Spectator 2185

[djawhufc]

Hi all

I was up bright and early this morning.

Doc so shouldn't frighten the horses.

Enjoy

DJA

[Helveticus]

Thanks as ever Daniel. Not sure about frightening the horses, but Doc doesn't seem to be on his best form this week:

24A: A word seems to be missing from the clue
38D: There seems to be a superfluous word in the clue

I just have 5 empty squares to fill and to puzzle out the square with the beetle.

[professorplum13]

Agree about needing another short word in 24a.
Re: 38a - there are 2 birds , so I thought we needed all the words there??

Can you give a hint at the theme Helveticus please? (Almost full grid and no idea how to proceed)

[AHearer]

It may help, professorplum, to know that 15d and 31a are both dictionary words which, in that order, describe the location.

[professorplum13]

Ah I think I have the theme now having got 2 of the unclued

[professorplum13]

Thanks AHearer - your suggestion agrees with what I thought!

[Helveticus]

Thanks, professorplum for explaining 38D. I now agree that there is no superfluous word.

Now I just have to fill the three empty squares in 33D and to work out where to put the "beetle" mentioned in the preamble.

Not one of Doc's better puzzles. Once again he obliges solvers to refer to works of reference (sometimes one even has to have a specific edition thereof) to be able to solve his puzzles.

[roslyn251254]

I'm at exactly the same stage as you Helveticus - on a beetle hunt!
The unclued took some obscure googling!

[roslyn251254]

Now "got the beetle" but still puzzling on 33d!

[Helveticus]

Roslyn: I now have 33D, but I am still looking for the beetle.

[roslyn251254]

The beetle goes at the beg of 41a giving "2 alternatives"
Hints for 33d? I am at present working my way through the universal crossword solver!

[roslyn251254]

Just reached the "O's" & got it I think/hope!

[Helveticus]

Roslyn: Yes, I think we have the same answer for 33D. Thanks for the hint.

[mathsman]

I have the theme and all but one of the unclued lights, but I am having trouble with 15D. Does this, with 31A describe the location by an alternative name? If so, not sure where to look to find it.

[kayakamina]

Thanks as ever Daniel.

I'm glad I read the postings on here before I started solving
as it saved me a lot of head scratching.

[mathsman]

Now I have it! Takk.

[teenieleek]

I quite enjoyed this one. Knew lots of the places so not much googling for a change.

[shaneystar2]

Many thanks Daniel .Good puzzle but have to agree with Helveticus,if you were to try and cold solve this it would be impossible without Google or a very good atlas .

[hankir]

Have solved clued lights.
No idea about 15D (?IS??) and unclued lights.
Chambers Wizard is not helpful.
Unclued 17D (S?O?SER) could be a resident of Liverpool.

BTW, the reference to a beetle in one square is new to me.
What does it mean?

Thanks.

[shaneystar2]

Misty Isle (Skye)
Sconser .
41a begins with W as apposed to V.

[teenieleek]

or local knowledge, maybe doc came north on holiday?