EV 1041

[x_word_fan]

Good fun and lots of thematic stuff. Can someone please enlighten me on 27d - I have all the letters and the excluded one but still can't find a word.

[DocHH]

Hello x_word_fan,
I enjoyed this EV, despite the setter being "Mr O". I am sure I heard Devadolly's cry of despair as she read who had set this EV! To be honest though, this was at the easier end of his previous offerings.
As far as 27d is concerned, replace the excluded letter between the 1st and 2nd of the grid entry, then consult the BRB for the first 4 letters. Letters 5 and 6 of the whole word are commonly used abbreviations for the last 2 words of the clue. In my BRB, 9th edition, the complete word is in brackets 2 entries further down the page than the entry for the first 4 letters.
Soon be time to pour a Glenlivet to help prepare dinner!

[x_word_fan]

Thanks for that DocHH - it didn't help having AV for aged!!

[AndrewG-S]

Impressive amount of thematic material and definitely at the easier end for mr O. Overall very enjoyable about the right level of challenge and head scratching for me. Thanks mr O.

[Twit-Who]

What an amazing feat of construction. Really enjoyed this puzzle right to the end. I was away this weekend but it was worth waiting for this and the morning has been a ray of sunshine despite the dismal outlook. Thank you so much Oxymoron.

[AndrewG-S]

What a quiet week, particularly given such a good puzzle. I suppose it is half term.

[DocHH]

AndrewG-S, I quite agree, but Devadolly may still not have recovered from the shock of seeing MrO as the setter!

[kayakamina]

I was late getting to this EV but enjoyed it immensely.

As others have said, the construction, with so much thematic material, is very impressive but if I , very stupidly, had not tried to spell one of the ships with 2
B's, I wouldn't have taken so long!

[fourpence4]

PLease excuse my ignorance but what is the BRB?

[kayakamina]

It's the abbreviation of (The) Big Red Book - Chambers Dictionary.

[dr b]

Also late to the game on this one as I was traveling. Not too fearsome considering the setter, but good fun.

[Christiana]

Very late with a comment, as also traveling, but enjoyed this as was able to do it without too much in the way of reference books. All except 40a, which I can't find in my LRB (little red book)

[Christiana]

Cracked it! And so to bed