Radio Times Prize Crossword 16 Tuesday April 9Th 2013

[robert551069]

I would appreciate help with 20 across and 17 down, please.
20 across....2 words....6 and 4.
?A?T?N......???W
"Bird seen with playwright and TV actor".
17 down Traveller's depression when looping the loop ?O???L?

[frugalfred]

martin shaw

[cupid04]

martin shaw

[baitress]

17d - pothole. anag of the loop.

[dannyk13]

17d.Pothole

[emeritus]

17d Pot-Hole

[frugalfred]

17 pothole - Marco POLO and THE anagram.

[robert551069]

Thank you frugalfred, cupid04, baitress, dannyk13 and emeritus for your prompt and helpful answers

[MyBrainHurtsToo]

I'll buy that the answer is POTHOLE but how is this derived from the clue? I've seen two explanations. 1: it is an anagram of "the loop" but then what is "Traveller's" doing in the clue? 2: it is an anagram of Polo (traveller Marco) and "the" from between looping and loop in which case what is the instruction to treat these as an anagram - the clue no longer says "looping the loop" because "the" has been extracted as part of the anagram, and looping loop doesn't seem to make much sense.

Here's a wild thought. Perhaps it is an anagram of "the loop" (looping being the instruction to shuffle things around) with Traveller's giving "pot" (used for tripping) and depression simply giving "hole".

Help!

[mallyh]

martin shaw

[Captain2]

MyBrainHurts
Think you are reading too much into it.
I'm a motorist ie a traveller. The many depressions I travel/drive over are POTHOLES
Looping indicates anagram of 'THELOOP'

[MyBrainHurtsToo]

Hi, Captain2.

Splendid; the whole clue used. Thanks.

[Sipowicz]

MyBrainHurtsToo, can you not find any unanswered questions to answer?

[MyBrainHurtsToo]

Sipowicz,

Can you not find anything nice to say?

So in my first post I blundered most publicly and responded to a question that had already been answered. I'm SO sorry.

In my second post I asked for the help of experienced cruciverbalists in order to understand how an answer was derived. For that I am not sorry. Especially as it prompted a response that did answer my question.

Out!

[Mamyalynne]

Yes Sip, be nice and welcoming to a new member.