I am filling in for Eileen again. I regularly blog the Financial Times, so it has been a while since I solved a Philistine . . .
. . . but as I progressed on today’s puzzle, I began reacquainting myself with his economical wit and style, including not one but two of the characteristic “lift-and-separate” clues, and quite a few double definitions.
| ACROSS | ||
| 1 | CARAMEL |
Sweet stuff wrapped in fancy lace (7)
|
| RAM (stuff) inside (wrapped in) anagram of (fancy) LACE | ||
| 5 | IN A MESS |
Totally out of order for soldiers to eat here (2,1,4)
|
| Double definition | ||
| 9 | ROPES |
Strings that are shown to a novice (5)
|
| Double/cryptic definition | ||
| 10 | BIG DIPPER |
Barged in at first and carelessly gripped the plough (3,6)
|
| First letters of (at first) B[ARGED] I[N] + anagram of (carelessly) GRIPPED, alternate names for the constellation | ||
| 11, 12 | THE PRESENT TIME |
Now or Christmas? (3,7,4)
|
| Double/cryptic definition | ||
| 12 |
See 11
|
|
| 14 | CORPORATION |
Firm tummy (11)
|
| Double definition | ||
| 18 | RISING COSTS |
Crisis song composed about the ultimate in rampant inflation (6,5)
|
| Anagram of (composed) {CRISIS SONG} around (about) last letter of (the ultimate in) [RAMPAN]T | ||
| 21, 22 | PEER OF THE REALM |
Look frequently in this place as lords may primarily show one of their own (4,2,3,5)
|
| PEER (look) + OFT (frequently) + HERE (in this place) + first letters of (primarily) A[S] L[ORDS] M[AY], “their” referring back to “lords” | ||
| 22 |
See 21
|
|
| 25 | OLD-TIMERS |
Grandfathers and their clocks (3-6)
|
| Double/cryptic definition | ||
| 26 | DWELT |
German newspaper that’s come out and lived (5)
|
| D[IE] WELT (German newspaper) minus (come out) I.E. (that’s) | ||
| 27 | RED CARD |
Penalty from the queen of hearts? (3,4)
|
| Double definition | ||
| 28 | ABETTER |
An improved assistant (7)
|
| A (an) + BETTER (improved) | ||
| DOWN | ||
| 1 | CURATE |
Carefully organise minister (6)
|
| Double definition | ||
| 2 | RAPIER |
Type of music that’s right for a sharp instrument (6)
|
| RAP (type of music) + I.E. (that’s) + R (right) | ||
| 3 | MOST RECENT |
Latest rent cost me terribly (4,6)
|
| Anagram of (terribly) RENT COST ME | ||
| 4 | LOBES |
Infectious Ebola on the rise, involving parts of the lung or liver (5)
|
| Hidden in (involving) [INFECTIOU]S EBOL[A] inverted (on the rise) | ||
| 5 | INGENIOUS |
Clever and honest once I replaced you, as they say (9)
|
| INGEN[U]OUS (honest) substituting (once . . . replaced) I for U (homophone of [as they say] you) | ||
| 6 | AMID |
Surrounded by the morning papers (4)
|
| AM (the morning) + ID (papers) | ||
| 7 | EXPLICIT |
Once legal proceedings start in advance, it’s clear (8)
|
| EX- (once) + first letter of (start [of]) P[ROCEEDINGS] + LICIT (legal), with “in advance” indicating the order of the last to elements | ||
| 8 | SERGEANT |
Officer material displayed by soldier (8)
|
| SERGE (material) + ANT (soldier) | ||
| 13 | CAT’S CRADLE |
Newcastle card game (4,6)
|
| Anagram of (new) CASTLE CARD, with a spacing misdirection | ||
| 15 | RICE FIELD |
Paddy’s funny intro accepted by Eric Idle after editing (4,5)
|
| First letter of (intro) F[UNNY] inside (accepted by) anagram of (after editing) {ERIC IDLE} | ||
| 16 | TRAP DOOR |
Hatchback in cross section (4,4)
|
| ROOD (cross) + PART (section) all inverted (back), with a spacing misdirection | ||
| 17 | ASCENDED |
Like Charlie was over rose (8)
|
| AS (like) + C (Charlie) + ENDED (was over) | ||
| 19, 20 | CAVEAT EMPTOR |
Lure into wine cellar and regularly savour, getting advice before purchase (6,6)
|
| TEMPT (lure) inside (into) {CAVE (wine cellar) + alternate letters of (regularly) [S]A[V]O[U]R} | ||
| 20 |
See 19
|
|
| 23 | HOSTA |
Lily Allen’s top trodden by MC (5)
|
| HOST (MC) + first letter of (top [of]) A[LLEN] | ||
| 24 | LIMA |
City protected by Kilimanjaro (4)
|
| Hidden in (protected by) [KI]LIMA[NJARO] |
Thanks Cineraria.
I found this much easier than usual – I was early to bed as a consequence.
THE PRESENT seemed very familiar – I am sure we had something very similar recently. (Just found it on Wed May 14 2025 29,694, the self same clue by guess who? Philistine)
I didn’t know a hosta is a lily, but apparently so.
Thanks Philistine
DaveE@1 According to in-depth research that I carried out in the last 20 seconds, a hosta is not a lily, strictly, but sometimes goes by the name plantain lily.
I found this quite gentle, but there were one or two awkward clues, like the “in” in TRAP DOOR or the treading in said HOSTA.
Tx
TRAPDOOR
Dr.WhatsOn@2
An attempt to defend the setter:
It’s probably an inverse WP clue.
TRAPDOOR-back (found) in ROOD PART ….does it work?
Great blog Cineraria. Thanks.
Thanks Philistine for the nice puzzle.
KVa@3 Yes I see what you’re saying, but then if the clue means “found in”, then say “found in”. Sorry, just a bit grumpy right now – still suffering jet-lag after coming home from the Australian Open.
HOSTA was a jorum for me. Otherwise plain sailing. Mildly surprised Dr. P missed the chance for a bit more misdirection by not capitalising ‘Rose’ in 17d or is that against the rules?
Thanks to Cineraria and Philsitine
Good fun. HOSTA was my only unknown.
That was good but I finished it before my coffee got cold. Thanks to P & C.
Very enjoyable but quite short – the closest I have ever been to the mythical ‘write-in’, I would say. I had probably only half a dozen to complete on the second run through. As others have commented, HOSTA was an unknown, but what else could it be? Thanks, Philistine and Cineraria.
The generous grid made this very approachable. Liked CURATE, AMID, ABETTER and the tremendous PEER OF THE REALM. An example of how a puzzle doesn’t have to be difficult to be good.
Like others, I found this a bit easier than expected, but no less enjoyable for that. My LOI and (as so often) favourite as CATS CRADLE; a pleasant penny drop moment. With CAVEAT EMPTOR a very close second. Thanks Philistine and Cineraria.
Great fun as always from one of my favourite Guardian setters. Only the unheard of CATS CRADLE and DWELT causing issues. I thought Bild was the only German newspaper that existed in crossword land.
Liked TRAPDOOR
Thanks Philistine and Cineraria
Finished quicker than I would liked but it means I can give the Indy a go today.
STOLLEN yesterday, today DIE WELT – this week has a lot of enjoyable clues for an aspiring German solver like me.
Altogether a pleasant ride for a Thursday, thanks a lot Philistine and Cineraria!
Thanks Cineraria. I’ve come across a couple of your blogs lately where you’ve indicated the ‘spacing misdirection’, as in HATCH (BACK). It gets around the discomfort with ‘lift and separate’. I like Roz’s fission and fusion, but can never remember if that’s what the setter has done, or what we’re supposed to do to solve it. Hope Roz drops in here tonight with her BIG DIPPER.
Dr WhatsOn. #4. No problem with “in”, just a pesky little word.
That’s truly a feat! Not only jet lag, but also heat stroke from the Australian Open. Whatever induced you to do that?
We’ve had PADDY twice in the last fortnight from Philistine. I chuckled at the more-or-less acceptable definition today, even though there were differences of opinion last time as to whether paddy was the grain or the field.
This went in very smoothly except for a bit of a pause with last two in, TRAP DOOR and CAVEAT EMPTOR.
Now, as I walked back last night from my local pub, up in the sky above me were those red warning lights (for planes and helicopters?) on very tall cranes that are being used on a fairly new construction site near our railway station. Seven of them, picked out like red stars against the dark night sky exactly in the shape of The Plough or the BIG DIPPER. I did say I was coming back from the pub, but it meant that 10ac was my very first one in this morning…
Many thanks Philistine and Cineraria
Over way too quickly for such an excellent set of clues.
Like Paddymelon, I much prefer spacing misdirection.
Ingenuous always confuses me… it sounds like it should be a negative quality rather than the opposite.
My only quibble would be the claim that rap was a type of music.
Thanks for the very complete blog and for standing in, Cineraria.
My favourite was 13d – the clue was a gem of misdirection.
For a long time we were convinced the second word had to be BRIDGE.
Ronald #16 Same 2 clues the only tricky ones for me. Quicker than usual solve. Thanks
Eileen. We are beginning to miss you. I hope you are well.
Cineraria, thank you for standing in. Could you please pass on our well wishes to Eileen?
An unexpectedly quick solve, working smoothly from NW to SE.
DWELT was rather neat, as was CATS CRADLE – I’m getting better at spotting these “lift and separate” clues so it the breakdown into (castlecard)* was on-sight.
LOI was CAVEAT EMPTOR – having all the crossers helped when my ageing brain struggled to come up with a synonym for “wine cellar”.
Thanks to Philistine for a gentle workout, Cineraria for the blog, and wishing Eileen well.
Overall, relatively mild by Philistine standards, but DWELT made me think for a while, as did TRAP DOOR (LOI). I liked CAVEAT EMPTOR and OLD-TIMERS. Thanks Philistine and Cineraria!
My mum had some stylish strides in the 70s that were emblazoned with the mastheads of various continental newspapers and Die Welt has always stuck in my brain ever since
Podium places for TRAP DOOR, EXPLICIT and CATS CRADLE
Is this the lull before an Enigmatist storm?
Cheers C&P
A very enjoyable solve with several chuckles along the way.
@TassieTim #8 — Our first ever “write-in”, but we’ve been doing crosswords together for decades, and daily for about ten years.
So hang in there 🙂
Thanks Philistine and Cineraria
Very quick for a Philistine puzzle. I wonder if he had looked at the furore that “paddy” caused recently?
One question. It was my understanding that it’s OK to spuriously capitalise words, but not to “decapitalise” them, so is “the plough” in 10a fair?
Has Philistine caught the dumbing down bug?
Favourites: DWELT, RISING CSTS, CATS CRADLE, RICE FIELD.
I couldn’t parse 5d.
New for me: HOSTA lily, CAVEAT EMPTOR.
paddymelon@15 I missed previous discussions of PADDY = rice field and/or unhusked rice. The origin comes from Malay and Bahasa Indonesia in which the word ‘padi‘ can mean either the rice field or the unhusked grain depending on the context of a sentence. There are different words for uncooked rice (beras) and cooked rice (nasi) as well as other types of rice such as sticky rice (ketan) and fermented black sticky rice (tape hitam) etc.
bodycheetah@24 “Is this the lull before an Enigmatist storm?” Maybe, but we haven’t had a Paul lately, so possibly the editor will have mercy on us.
Mandarin @9 – Yes, but a puzzle has to be a little bit difficult in order to be ….. well, puzzling?!
[If anyone is able to, please pass on my love to dear Eileen]
The comments on the G thread suggested that this was going to be straightforward and so it proved. Lovely surfaces as ever with CAVEAT EMPTOR and DWELT being the only sticky clues. PEER OF THE REALM was beautifully crafted and thankfully there is now one less. Long may it continue. I wonder if the setter took note of the previous paddy comments and maybe this was his timely riposte. Best wishes to the inimitable Eileen.
Ta Philistine & Cineraria.
It’s not often I find a cryptic easy, but this one was as near as it gets.
Even I found this straightforward. I liked the misdirection of CATS CRADLE. Can we expect a tough one to round off the week?
Michelle @28: thanks, really interesting. You must be a Malay speaker, no?
I liked 25ac. They say it takes one to know one.
[My thanks to Cineraria for standing in for me again. I came home yesterday, rather earlier than I expected, after four weeks in hospital, to continue the slow and steady improvement here. I’ve enjoyed reading some of the blogs but this is my first attempt at a solve – and what a delightful one it was, by one of my top favourite setters. Many thanks for all your good wishes. I hope to be back blogging soon.
While I’m here, I can’t resist commenting. Years ago, we tried growing hostas but gave up when the slugs won.
Re 25ac: I wonder if anyone else is old enough to know this song, which I loved as a small child?
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3NFuAavmuus ]
Paddymelon@15: I approached 15d with some trepidation, but fortunately outrage was not warranted on this occasion. The agricultural meaning of paddy is of a different etymology and as far as I know is unobjectionable.
Welcome back Eileen
Yes, I remember the song. I have been told that “grandfather clocks” were named after the song, not before!
[hi William @34 – I speak Bahasa Indonesia which has its origins in Malay. Also I lived in Indonesia for over 20 years.]
[Thanks for popping in Eileen – pleased to hear you are on the road to recovery. Have a comfortable convalescence and we hope to be reading one of your blogs once you are fully fit].
Pleasant solve with some good clues. I liked the trademark ‘fission’ clues, CATS CRADLE and TRAP DOOR, THE PRESENT TIME, although maybe a bit of a chestnut, PEER OF THE REALM, which in hindsight might have read ‘show UP one of their own’, and Eric Idle’s RICE FIELD.
[Best wishes to Eileen for a speedy recovery].
Thanks Philistine and Cineraria.
[Eileen @36 – so reassuring to hear from you, I’d mentioned your absence to my Best Beloved only this morning. With our combined ages of 158, we do remember the song – from the days of the BBC Light Programme?]
Great to hear from you, Eileen! I did not know you were in hospital. I wish you all the best.
Nice puzzle. I was stupid enough to first fill in “the current time” for 10a and wondered what currents have to to do with Christmas (except they are used in sweets and possibly Christmans pudding)… But 3d had to be “most recent” so I got the right solution after all. Had not hears of hosta or cat’s cradle. Thanks, Philistine and Cineraria!
Definitely remember that song Eileen and great to see you back here. Best wishes for your continued recovery
Love those old and pretty nonsensical ditties
[ Good to hear from you, Eileen, and I’m glad it’s going well for you. I think I remember “My Grandfather’s Clock” being sung by Val Doonican (probably?) on TV back in the ’60s, along with such other childhood delights such as “Paddy McGinty’s Goat”.]
[pm@14 Carlos wasn’t the only one achieving a career Grand Slam. Bucket list.]
Very straightforward. Took me 20 minutes, fully parsed
Good to hear from you Eileen. You were the one who kindly encouraged me to comment on here, when I lacked the confidence to do so.
Eileen@36 – it’s a favourite in our family too. Especially Hirai Ken’s versions in English and Japanese (the family languages).
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=E3hvxbM_ubw
All best wishes for a speed recovery!
Speedy recovery Eileen. Crossers pointed me towards Mags Bridge for 13d.
HOSTA was new to me, but fairly parsed, and the parsing of TRAP DOOR escaped me. One day I will internalize ROOD for cross.
Overall, pleasantly straightforward.
[DTS @45. I can’t say I remember Val Doonican singing the ‘Grandfather’s Clock’ song, but I do remember Paddy McGnty’s unfortunate purchase: ‘If you get to heaven you can bet a dollar note / That the angel with the whiskers on is Paddy McGinty’s goat.’ Also ‘O’Rafferty’s Motor Car’.]
Mandarin @9 This ‘generous grid’ is my favourite (used recently also by Vlad in Saturday’s Prize (although there its friendliness was somewhat offset by Vlad’s spiky cluing). What I like about it is its ‘balance’ if I can call it that: 4×4, 4×5. 4×6. 4×7. 4×8, 4×9, 4×10, then 2×11 = 30.
Apparently HOSTAs are not members of the genus Liliaceae – but they used to be, until the botanists moved them. This happens all the time in the horticultural world, and I’m not going to blame Philistine for not being 100% up to date with classifications that seem to change at the drop of a hat.
Balfour@52: I remember the day Delaney’s donkey ran the half mile race…
Eileen @36
Lovely to hear from you.
I well remember the song.
It’s still a regular on the folk circuit.
Very best wishes for your recuperation.
Thanks to Cinerairia and Philistine (such a neat compiler, like his surgery I imagine, and where no doubt he also practises some lift and separate)
[gladys @54 – Ah yes, I had forgotten that one. I think that all these songs are open to he accusation that they participate in a construction of ‘Oirishness’ which is at best comically reductive and at worst offensive.(hello, poc?). However, as a Scot I have had to live with 200 years of a cultural construct of ‘Scottishness’ which is a travesty, occasioning such ghastly manifestations as ‘Donald, whaur’s yer troosers’ and – perhaps worst of all – ‘The White Heather Club’. Sir Walter Scott, who is frequently held accountable for this, is someone on whom I have published frequently, and I think one just has to live with these legacies. But here is my Scottish cultural stereotyping clue; ‘Scotsman’s part drunk in members’ enclosure (9)’.]
Completed in a single pass, for a Monday feel. The SE corner held out for a while (as AlanC@31). Eventually looked up German newspapers to get 26a DWELT, which then led to 19/20 CAVEAT EMPTOR. A few clichés, like 5a IN A MESS, 11/12 THE PRESENT TIME, 14a CORPORATION. Some favourites: 2d RAPIER (good misdirecting surface), 13d CAT’S CRADLE (“Newcastle”), 15d RICE FIELD (always good to see Eric Idle appear — I think we’ve seen him a lot lately), 16d TRAP DOOR (“Hatchback” — tricky)
Lovely to hear from you Eileen@36! Thanks for making the effort to drop in during your recovery. Looking forward to more blogs and comments from you. Get well soon!
Thanks both
As mentioned, an easy puzzle but I still has to reveal a few, CURATE, TRAP DOOR, CATS CRADLE, so still crap after all these years!!
Thanks both.
[Balfour@56: “The White Heather Club” was more-or-less contemporary with “The Black and White Minstrel Show”, which must the near the top of any “What were they thinking of?” list. I recall in Archie Macdonell’s “England, their England”, him having a bit of a dig, back in the 1920-30s, at that sort knobbly-cane Scottishness, as well, of course, as affectionately poking at the English themselves. And as regards Oirishness, where do we place Father Ted? ]
Of course, they do still make grandfather clocks–I see that they can be had for as little as $400–but they are certainly an OLD type of TIMER, so Philistine is off the hook. Besides, that clue was amusing, so who cares?
Knocked off course by 13 down but really enjoyed the puzzle.
Very enjoyable puzzle from the trusty Philistine, not too difficult, lots of fun, and over too soon. Never heard of HOSTA, but crosswords have taught me so much over the years.
THE PRESENT TIME rang a (Christmas) bell; I thought it had appeared quite recently, but thanks to Dave Ellison@1 for tracking it down to the same setter back in May. It’s a clever play on words, and worth repeating!
Favourites today were RICE FIELD, for getting the great Eric Idle into an anagram, and ASCENDED.
ysc@12: massively impressed at you tackling English crosswords as a German speaker, even if clues involving “stollen” and “Die Welt” do give you a small advantage.
Eileen@36: welcome back and I hope your recovery is swift and painless, with many a crossword to help the healing process.
Not sure about Whibbo@27’s “dumbing down” comment: seemed a bit unnecessarily blunt to me.
Thanks to Dr Philistine and Cineraria the locum blogger.
[Lovely to see you back here Eileen@36. You’ve been missed. Hope the recovery continues apace.
Re HOSTAs, I have finally succeeded with these by growing them in pots and putting copper tape round the pot. Some say this is an old wives tale, but it’s worked for me.]
[Crossbar @63
I have a theory that putting overlapping copper and zinc tape around the rim would work even better. If a slug crawled across the join the slime would complete the circuit and make a cell, so it would be given a small electric shock. I haven’t tried it, as I haven’t (without really trying) sourced the zinc tape.
We inherited a garden with so many hostas that the slugs can’t keep up!]
Eileen. Welcome back. Pleased to hear you re out of hospital and back solving. Today you wrote about one of your top setters. The comments confirm with the greatest respect to others you are among15 sq’s top bloggers. If not the best. With very best wishes
[Muffin and Crossbar @63 and 64: The RHS explained why copper tape does not always work. If your hosta has slug eggs in it already when you put the tape on you are simply trapping slugs in there but it will keep them out if the hosta is slug-free. Of course, we are now only allowed to use the kind of slug pellets which are not harmful to humans, cats or slugs it seems…]
[muffin@64: if you can’t get zinc tape, try zinc paint. It’s called “galvazinc”: amazon or elsewhere. Basically it’s zinc powder in suspension. (I was recommended it as an antifoul for boat propellers. Ha! Barnacles love it. But combined with copper I can see it might upset garden gastropods.) ]
Eileen@36. I tried growing hostas once too but the slugs reduced them to nothing in about 3 days. Then the dozens that had been attracted by the hostas started to decimate the dahlias (my favourites (and apparently theirs)). Never again… Anyway, welcome back and take good care of yourself.
PS thanks to Philistine and Cineraria for a fun puzzle and an immaculate blog.
Thanks Philistine. Much of this went in quickly but I got bogged down in the SE and eventually revealed CAVEAT EMPTOR. Favourites included AMID, SERGEANT, and CATS CRADLE. Thanks Cineraria for the blog.
[Welcome back Eileen. In the Eastern US, it’s deer who make growing hostas difficult. They treat them as a salad bar.]
Thanks both – thoroughly entertaining.
I recall The Bash Street Kids in the Beano visiting Japan and being confused by references to ‘Paddy Fields’ – an Irish chap who had left the school some time previously. I remember thinking, even as a child, that it was a very lazy attempt at wit. (And thanks in passing to Michelle@28 for an erudite treatment of the etymology of ‘paddy’.)
Apparently ‘Keeping Up Appearances’ is popular around the world (I find it only faintly amusing) presumably because it points up ‘English’ idiosyncrasies in play. People (and I mean that 50% with an IQ of less than 100) can’t seem to help laughing at the antics of ‘foreigners’ just because…
The (all-Irish) perpetrators of Father Ted exploited this tendency to produce a coruscating commentary on contemporary Ireland and cashed in accordingly. In many ways the joke was on those who lapped it up. I think Val Doonican also had his tongue firmly up his sleeve with the various ‘Paddy’ songs.
I don’t get time to try many of the daily cryptics these days, but I found time today and was delighted to see that it was by one of my top three Guardian setters. A very enjoyable puzzle with several neat constructions, some of them quite tricky to unravel.
It was interesting to note (see Dave Ellison’s comment @1) that the setter used the same phrase (THE PRESENT TIME) with the same clue only a matter of months ago. On that occasion the blogger was already calling this clue to that phrase a ‘chestnut’.
To Eileen (@36), I’d like to report that I am certainly old enough to remember that lovely old song – sung at just the right tempo and not rushed – to which she provided a link. Eileen, I wish you all the very best for your recovery and recuperation.
Thanks to Philistine for the excellent puzzle and to Cineraria for the clear and succinct blog.
[JOFT@66 I wondered if that was the case re the slug eggs. We started off with fresh soil and have tried to keep it clean. Never have been keen on pellets.]
[Alphalpha @70
On a related note, every episode of “Allo Allo” we have ever seen has been with a German friend in Tubingen. Over the years we have supplied her with all the programmes on DVD.]
How depressing that so many haven’t heard of cats cradle!
My best wishes to the wonderful Eileen for a speedy recovery, and many thanks to all for the kind comments.
Balfour @ 58 ‘members’ enclosure’ – took a while. Very droll.
[Thank you, endwether @76. That clue came to me in a flash a few years ago when I was watching an old episode of The Sweeney. There was a sequence set at a race meeting, and behind the speakers was a sign saying ‘Member’s Enclosure’ [sic] as is there was only one member. I have a lot of (I think) good clues, but I am possibly the world’s worst, most impatient grid filler, so i have never been able to resolve any of them into a finished crossword.]
I’m a bit late to the party but also wanted to say thanks to Cineraria for the clear blog for what definitely felt like a gentler Philistine than I’m used to. That said, but I missed the second fission clue for CATS CRADLE which is always a Kurt Vonnegut book before it’s a game to me as I read it as a young teenager. Pressed Reveal when I had -a-s BRIDGE!
Delighted to hear good news on your recovery Eileen@36. I’ve had similar Hosta experience to you with the slugs. Onwards and upwards.
Eileen, welcome back and I wish you a good recovery!
Thanks to Philistine for a wonderful witty puzzle, and Cineraria for the blog.
EdTheBall@78: ditto with 13 down. It never occurred to me that the second word might not be BRIDGE. For the first time in quite a while I pressed the reveal button, as I couldn’t find a suitable first word with the crossers available. And I had heard of CATS CRADLE.
Thanks to setter and blogger, as always.
Easy run, as said by many.
As well as the “present” clue, it seems to me that we’ve had “corporation” = “belly” recently, maybe more than once.
Add me to the list of those to whom “My Grandfather’s Clock” is familiar. I just googled it and found that Henry Clay Work, the writer of the song, learned when visiting a hotel in England, heard about their clock. It had belonged to two brothers; when one of them died, it suddenly became unfixably unreliable, losing at least fifteen minutes a day, and when the second one died it unfixably stopped.
My question; the clock was “taller by half than the old man himself.” Since grandfather (long case) clocks are typically a bit over six feet tall, does that mean that Grandpa stopped short at four feet? That’s pretty short.
Another name for the Big Dipper/Plough, common among slaves in America’s Old South, was “The Drinking Gourd.” Since the Dipper reliably points north, a slavery era freedom song was “Follow the Drinkin’ Gourd,”. “The old man is a -waitin’ for to carry you to freedom If you follow the drinkin’ gourd.”
Welcome back, Eileen — I don’t know whether you saw my message a few blogs ago, but now there’s good news, and hurray! It’s a great relief to see word from you.
And thanks, Philistineand Cineraria.
Found myself at a loose end and wondered if Friday’s crossword was available yet – oh god…Paul. Either he’s losing it or I’m dreaming – 35 mins! Can’t believe I even decided to start. Maybe it was the 3rd pint. Anyway, no blog available yet so thought I’d post here. How do quick draw Ozzie’s manage?
[muffin@73: ‘Allo Allo’ has often made me laugh out loud. Your German friend has good taste.]