton 4Th October

[Frustrate]

Have finally finished this week's thanks to all of you for your help
but... 20a "enemies returning from San Salvador" has to ve "foes", but I can't work out why! Any suggestions please. Frustrate

[Toorak]

The clue is El Salvador ...

Alternate letters FrOm El Salvador

[dannyk13]

Is it san or El Salvador - f(r)o(m) e(l) s(alvador)

[elliemay1]

I don't get the 'returning' bit, usually that means to reverse letters in clue

[dannyk13]

Ellie, agree, returning is superfluous to the clue.

[JJ109]

Elliemay - re "turning" = take it in turns = alternate letters

[dannyk13]

jj Don't understand that and never seen it used in that context.

[JJ109]

It is what setters do to confuse, Danny!. They use another meaning of turning, = take it in turns! You may not have seen it before, but it is a legitimate cryptic description.

[elliemay1]

Thanks danny and jj. Haven't seen that before either, think it's a weak clue

[JJ109]

... and without using it that way there is no other indicator for alternate letters.

I also think it is weak (but understandable).

[dannyk13]

jj// You may not have seen it before//
No I haven't and I have been doing cryptic crosswords for over 65 years.But as I often say 'every day is a school day'

[elliemay1]

Ok, thanks jj, I'll watch out for it in future

[Mamyalynne]

The only thing that I can see is, it we take from and of to be synonymous.

Returning from/of

Fo + ES (El Salvador)

[dannyk13]

That makes sense Lynne, so it looks like there were two ways to arrive at the solution.

[JJ109]

You are probably right Mamy, but again that is weak. Let's just agree that this is a weak clue!

[dannyk13]

//Let's just agree that this is a weak clue!//
Which is not unusual in the Skeleton.

[Mamyalynne]

I stopped doing it some years ago as the clues are so hit and miss.

[Frustrate]

Once again sincere thanks to you all. Now I can sleep tonight!! Roll on next week's!! Frustrate

[Davemano]

I worked it out that From was Of. Returning being FO then E(l) S(alvador)