Spectator 2581

[saladdodger]

Parse please...
7d Brazenly false European cunning around the French (11) looks like shamelessly...
ham = false
E for European
le for the french
sly for cunning .. leaving SS in the middle ??

[Toorak]

Sham - false
E - European
Les - the French
Sly - cunning

[Neveracrossword]

I thought this was a great puzzle. I think Tilly2 will enjoy it too.

[Tilly2]

I haven't printed it off yet. More tea needed before my brain starts working properly.

[saladdodger]

Thank you Toorak!

[tedsgran]

27a Part of France in atlas, new capital to the west (7) A?SAT??
6th letter possibly E
8a Finished structure erected in triumph (4) A??H arch? (as in arc de triomphe?)

[Neveracrossword]

27 Alsatia,part of France, anagram of Atlas , with AI, capital, coming back.
8 Yes.

[Toorak]

27 Alsatia - anagram of atlas & ai (capital) reversed

[tedsgran]

Thank you NACW and Toorak

[novalis]

Agree NACW, A great puzzle which came together very neatly.

[Neveracrossword]

Thanks, Novalis -and I probably appreciated the puzzle even more after last week's awful one!

[johnpiper]

I don't think that 8A is a very good clue. surely it must be ARCH something to do with Finished like overarch?

Is the theme word 33A?

[novalis]

Yes Juhnpiper re theme word. Chambers Crossword Dictionary gives 'arch' as a definition of 'finished'.

[johnpiper]

assuming that 33 is the theme word then i am struggling to see the links for the three groups of three words

And I don't understand 25A Have enticement to make material for bard (6)
I have ?e??re so is this Secure or Velure and why?

[johnpiper]

Thanks Novalis. you learn something new everyday at least with the Speccie!

[hypotheses]

Johnpiper - Ve = diminutive of Have. Lure = Enticement. Velure: see Chambers for def.

[novalis]

26 across (Ha)ve + lure. The 3 groups are 14a, 40a, 1d//17a, 5d, 9d//34a, 39a, 13d.

[johnpiper]

Thanks so much. I got there whilst these answers came in. i dont like the diminuitives very much but understand now. So a big thank you

Quite tricky i thought in parts!

[FreyaBee]

I appear to have gone wrong with my last one
1a I have IN?L?SH?

[novalis]

inclasps

[roslyn251254]

Freya ...your H should be P ( 5 in the scale not 7...)