On the subject of Crosswords

Once upon a time when I was helping to run a pub in Surrey by mistake, the then partner-in-crime and I got a rare and much appreciated unexpected afternoon off.
We didn't have enough time to run very far and so we trundled into the nearby town of Woking to while away a few hours exploring other taverns for research and so*
Whilst in one rather nice pub where we decided to have lunch, we found a copy of the Evening Standard that hadn't had the crossword filled in, and so we decided to have a bash.
It was the Friday edition which is usually a tad more difficult than the regular weekday ones, and as a few clues had been filled in incorrectly we had our work cut out a little.
But sure enough, with my brains and his beauty we managed to finish the whole caboodle within an hour (we did stop to eat, drink and chat) and feeling pretty pleased with ourselves we wombled off to a nearby bar where the ex knew the manager, and with good tail-wind we'd be in for at least one free drinkypoo.
We got there, and sure enough we got our free refreshments and also some rather nice nibbly things and as we sat and chatted with the boss, he produced his copy of the Evening Standard and complained that the crosswords were getting too bloody difficult these days, and how the f&$£ was anyone supposed to finish one of the Friday ones?
So the then-partner-in-crime and I had a look at the paper, and within five minutes had completed the crossword without making a single mistake
We were hailed as geniuses (genii?) and to this day, the manager there never knew that we'd spent a couple of hours before sorting the thing.

I still like doing crosswords, and the now ex-partner-in-crimeand I still like to visit a pub and sit with a puzzle each, try to beat our times, and see who can finish first if we have the same crossword.
The other day we were doing just so, when I got stuck. I asked the epic if he had any idea as to what the answer might be, and he was also stumped.
And so I've taken a photo of the 'question' in the hope that one of you darlings might be able to get the answer for us.

Over to you.



Answers - if any - in the usual place.

*So = get pished.