The Time 28061 (August 2021)

[TioMateo]

One not totally understood at a picnic in the summer :-
Stifling communication in the end, doctor operates - words rarely spoken (9) E?P?R?N?O. It would seem to have to be ESPERANTO but, apart from finding "words rarely spoken" to be a very poor definition (anybody else agree?), I have a problem with the anagram of "operates + n", How does the "n" come from "stifling communication in the end"?

[Neveracrossword]

Stifling, cutting off the N at the end of Communication.

[Lie-in King]

The anagram is stifling (containing) '(communicatio)n' (in the end)

The def is ok to my mind - I very rarely hear Esperanto down our way :-)

[Neveracrossword]

Thanks, Lie-In King - your stifling was much better than mine!