Inquisitor 1305

[Ripper]

I've filled in the grid (and spotted many references to the milestone) I've got the rhetorical question. But now I'm completely stuck!
"each of four answers describes a pair of others etc....."
I've just no idea how to progress
Any help gratefully appreciated!
Thanks in advance

[boreas]

Jockie,

The preamble refers to "a few" rather than some.
I wonder if it is significant that "sample" and "a few" have quote marks of their own, rather than: "sample a few"?

[voulezvous]

I've filled the grid, got the message and found the word, I think. None the wiser.
I've anagramed everything I can think of!
I SO want to put "ask a stupid question", but I can't make it work!

[boreas]

It's sort of reassuring that we are all in the same boat.

[Ripper]

I'm still stuck on two of the pairs:
with 35down I've got 9down which was obvious, but can't find another one. As for 30 down the only pair I can get are 1 across & 43 across (because they do)
Help!!!!
Bet this is really obvious when we know the answer!
Thanks in advance

[Ripper]

Just got the other pair for 35 down

[boreas]

Yes, 1A and 43A are a pair.

[Ripper]

Thanks for confirming that boreas.
I've now got the eight letter word as well.
But what do do now?

[boreas]

Er, that's what we'd all like to know.

[Laphria]

I am as puzzled an everyone else seems to be. 'Take ...' seems to have been overlooked in the discussion, and 'take' is of course 'R[ecipe]'. It has not proven any help to me yet, but I am wondering how else it is to be used 'in conjunction with' the eight letters that we all seem to have identified. I have not been able to derive a meaningful word or phrase from 9 letters, but maybe ...? The obvious 18-letter alternative title is seductive, but how is it linked to anything else?

[Neveracrossword]

Laphria, thanks for that - I think you've supplied the missing bit of the jigsaw. I think the alternative title is... A R F D (the words add up to 18 letters).

[boreas]

Hi Laphria,

What is your 'obvious alternative . . '?

Could it be: 'A recipe for disaster'?

[boreas]

Sorry Never!

I didn't see your post when i submitted mine.
But, it looks promising doesn't it?

[Neveracrossword]

I think A Recipe For Disaster works -it's similar to the question posed with the extra letters and it's what's likely if Nimrod samples a few ales. (I wish the quotation marks weren't there, I kept looking for something significant.)

[Laphria]

So maybe it was that obvious! My seductive answer was HBTY, as occurred to someone else in the thread. I will think about that one.

[boreas]

Yes, I wondered about the quote marks.
Got to go out now but will ponder later.
(By which time I hope you will have it all wrapped up).

[JagoBean]

I think that must be it - well done Loreas / Never / boreas. The wild goose chase of "sample" "a few" ales is probably just a wry or arch piece of self-commentary on how "much" Nimrod might be "drinking". "Drink" "some" beer; what could possibly go wrong? It's ARFD, as it were.

[boreas]

Thank you JB . . . but I still can't help wondering about the slightly odd use of those quote marks.

[shikasta]

I think the quotation marks are to emphasise the understatement - certainly anyone I know who says they're going to "sample a few ales" really means they're likely to have a skinful - hence WCPGW & ARFD.

I feel a little smug at having twigged to the Take = R = Recipe, & so the title, all on my lonesome ... eventually ... but then again I still have a few that I can't actually parse.

[Neveracrossword]

Shikasta, well done on getting this all finished on your own! It was a real slog -at the end - for most of us.

[boreas]

Well, call me an old OCD dog-with-a-bone, but I still think there is a finishing touch missing.
But I will shut up.