Spectator 2141

[djawhufc]

Hi everyone

Let's hope it's all in correct working order tis week.

Enjoy

DJA

[maurice]

Maybe if you read the 2nd half of the title with an apostrophe..................
At least that's the way I interpreted it.
And many thanx for the congratulations: just returned from a fitting Gascon lunch.................

[Onty]

Congratulations Shaneystar. Next time you'll be the outright winner. You certainly deserve to be.

[Helveticus]

I have it. The hints from Roslyn and Maurice are red herrings. You have to have the 12th edition of Chambers (2011), wherein you will find all the unclued lights listed together. Am I the only one who finds this sort of thing rather unfair? It is also a bit overly recursive to have to have the newest edition of Chambers to stand a chance of winning, er... the newest edition of Chambers.

[shaneystar2]

Thanks Onty .Nice to see you .
Lol..Helveticus ,that's me stuffed then ,my Chambers is nearly as old as me :)

[AHearer]

I agree, Helveticus: it makes it a bit like a spy's code based on words on a page of a particular edition of "A Tale of Two Cities" (Incidentally, there's no cryptic significance in that choice of title).

[truron]

I've solved the clues but - like some others - I'm puzzled by the un-clued answers. Yes, "muffintop" fits as an answer but I cannot decide whether the two word answers are two separate answers or linked as phrases. This generally easy puzzle has a sting in the tail.

[roslyn251254]

Thank you helveticus! I shall have to get the tippex out! Found the said page.

[roslyn251254]

truron - look in the middle of the said dictionary!

[maurice]

Helveticus: thank you for de-mystifying a pretty awkward puzzle. I'd like to point out i did not deliberately mislead anyone --- with Ch. 11th edition those meanings were just not appertent, much less what they're supposed to have in common. As I was obliged (living abroad) to post quickly what I thought was right, I'm now angry I did it at all, since several I now see were wrong. The whole thing amounts to an absurd publicity drive. I'm not sure I want to take part in anything like that ever again (not just because I reached 70 today!).It seems unfair & quite ridiculous looking back. Does anyone else share this feeling?

[Ironie]

Yes, I agree. Pre-supposing access to one particular edition of Chambers (I - like most of you probably - still use the 11th edition) is unfair and unsatisfactory. I gather what the unclued items have in common is the fact that they are marked in dictionaries as slang, but without said list one is swimming in murky waters.

[JULIEWOOLIE]

Hope it hasn't spoilt your Birthday Maurice. Happy Birthday! Still clueless!

[flobbo]

Frustrating...If there is no skill to the unclued lights maybe someone could save us all from having to purchase this Chambers by spilling the relevant beans.

[maurice]

(Better late than never) Apparently they're all listed on a special red page in the 12th edition, which I don't have. And as far as I u'stand it the only thing they have in common is that they're classified there (and only there) as "super slang": I've never heard most of them. Sorry I can't be more concrete. I'm still fuming! If these are the conditions to expect in the future I for one am no longer interested: I find it all quite idiotic in retrospect. And now good-night all!

[teacher1]

Not having a Chambers 2011, I am completely stuck on most of the unclued lights ! What waste of my brain cells, paper and ink for about 80% of the crossword ! ;o(

[roslyn251254]

The unclued are:
denver boot
valium picnic
muffin top
cheese it
bingo wing
map ( a person's face)
clapper (tongue)

[roslyn251254]

sorry missed one - red rag!

[teacher1]

Thank you roslyn251254 ...... funnily enough I had a few of them in my mind, but I didn't understand why !

[shaneystar2]

Thanks roslyn,very kind of you ...I had all but three.
I won't submit it this time though but at least it's finished !

[roslyn251254]

shaneystar - submit , submit, you might win the dictionary this time!!If I win I'll donate it to someone on here who hasn't got one!! Lol

[shaneystar2]

Ok then ,will do !
I'll submit for the dictionary .I could do with a new one .Mine is so old and falling to bits .The cover is held together with parcel tape :)
Thanks again ..Goodnight all .