EV 1025 13 Down by Kcit

[dr b]

Fun puzzle. Very clever to find 5 pairs of words that provide the thematic material in such an appropriate way. Huzzah for Kcit!

Heading towards 102 today, so it's cooling off some ;(

Still no rain in sight. Following on from last week's thread, it would take 15 hours in a car to get from St Louis to Colorado, so I think we're pretty safe from the wildfires out west. (Also, there's nothing to burn between here and Kansas's western border.) Is DocHH back this week?

[Spreadman]

Hi Kayakamina
I couldn't find a definition of either possibility in the BRB. I think both could be used, depending on your point of view. You do get the other possible thematic word if you use LACK but that could just be a coincidence. Have to wait till the answer is published.

[dr b]

Try onelook.com. Chambers is not the be-all and end-all.

[cinnabar]

Given that the rubric clearly states that two answers are not in Chambers, I think it would have been fair to point out that 13 Down isn't either!

[dr b]

Do people have the 2011 Chambers? Could also be new to the most recent edition.

[novalis]

As Dr. B. suspected 13d is in Chambers 2011 with O rather than A.

[Christiana]

Hi all. You're so right, Devadolly, but yesterday was literally a complete wash-out here in Lincolnshire, so turned some of my attention to the EV. Making a fair bit of progress, identifying 13d, the first theme and some of the word pairs, but still have four of the 'alphabetical' clues to get, which, as it happens, should link to make the final two thematic words. Haven't looked for the second set of thematic words yet.
Off out into the garden now, before it rains again.

[Spreadman]

I agree with you dr b, Chambers is not the only dictionary, however it is the one which is always recommended not only for EV but also for nearly all other serious crosswords. I don't have the 2011 version, mine is 2007 and 13d is not in it. As the puzzle contains non-words, it is not out of the question for 13d to be a non-word as it is part of the theme. This leaves an ambiguous answer where both LACK and LOCK could be used to give the required result. I agree with cinnabarb that this should have been mentioned. However, it was a good puzzle with a nice conclusion.

[devadolly]

HHMMMMMMMM! Thank you all for your efforts. Am I on the right lines if I say that we N & Cers might be some of the ones who need to obey this warning? Not that that enlightenment will help too much..................I really do feel dense at the moment......sorry chaps & chapesses.

[Cans414]

Hello everyone. Thank you for your help last week, finding this weeks extremely hard. I am bemused with LOCK and LACK as the second half of 13d and wonder what the first part should be, especially as there has been a connection with Christmas??

[Spreadman]

Hi devadolly
I think you are probably on the right lines especially with some of the N & C'ers interests.
Cans414 - don't take the Christmas connection too literally. It is an aspect of that season which can cause great pleasure or great distress depending on the decision taken between the two thematic elements.

[Christiana]

Finally got a bit of time to finish this EV off - one I enjoyed, not too easy but not one that drove me to the bottle either.

[devadolly]

Have managed to more or less finish, the exceptions being the 1st & last of the unclued. Have 13d which as novalis points out is in the 2011BRB but I too prefer the A. Having trouble pin-pointing the thematic elements to be high-lighted so a few heavy handed hints would be welcome.
Oh, where is summer, we have 50 acres of lovely lush grass sitting (or more probably lying by now) waiting to be cut.................send some of your sun drb!

[kayakamina]

devadolly
If you read my message to novalis on the previous page, you'll see that having removed the first element (drink) you should note that within the amended non-words are 5 - 4 letter words.
These form the second element (drive!) From memory the one in the top line is a small one.

[devadolly]

Thank you K, will have another peruse.