DT Cryptic 23/9

[MaryDou]

Help with the last one would be much appreciated - 24d Can score N?C? (just can't work it out)

[Argee2]

Nick?

[kev100]

nock. seriously check your dictionary Mary

[Argee2]

Hello kev100. I have checked Chambers and the Oxford and they say that nock is a notch at either end of a bow for holding the string. Where does "can" come into it? I thought of "nick" because nick can be a prison and "can" can be a prison, and nick, according to Chambers is"a score for keeping an account". Take your pick MaryDou!

[MaryDou]

Thank you Agree2 and kev100 - the only source I can find giving "nick" as relating to a score is Jumble.org - and as you say in a later posting Agree2 "nock" relates only to arrows - thank you both anyway

[kev100]

Where I got this from Mary was this site, type in n.c.

http://www.slate.me.uk/

[kev100]

sorry just realised if you are not running Firefox you wont get the answer, but this is what it gives.

v. - score, nock, mark -- (make small marks into the surface of; "score the clay before firing it")

[MaryDou]

sorry didn't get back again on the "nick" "nock" thing but from the time of the last posting we have had a power cut - probably had something to do with my frazzled brain - thanks a lot anyway - I'll just shut my eyes and go!!!!!!! with - can't decide!!!!!!

[goldenfield]

MaryDou - it is NICK.

nick1
n a notch; a small cut; (usu preceded by the) a prison or police station (); the line formed where floor and wall meet in a squash, etc court; a score for keeping an account (); the precise moment of time; the precise point aimed at; (at the old dice game of hazard) a throw answering to a main; a hidden bottom in a beer tankard, the outer base being hollow ().
vt to notch; to cut (usu slightly); to snip; to cut off; to cut in notches (eg the hair of a fool; ); to catch (); to arrest (); to steal (); to rob; to make a cut in (a horse's tail muscle), so that the tail is carried higher; to defraud; to mark by cutting, carve out; to score, eg on a tally; to tally with (); to hit with precision; to hit off (); to catch in the nick of time; to cheat at hazard, defeat by throwing a nick; at hazard, to throw the nick of.

[goldenfield]

To clarify - Nick is a can (prison) as well as to score. Nock may be to score but cannot meet the Can part of the clue.