Comments on: Guardian Quiptic 676/Moley http://www.fifteensquared.net/2012/10/29/guardian-quiptic-676moley/ Never knowingly undersolved. Mon, 20 May 2013 12:55:54 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 By: Paul B http://www.fifteensquared.net/2012/10/29/guardian-quiptic-676moley/#comment-212131 Paul B Tue, 30 Oct 2012 07:21:50 +0000 http://fifteensquared.net/?p=50761#comment-212131 Well, okay, but is it not just the noun ‘part or portion given in advance’? So 2d, but hardly quiptic level though, I’ll agree there!

]]> By: Jeff http://www.fifteensquared.net/2012/10/29/guardian-quiptic-676moley/#comment-211943 Jeff Mon, 29 Oct 2012 12:24:50 +0000 http://fifteensquared.net/?p=50761#comment-211943 A deposit is regarded in contract law as evidencing one’s intention to complete performance, hence it is given “in earnest”.

]]> By: Eileen http://www.fifteensquared.net/2012/10/29/guardian-quiptic-676moley/#comment-211903 Eileen Mon, 29 Oct 2012 08:45:15 +0000 http://fifteensquared.net/?p=50761#comment-211903 Thanks Pierre, for the blog, and Moley for the puzzle.

Re 17dn: Shakespeare came to my rescue yet again. I remembered Macbeth’s pondering on the witches’ prophecy, after hearing he had been made Thane of Cawdor:

“This supernatural soliciting
Cannot be ill, cannot be good. If ill,
Why hath it given me earnest of success,
Commencing in a truth?”

Chambers: earnest² – payment given to confirm a contract, a pledge, a sign or foretaste of what is to come.

Obviously, it’s the first definition we want here, but it sounds to me very much like a retainer!

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