Please parse these for me.
1 Stray from the point in a certain passage. Ans Alley cat (=stray). The passage will be the alley but how do we get cat from "from the point in a certain", please?
2 Scoundrel picked up simple coat . Ans ruffian. A ruffian is both a scoundrel and a simple coat so why the "picked up" please . I could understand it if is one was spelled ruffien so one would sound like the other.
3 Crucially important note to someone on the way up (down clue). Ans Pivotal . Looks like la (note) to and vip. Is it fair to clue someone as vip, please?
4 Short, loose dress, clothing I discarded in religious ceremony . Ans sacrament. s ac ra(i)ment.
Where does ac come from , please?
While I've parsed it, I would never have got "Members in ships rejected plump American women" as the answer is taffrails (never heard of) and you have to know that frails is slang for American women. 104 crosswords in and still waiting for a Monday standard one!