Puzzle published on 8 February – pdf available here
There was plenty of fun to be had in this outing, which includes most if not all of the Everyman trademarks, as indicated in the grid. I smiled at the idea of extreme nudism being the NORM, and LIQUID LUNCH brought back some very distant memories, as did the mention of Claude LÉVI-STRAUSS. The unwise vice-consul provided a very neat anagram, and the cockney tramp in the reeds made me think of Magwitch in Great Expectations. Thanks to Everyman.
Moh’s downright egregious cruciverbial hardness rating: Gypsum
| ACROSS | ||
| 1 | CLUB |
Nightspot strike (4)
|
| Double definition | ||
| 3 | PRECOCIOUS |
Affected to welcome company that’s smart, irritatingly so (10)
|
| Envelope (to welcome) of PRECIOUS (affected) around CO (company) | ||
| 9 | NORM |
How to describe ‘nudism’ in the extreme? It’s accepted behaviour (4)
|
| An outer letter of ‘nudism’ (nudism in the extreme) might be described as N OR M | ||
| 10 | AFTER A SORT |
Like some laundry ready to put away? Ish (5,1,4)
|
| I guess laundry is only ready to be put away after it’s been sorted. At least, that’s what Mrs Moh orders me to do | ||
| 12 | LIQUID LUNCH |
£51: midday meal that includes booze (6,5)
|
| Charade of LI (51 in Roman numerals) + QUID (£) + LUNCH (midday meal). At first it seemed to me that ‘meal’ was doing double duty here as both wordplay and as part of the definition, but since a liquid lunch includes only booze – at least, that’s how I remember them – I think it’s OK, even if ‘includes’ seems a slightly odd choice of verb. | ||
| 15 | STIPEND |
A little bookie’s tip endangered a little bit of money (7)
|
| Hidden (a little) in bookieS TIP ENDangered | ||
| 16 | ENNOBLE |
Dignify the Spanish worthy across the Pyrénées heading west (7)
|
| Reversal (heading west, in an across clue) of EL (the Spanish) + BONNE (French – so ‘across the Pyrenees’ – for good, rather than worthy, but perhaps someone could suggest a phrase in which the words might be synonymous? Ah, ça c’est une bonne question, peut-être!) | ||
| 17 | VIETNAM |
Drive around volcano somewhere in Indochina (7)
|
| VIM (drive) around ETNA (volcano) | ||
| 19 | AMBIENT |
Reformed inmate welcoming drop of bonhomie – it’s all around (7)
|
| Anagram (reformed) of INMATE around (welcoming) B (first letter – drop – of b[onhomie]) | ||
| 20 | LEVI-STRAUSS |
England cricket captain no more after charge announced, he wrote (4-7)
|
| Andrew STRAUSS (former England cricket captain) after soundalike (announced) of ‘levy’. Claude Lévi-Strauss was a hugely influential French writer and thinker, one of the key figures in stucturalism. Not to be confused with the inventor of riveted blue jeans | ||
| 23 | TURNAROUND |
Unexpected event: performer getting drinks for everyone (10)
|
| Charade of TURN (performer) + A ROUND (drinks for everyone) | ||
| 24 | NOVA |
On reflection, Bard’s river is one full of light (4)
|
| Reversal (on reflection) of AVON (the river that runs through Shakespeare’s hometown) | ||
| 25 | HUMANITIES |
Geography / history unit: shame I failed? (10)
|
| Anagram (failed) of UNIT SHAME I | ||
| 26 | I SEE |
Everyman – scenes – regularly falling out – that’s understood (1,3)
|
| I (Everyman) + S[c]E[n]E[s] | ||
| DOWN | ||
| 1 | CONCLUSIVE |
Vice-consul unwisely decisive (10)
|
| Anagram (unwisely) of VICE CONSUL | ||
| 2 | UNREQUITED |
Merrily reunited, embracing queen that’s snubbed (10)
|
| Anagram (merrily) of REUNITED around (embracing) QU (queen) | ||
| 4 | RUFFLED |
Disturbed, with hair on end, ran away (7)
|
| Reversal (on end, in a down clue) of FUR + FLED | ||
| 5 | CLEANSE |
Having entered church, tends to purify (7)
|
| Envelope (having entered) of CE (Church of England) around LEANS (tends) | ||
| 6 | CRASH AND BURN |
King, seeing that, to pass waterway in fold (5,3,4)
|
| CR (Charles Rex) + AS (since, seeing that) + HAND (pass) + BURN (a small river or watercourse) | ||
| 7 | OBOE |
Cockney tramp that’s found among the reeds (4)
|
| ‘Hobo’ pronounced in a Cockney accent, def referring to musical instruments that use reeds | ||
| 8 | SATS |
Posed first of stiff challenges for schoolchildren (4)
|
| SAT (posed, as in sat for an artist) + S[tiff], definition referring to the Standard Assessment Tests for primary school pupils in England (but no longer elsewhere in the UK) mandated under the National Curriculum | ||
| 11 | LIVE AND LEARN |
Vandal all but leering unpleasantly: let’s move on (4,3,5)
|
| Anagram (unpleasantly) of VANDAL LEERIN[g] | ||
| 13 | OBSEQUIOUS |
Bisque’s prepared with coconut, regularly aiming to please (10)
|
| Anagram (prepared) of BISQUES plus alternate letters (regularly) of cOcOnUt | ||
| 14 | DEATH STARE |
A setter had to dance: it’s not a good look (5,5)
|
| Anagram (to dance) of A SETTER HAD | ||
| 18 | MOVE OUT |
Emotionally affect topless hooligan in retreat (4,3)
|
| MOVE (emotionally affect) + [L]OUT (topless hooligan) | ||
| 19 | ABSENCE |
Lack awareness of stomach muscles, did you say? (7)
|
| Homophone (did you say?) of ‘abs sense’ | ||
| 21 | ETCH |
Leaving France, get to make lasting impression (4)
|
| [f]ETCH (get, without F, ‘leaving France’) | ||
| 22 | PRIM |
Primarily punctilious, reserved in manner? (4)
|
| First letters of P[unctilious] R[eserved]] I[n] M[anner] |
A great one, thanks Everyman and Moh! I liked ENNOBLE and guessed LEVI STRAUSS; NHO the cricket captain
Thanks for the blog , I would judge it as calcite , will be interesting to see what the newer solvers think .
Pretty good overall , not sure about STIPEND= a little bit of money , they can be very generous .
NOVA= one full of light , once again a setter parks their imagination at any hint of science .
I’ve been able to get the Observer crossword by using the link given by someone on 15x but today it’s blocked, in spite of the fact that I had previously registered. Can anyone help, please?
PS I have just managed to print the pdf by changing the date above, but I prefer the other version, if anyone knows how to access it. Thank you.
Enjoyed this one. At trickier end of the Everyman spectrum I thought. I recall thinking that LIQUID LUNCH was an extended definition of sorts but I’m not totally convinced by it.
Thanks to Moh and Everyman.
I too smiled at the idea of extreme nudism – surely one is either naked or not?
Thanks Moh and all agreed.
I wondered if the “little” was inadvertently repeated in setting for STIPEND?
Crosser, 4, try deleting the O’s cookies – usually under browser preferences, privacy – and start again. I think the record of visit numbers is kept there.
Very nice. Took a while to pass 6d, but got there eventually. Helped that I remembered Hopkins’ poem ‘Inversnaid’. Made a mistake parsing 4d as ruff (hair on end) + fled (ran away), dealing with the superfluous ‘f’ by deciding not to worry about it and perhaps that’s an allowable thing. Ah, still so much to learn.
Etu@6 the extreme refers to the weather conditions , snow on the beach this morning .
I was stumped by the cricket captain, failed to sort the laundry and didn’t turn up the unexpected event. I’m more embarrassed that I didn’t get “move out” or “etch”; I’d parsed the clues but the right words didn’t come to mind.
Yes I thought it was at the trickier end.
Liked: LIQUID LUNCH, RUFFLED, OBOE, VIETNAM
Didn’t parse ETCH
Thanks Everyman and mom
Even after MOH’s valiant attempt at explaining it I still fail to to understand how 10a works. I’ve never sorted laundry (I’ve folded it for sure), and have never heard the expression “after a sort” in any context. What’s the ‘ish’ all about? I had the very Australian “after a root” in mind, (which I decline to explain in this forum 😂), but not entered. Can anyone provide a better interpretation of this clue.
Other than that a decent Everyman.
Thanks Everyman and MOH.
GIS@11 – I’m guessing that AFTER A SORT is a Britishism, meaning in a way/after a fashion/to an extent/to some degree – hence ‘ish’. That was a good crossword. Well, good-ish. However, I’m now exercised about the meaning of “after a root”…
Fiona@10 – very sorry to be the one to break it to you, but I’m not your mom.
Yes, ‘after a sort’ is in Chambers, meaning ‘to some extent’, hence, ish. E.g., to the question, ‘Is he an honourable fellow?’ One might say, ‘To some extent.’ ‘After a sort.’ ‘Ish.’
In my experience ‘of a sort’ is more common than ‘after a sort’, but both are used.
I don’t regard ‘fold’ and ‘crash and burn’ as being equivalent. To fold is to resign a position in a negotiation or game, or to go out of business. To crash and burn is to fail spectacularly.
I tend to think of sorting laundry as something done before washing it, not afterwards (eg to follow the “wash similar colours together” advice seen on care labels). I’ve often said “after a fashion” but can’t recall ever hearing “after a sort” although, as Robot@13 says, they are both in Chambers and have the same meaning.
I found this a bit difficult but I was solving after a non-LIQUID LUNCH. I liked that one as well as the volcano in VIETNAM, and the leering vandal who could LIVE AND LEARN.
Thanks Everyman and moh.
I was foiled by ‘after a sort’….we haven’t heard that expression in our house and think we would use something like ‘well, sort of..’ nowadays.
Thanks all!
Crash and Burn reminded me of the aptly titled motorbiking magazine back in the 80s. Agree with poc@14, “fold” doesn’t really come close to it. Quite enjoyed this one, though I thought “after a sort” was weak-ish.
Thanks moh and Everyman
I have never heard the saying AFTER A SORT.
LIVE AND LEARN does not rhyme with CRASH AND BURN.
LEVI STRAUSS a tad tricky for an Everyman.
MOH@12 I am British by origin (35 years an Australian) and still have never heard ‘after a sort’ as an expression. ‘Of a sort’ yes. But if it’s “in Chambers” who am I to argue. 🙂
‘Root’ is Australian slang I’m sure Google will enlighten you. That usage rapidly shifted my pronunciation of the IT networking appliance the router from its English variant to the US one on my transfer to the Australian branch of my employer back in 1989.
Peter@19 I’m intrigued. Where in the English speaking world do you live that LIVE AND LEARN does not rhyme with CRASH AND BURN?
11a I got it after deciding to drop the ‘g’ from leering but I can’t see any reason to do so in the wordplay.
tony @22, I think that ‘all but’ is suggesting that not all of ‘leering’ is to be used.
I found this one trickier than usual but got there in the end. Didn’t manage to parse 16a and 6d though so thanks moh for the explanation. (By the way, I’d always thought you were “miserable old hag” so was surprised when you referenced Mrs moh – must remember to polish glasses more often!)
Finished but at the harder end of the spectrum for me and several clues I didn’t parse. I still don’t get 11d. What indicates that the ‘g’ should be dropped from leering for the anagram?
Many thanks Etu @6, I’ll do that.
Muetenive @25, I would say that ‘all but’ (meaning ‘everything short of’, or ‘almost’) indicates that not all of the word should be used.
GrahamInSydney @ 21
I live in London but come from Glasgow and no way does BURN rhyme with LEARN – not even vaguely. I have got used to seeing words in crosswords that English people think sound the same that do not remotely sound the same to me. The first time I saw it I remember being amazed that anyone would think the two words in question sounded the same and I questioned it – and found I was in the minority (though of course I was right). But it happens so often I am now resigned and just ignore it.
MOH @ 12 (now using capitals to avoid spell check) – oooops
Everyman sets consistently enjoyable puzzles, and this was another good example. I had a question mark against AFTER A SORT, but it is a thing apparently, though google tells me it is dated.
I also queried OBOE when I did the puzzle last week (on the grounds that the de-Cockneyed HOBOE is not a word), but now I can’t see why I had a problem with it.
Thanks E&M
hard – DNF (couldn’t get ‘after a sort’ or ‘ruffled’).
#4 Crosser – I just printed from this:
https://observer.co.uk/puzzles/everyman/article/everyman-no-4139
@GrahamInSydney
Like Fiona, I am also a Scottish person who lives in England. Never in a million years does burn rhyme with learn.
The thing is @Fiona#28 and @Peter#31, burn and learn may not rhyme in Scotland, but there are plenty of places where they do, and I imagine they still will in a million years.
That would be sufficient for a “sounds like” clue, let alone just a feature that Everyman adds each week for extra fun (though admittedly marginally less fun this week if you’re Scottish).
I LEARNED a lot from a BURNS (see, they rhyme) night celebration that some Scottish friends took me to; it involved haggis, various single malts, deep fried salads and country dancing: Scottish people know how to have fun when they stop focusing on my London pronunciation.
Anyway, I’ll sign off before you mention the rugby!
Thanks Robot @27.
1961Blanchflower @32
The thing is you did ask where on earth Learn and Burn did not rhyme – so Peter and I told you.
Not sure why you are taking offence. Like I said you asked – we told you.
And your LEARNED and BURN they do not at all rhyme – I just can’t imagine why you think they do. But I said earlier – I just ignore it when I see it in crosswords.
Is anyone else having trouble getting rid of the “subscribe for £1” overlay? I had to switch browsers.
Fiona @34.
The thing is, I didn’t ask where on earth the words don’t rhyme. You may be confusing me with GrahaminSidney#21 who did ask just that.
I just pointed out that in many places they do rhyme (including London where I grew up). I am well aware that in Scotland they don’t, as I said. The LEARNED/BURNS comment was meant humorously, and I accept they aren’t a perfect rhyme (as opposed, say, to every couplet the great Scottish poet ever put together).
I haven’t taken any offence, despite the misrepresentation and misidentification, so please dinna fash, as it were.
I recognise that in certain dialects certain words are pronounced in distinct ways, and will either rhyme with each other or not, depending which dialect is being spoken. I hope I would never assert or imply that my pronunciation was correct, and someone else’s was wrong. I’m sure you wouldn’t either. Oh wait, both you and Peter did. Ah well, never mind…
In crossword world we have to recognise that our pronunciations aren’t definitive (even Scottish ones). If it rhymes somewhere, it works in a homophone clue. Perhaps if this was The Scotsman crossword your concerns would have greater validity.
Meanwhile, carry on ignoring it as you have throughout this diverting interchange.
I’m also a Scottish exile and this all reminds of an advert I saw a few years ago claiming that nothing rhymes with ‘purple’. No self-respecting Scot would ever have claimed that !
1961BF
No we just pointed out our point of view as do lots of people on the question of homophones – as did you.
By the way be really good if you stopped being patronising.
Every time there is a clue / solution based on a pun one or more people will leap in and say that it doesn’t work in their idiolect, then a pile-in starts.
There are very few puns that work in every idiolect.
I think it’s about time that this was generally recognised, and the whole boringly repetitious discussion shelved for good.
No one benefits from it, and no one is persuaded by the arguments
Sorry Simon@39. I generally agree and thought I was expressing the same view as you, but instead have attracted some ire due to a comment made by someone else, who is probably oblivious to it all in Australia.
Coming from London I would say the two words rhyme, but I have been definitively told that they do not, “not even vaguely”, and “never in a million years”. I felt these were bold and questionable assertions, so I offered an alternative view.
The discussion has helped me to expand my previous understanding of the word patronising, so while being burned, I have learned.
But not how to pronounce them or to stop being patronising
Fiona @41
“But not how to pronounce them…”? As far as I am concerned I do pronounce them correctly, the same way as millions of others. It’s kind of patronising to assume otherwise.
I have never asserted that you or Peter pronounce them incorrectly, because I recognise that regional variances are equally valid, as I have stated in repeated posts. I can’t say the same for your posts or Peter’s (“no way does BURN rhyme with LEARN – not even vaguely”; “Never in a million years does burn rhyme with learn”, to quote a couple).
I believe it would be patronising for me as a Londoner to say that your Scottish pronunciation is incorrect, but that is effectively what you are saying of mine. It would be kind of disrespectful if I started pronouncing the words in a mock-Scottish accent, even though I have been assured by you that these are the only correct pronunciations.
I hope I haven’t been patronising, as all I have been trying to do is counter some provocative, intolerant and incorrect assertions. For example, you haven’t acknowledged the fact that you accused me of posting what our colleague in Sidney did, not me. I’m only grateful you are resigned to this, and just ignore it (as you stated above); I’d not want to post something that actually bugs you.
You are totally misreading what I and Peter have said. I am of course not speaking for Peter.
I pronounce these words differently to you as I have said and expressed even if you seem to find me expressing my opinion disrespectful.
You are being patronising in your comments on mine which you find “diverting”.
Muetenive @37
On the subject of words that rhyme (or in this case shouldn’t rhyme) with purple, I refer you to the lyrics of the song “Dang Me” by Roger Miller:
Roses are red
Violets are purple
Sugar is sweet
So’s maple syrple
Fiona – I don’t think I misread either your comments or Peter’s. I literally quoted them. I fully appreciate that you pronounce some words your way, but that doesn’t mean those of us who don’t are wrong, which is what you have asserted quite forcefully.
By all means express your opinion, nothing disrespectful about that. But don’t state that I have said something when I haven’t. It was someone else. There are receipts above.
Sorry if you felt the “diverting” comment was patronising. I only meant that composing my contributions to the debate was initially quite fun (though I didn’t expect it to get so heated). It obviously came out wrongly, or was taken wrongly.
Blimey it’s only a crossword, no need for all these cross words.
Meanwhile still struggling for Muetenive @37’s “purple” rhyme, and I have listened to every Prince album I own without success.
Muetenive @37
My late Scottish mother-in-law used to hurple (or hirple). Not sure of the spelling as I never saw it written down, but to my sassenach’s ear it definitely rhymed with purple.
1961BF
Agreed no need for cross words but you can’t seem to leave it alone can you?
And you continue to be patronising – I daresay you can’t help it.
Adrian @46 , Chambers has hirple , I have heard it in the North of England to mean hobble .
Thanks Roz @48 – A NHO for me. I was wondering what might rhyme with purple!
Muetenive @37
[The good citizens of Dodge City know well
That their fearsome Sheriff, Wyatt Earp’ll
Send all guilty lawbreakers to Hell,
Including those wearing purple.
It’s not exactly Shakespeare or Rabbie Burns, but it does sort of rhyme. I’m still curious to know what the correct answer is!]
F@47
You posted “You can’t seem to leave it alone can you?” at 2.11 in the morning, which looks like the behaviour of someone who can’t seem to leave it alone, but I will bite.
You continue to accuse me of being patronising, when I am trying to address inaccurate and provocative posts (unless you meant my “deep fried salads” comment, which was a joke: I have never come across such a thing in Scotland or anywhere else, but the Scottish diet does have a reputation. I love it but I know I shouldn’t).
Fifteensquared is the last place I’d expect to find a troll, so I’ll just put it down to cultural differences.
I’m sorry a discussion about an Everyman crossword (not even a Paul or a Vlad in the Guardian!) turned so hostile, but we LIVE AND LEARN, however we pronounce it. Apologies to any other posters who have read all this kerfuffle, presumably in increasing bewilderment.
Actually I’m just someone who woke up in the night – it does happen. I am sure you will be glad to know I got back to sleep.
And looks like point proved.
And as for the troll comment – charming – so someone who disagrees with you is a troll. I don’t think you know what a troll is (except maybe in fairytales). But if you think a troll is someone who disagrees with someone else then I suggest you look in the mirror.
I have thought some more on what you wrote – and it is is troubling
I am comparing it to the non-apology used most recently by Ratliffe – and often by politicians – you know the “I’m sorry / regret that you were offended …….” Which is not an apology at all
Your comment
Fifteensquared is the last place I’d expect to find a troll, so I’ll just put it down to cultural differences.
Is the same – you are clearly calling me a troll while pretending not to.
You obviously have no experience of internet trolls who target people (largely women) with constant and on-going abusive and violent threats.
I do not think a one-off disagreement over a crossword is in the same league – it is disappointing that you do.
F – I put it down to cultural differences rather than say you were trolling.
Like anyone else, I am sometimes right, sometimes wrong. People are welcome to disagree with me (preferably without being aggressive or rude). I try to evaluate and agree if appropriate. Sadly you have proved incapable of doing the same.
Where I have disagreed with you has been where you have been demonstrably wrong, and I have supplied evidence such as your own posts in support. After a while I wondered if you might be trolling as you were so persistent and so unwilling to consider an evidence-based alternative view.
Perhaps if you re-read the earlier posts, before this madness commenced, you will see what I mean.
Our last two posts crossed, and your most recent is much more reasonably argued than most of those before it. I do apologise if the troll comment called to mind the sort of serious harassment you refer to. That was inappropriate. It was your persistence and refusal to consider another point of view that provoked it, but you are right, it is a seriously nasty practice and it was wrong of me to evoke it.
I don’t think comparing me to insincere politicians who don’t apologise properly is fair. I wasn’t apologising for anything else, so much as expressing regret and bewilderment that a crossword discussion had turned into something so hostile. I honestly believe that if you review the comments from the beginning you will see that very little of the aggression came from me.
And here you are again. Posting the same old stuff.
And you were accusing me of trolling – just hiding it in a politician type comment.
I have been on this site for years – no-one has ever accusing me of being incapable of evaluating others’ responses – just you, sadly.
And having looked at the correspondence to date I see no reason to change my mind.
And I am still horrified that you called me a troll – which you did and are still doing.
We crossed.
I am glad you no longer evoke the trolling accusation
Comparing me to a politician because I am usually precise with the words I use (troll excepted) is quite nasty: I have a dim view of most politicians.
Regarding the troll comment, I agreed that using the word was wrong of me and inappropriate, as the implications of the term are much worse than I had considered. When I first came across the word years ago it referred to people who deliberately posted comments in discussions that would annoy and provoke, with no interest in debate, just to get a response. Since then the term has evolved into describing something much nastier. I am clearly not calling you one of the more recent kind, though you seem to want to cling to the idea that I am.
Can you suggest a better description for your persistently aggressive posts, and refusal to acknowledge reasonable arguments that don’t align with yours?
I am surprised you can’t see where you introduced the aggression to the discussion, when reviewing the earlier comments.
For example, you posted this to me roughly 24 hours ago (it feels like a lifetime):
“The thing is you did ask where on earth Learn and Burn did not rhyme – so Peter and I told you.
Not sure why you are taking offence. Like I said you asked – we told you.”
Bluntly put, but I wasn’t taking offence, and more importantly I wasn’t the poster who had asked. Because as I have consistently said, and unlike you (“not even vaguely”), I recognise regional variances as valid. Your combativeness should have been directed at a different poster. I have pointed this out several times; you still haven’t acknowledged it.
You posted this later:
“You are totally misreading what I and Peter have said.” I was literally quoting you both verbatim.
Some time later (in fact after 2 in the morning):
“Agreed no need for cross words but you can’t seem to leave it alone can you?”, a comment which would seem to apply to yourself, posting in the wee small hours.
“And you continue to be patronising – I daresay you can’t help it”, an ad hominem attack with no justification.
Like yourself I have been on this site for a while, and have never had an encounter remotely similar to this one. Ah well, sometimes you burn, sometimes you learn.
OK, I think that’s more than enough of this back-and-forth.
I was going to close comments on this post, but we have regulars in NZ who come to Everyman two or three weeks after the UK and do sometimes want to join in the discussion, so I shan’t do so. But please leave it alone now. Thank you both.
Can’t believe it – you are still calling me a troll while acknowledging what a horrible thing that is.
You choose to misunderstand my posts just to justify yours.
My posts are not aggressive unlike yours. And they are not patronising unlike yours.
I am deeply disappointed in you.
Fiona @60.
Please see @59 and desist
Apologies, admin and miserableoldhack, for my role in hijacking the thread, not something I ever intended to do. Apologies also to posters from New Zealand who may be bemused to see how regional variations in pronunciation can lead to such strong feelings.
Apart from that I enjoyed the puzzle.
Thank you 1961B, much appreciated. I only hope this won’t put either of you off taking part here in future.
Roz @48 ‘hirple’ was the word I was thinking of. It was quite commonly used in Scotland when I was a lad. Many years ago now admittedly…
So, F and B have CRASHED AND BURNED and we have all LIVED AND LEARNED…
Stools77 @65 Ha ha ! Nicely done.
Golly what jolly banter. Here in NZ (but London born) there is no discernible difference between burn learn fern tern turn stern churn urn. Doesnt make anyone right or wrong, just different. As for the rest of the puzzle the only Levi Strauss I knew is pronounced Lee Vie rather than Levy so I was DNF with most of the SW corner unsolved. Pity, I rather enjoyed the rest.
Oh, by the way Moh, thanks for keeping the airwaves open for us latecomers, appreciated.
A great crossword, and jolly banter. Here in NZ where nearly all vowels (and anything else between consonants) sound pretty much the same, rhymes are easier to find. Also, like Barrie @#68, thanks for keeping comments open.
Gosh what a novel of comments to read! Accents and different pronounciation of words will always lead to ruffled feathers. And yes, thanks for keeping the thread open, we all truly appreciate it.
Our brains are a tad taxed due to stress involved with selling our house so this week took us far longer than normal with two mistakes. A bit tougher than usual but that is no bad thing at all.
Our top pick is LIQUID LUNCH; LEVI-STRAUSS another goodie; did not like AFTER A SORT!!
Thanks Everyman & MOH, we love our Saturday/Sunday morning crossword.
I’m not sure why TURN means PERFORMER. I understand turn can mean performance, but can anyone give a sentence where turn means performer?