Times 24098

[woolfy42]

6d
In hospital, Gershwin and Co picked up musical instruments (8)
O - A - I - A - presumably ocarinas, but why?

8d
Greek character will appear useless (4)
N - L -

23d
Society that's all but closed and no good? (4)
- O - G

Any ideas?

[BigDave44]

6d - read it backwards san ira co

[BigDave44]

8d Nu'll

[BigDave44]

To(o) n g

[DaisyMae]

He knows where he's needed most.

Sorry woolfy.

[Bathsheba]

Yeah BigD!! After all the kindness you were shown! I'm hurt and disappointed :(

[woolfy42]

Thanks a lot - you are good!

Just still don't get the san bit in ocarinas - I must be thick.

[DaisyMae]

San - short fort sanitarium - hospital.

[woolfy42]

I suppose I should have known.

[BigDave44]

You're probably not old enough to remember them Woolfy. A lot of them where "isolation" hospitals, where they shipped out people with TB and other unmentionable diseases that are largely absent today.

[woolfy42]

Unfortunately, I am old enough. I even stayed in one that has been converted into a hotel up in the mountains in Switzerland. The rest of the clue is good, but SAN = sanitorium - I've never seen that abbreviation before! I reckon the crossword setter was struggling on that one.