Ev: Sunday Telegraph Enigmatic Variations 1172 -- Time By Augeas

[jim360]

A bit of false advertising on Augeas' part as he suggested this might appeal to me owing to my physics background. Disappointment over, I appreciated the sneaky clue order that once cracked allowed cold-solving to be ditched in favour of more traditional methods, and the grid-fill progressed fairly quickly after that. Took a while to track down the quote, though.

A pleasant way to fill some time on a quiet Sunday. Thanks Augeas!

[DocHH]

Hello Jim360,
Likewise, after populating a fair amount of the southern part of the grid in a jig-saw manner, I twigged the order in which the clues were presented, and was then able to proceed conventionally. Didn't take long to find the comment, but must have just got lucky with the one word I looked up in ODQ. A splint on the little finger of my right hand, to correct a Mallet Finger, made holding the pencil and writing awkward.

Another hour or so then it will be time to consider what to have as a preprandial.

[maurice]

Hi you two! Thoroughly enjoyed this one. My problem was a computer that is fast becoming a case of total disobedience, and I'm not patient at the best of times. An appropriate way for me to finish off my 6-month season (weather's too good here for anything but drinking). C U again in November!

[devadolly]

Show-off scientists! Am still reeling and brain-dead after the past month but will plod and bumble along. How is everyone? Gardens thriving? Any chance of a hint about the quote, I just don't think I will get anywhere with what I already have, so be kind and kick me in the right direction. Having a rather nice SB care of Lidl tonight, most acceptable.......and on offer Doc!!

[devadolly]

PS: where are you Maurice??

[DocHH]

Devadolly, this is by no means a science related EV! In fact it is more a matter of grammar! I had to do a lot of cold solving before starting to do any of the jig-saw entering. The two 11 letter answers were obviously key, but needed an intersecting answer, and a giant leap of faith to start the jig-saw. As you would expect, even the title is misleading, but correct. Where on earth have you been for the past month to become brain-dead?

Decided on my standard Glemorangie as a preprandial. Roast Beef for dinner, washed down with an Australian red, so finishing that off now. Garden is flourishing, especially the weeds, have mowed all lawns at least once. Have just declined a Physics Department reunion at our Alma Mater, still convinced there is no going back!

Maurice, I am as intrigued as Devadolly. Where are you that the weather currently is too good for anything but drinking for only 6 months, and that you will next see us in November?

[EV_Solver]

A nice puzzle from Augeas; was this his EV debut? If so, I hope many more there are. I too am intrigued as to where one is guaranteed good weather for six months of the year. Definitely not here, where there is frost tonight and rain to follow!

[Cagey]

Through a bit of a guess started filling grid after getting just a few answers. Then it was fine until finding the quote, which held me up for a while, even though by then the word of circled letters and non-circled letter was obvious.
Thank you for a fun puzzle Augeas.

[devadolly]

Long story & not good Doc.
Am still plodding away but have very little hope of getting anywhere, have the 11 lettered words but the 10 are evading me with apparent ease. Really just don't know where to start, apart from 'over the shoulder'!
Is Augeas a new compiler? Don't remember the name.........or is he/she one of the regulars disguised as a newby????

[jim360]

Augeas is new to the EV but he's popped up a few times in Listeners. Nothing before 2010 though, I don't think.

The best hint I can give deva, if it helps, is that this is not a (semi-) carte blanche puzzle.

[roslyn251254]

Hello all - my friend Maurice lives in the South of France and " gives up" crosswords for the summer months!!
Liked this puzzle which was quite straightforward once the clue order was sorted!
Devadolly - try getting into reverse gear for this puzzle.

[devadolly]

Thanks for the hints Jim & Roslyn (S of F sounds good, perhaps M can give some hints about what to see in Sete?) will try harder!