Spectator 1955

[mintyman99]

http://www.spectator....5831508/crossword.pdf

[mintyman99]

The Chambers app for the iphone is very good. It has the complete dictionary and useful search features. Good value at £5.

[teacher1]

This crossword is killing me ! lol ;o)

[kayakamina]

Hi Teach

Shout if you need help.

K

[teacher1]

Thanks K, but still plenty of time to get the grey cells going ! lol. Thanks ;o)

[zita-green]

I have the oddest set of checked letters at 18a. Is this where I ignore an apostrophe?

[kayakamina]

Zita it's a straightforward clue - a gun.

[zita-green]

Thanks, K but still can't see it. Was sure of my down answers but perhaps I have gone wrong. Brain is mush after two lovely days with grandsons

[kayakamina]

Zita I'll e-mail you so as not to spoil it for others.

K

[zita-green]

Thank you. Wouldn't want to do that!

[slaney]

mintyman, thank you - I didn't realise you could get a Chambers Dictionary app.
Looks good.

[roslyn251254]

Kayakamina (or another clever person) can you help me please - I''ve got the theme but am having trouble with the bottom right corner. Perhaps I have some clues wrong, but I can't get the letters to fit 40a , 23d and 39a.
Down in that corner I have absinth, shagreen, deerskin, virgates, lubricate.
The letters I have are 40a D?S??T?NE? 39a ?IP?CK and 23d ?ELF?E??

[kayakamina]

40 Disattuned

23 Selfheal

39 Ripeck

[roslyn251254]

Many thanks K - i thought of selfheal but didn't realise it was prunella vulgaris!
Forgot to say thank you to Mintyman for the link too.

[smithies]

Why don't you just print out all the answers? Most of the fun of these puzzles is trying to work out some of the answers for yourself. When there is a real problem, such as arose a few weeks ago when a new setter had put in some ambiguous clues and the lights were unchecked then the forum seems at its best. But when some contributors are grandstanding and telling us how smart they are it starts to be a bit of a bore. Sorry kayakamina and roslyn251254 but to print en clair eight of the lights seems to me to be going a bit far.

[Mampara]

Good morning smithies.

While I partially agree with you, it must be remembered that this is primarily a Question & Answer site and not a discussion forum. We already have one crossword claiming 'protected' status ( The Listener) and if you feel that similar 'advanced' crosswords like the Spectator & Azed should be treated likewise then the purpose of the site is lost.
I think kayakamina did his best in trying to avoid providing full answers - see his note to another questioner that he would e-mail the information, but when faced with a head on request for complete answers, what should he do?
As for some contributors 'grandstanding' I'm not sure what or who you mean but this is usually a friendly and constructive weekly thread.