Explanation required please

[bluemoon1]

French art books designed for specialists. Esoteric.

[bibblebub]

have you missed a word? because

french art = ES
books = O.T. [old testament]

which leaves eric which is a anagram of e.g. 'rice'

[bluemoon1]

Sorry that didnt post right for some reason

The clue is French art books Eric designed for specialists.

[bluemoon1]

Thank you bibblebub once again

[bibblebub]

you're welcome, and obviously no anagrams required

[Chandamama]

Can it be:
French art ES
?books EROTIC
designed AnagrInd
Defn: for specialists (ES)(EROTIC*) = ESOTERIC

[bibblebub]

no it can't

[Chandamama]

bibblebub got it right.

[Chandamama]

ES+OT+ERIC
Defn: designed for specialists - ESOTERIC

[Prudie]

Please explain why ES is French art (hope that's not too dim a question)

[maurice]

That would interest me, too! I happen to live in France, and the only ES I know is written with an "accent grave" over the "e", i.e. "ès", which is only used in diploma abbreviations meaning "en les" = "in the" e.g. "Docteur ès sciences" or "Licencié ès lettres" --- has nothing necessarily to do with "The Arts". Otherwise of course there's the abb. for Einsteinium! But since two of you have made this connection (& the solution then seems to make sense), perhaps one of you could explain: some secret art movement we mortals have never heard of perhaps? Got nowhere by googling, either. It's your turn now!

[douglas9401]

Etch un Sketch?

[Chandamama]

ART (archaic form of ARE) in French is ES
for instance, the worship song: 'how great thou art' when translated in French is 'Que Tu Es Grand'.

[maurice]

Oh, very clever, Chan.......how could I have overlooked that little pun! Thank you! Nothing like wandering down the garden path, is there?

[FredPuli43]

Brilliant, Chanda! Or 'Art' in French is pronounced as 'are' is in English and 'are' in French is 'es' in the singular. Blimey! What crossword was this in? Still don't get the eric bit.

[maurice]

Bluemoon had forgotten the Eric in the clue at first!