Times Book Of Crosswords

[barnaclebill58]

Totally baffled as to why the answers are what they are.
Trap swan, reportedly a strong swimmer. Ans cobweb . I get the cob =swan but web=strong swimmer?
Almost too fantastic a source of French wines . Ans alsace (get the French wines bit)
Short run over golf course . Ans Troon.
He appeared speechless , cast in romantic role . Ans valentino.
Fool with article introducing Dostoyevsky's work. Ans idiot
Careless, fanciful description of 22? (22 is clue above starting with fool)Ans unmindful
Thanks in advance.

[emmie]

was it to do with first recorded man (webb) to swim the English channel,

[Captain2]

Dostoyevsky's book is The Idiot, so with no article in front leaves you with 'Idiot' (fool)

[emmie]

rudolph Valentino silent film star

[Toorak]

Als(o) (almost too) ace (fantastic)

[Lie-in King]

Cobweb - 'Cob' + "Webb" (reportedly; sounds like)

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Matthew_Webb

Alsace - 'als(o)' (almost "too") + 'ace' (fantastic)

[Lie-in King]

Troon - 'tro(t)' (short run) + 'on' (over)

[emmie]

just 22 to get

[Captain2]

presumably just playing with words; an idiot wouldn't be 'mind-full', but rather empty, and unmindful is careless

[barnaclebill58]

Thanks all. Just didn't know the D book, Webb or that Valentino was from the silent age (name known from Thin Lizzy's Waiting for an alibi). Kicking myself re Troon and Alsace .

[emmie]

glad we could help