Jumbo 1352

[stevenj]

hello
Not a bad one this week. (I'm gnashing my teeth: SWMBO's cleaner threw away the one from a couple of weeks ago that floored me. She though t it was trash. I had hoped to check the clues I couldn't do to help me improve. Not to be. Still totally dependent on you good people!).
Of course there are some I can't work out WHY my answer might be correct. Here goes
:Final statement is exam- at least as far as as these clues go" I think the answer is "the last word" but I can't see where exams come into it.
Linking with that in the puzzle is
An objection over large orchestral piece" Tuba? but where is "large"? and what is the a at the end doing?
And finally "Notes countries keeping one Conservative and tame" Domesticate? But apart from it meaning tame I don't get most of the rest

steven

Sorry SWMBO has just called me for supper so it will be a short while before I can respond again

[Neveracrossword]

Tuba - A But = an objection, over = reverse it, so Tuba, a large orchestral piece.

[Neveracrossword]

Domesticate has Do and Me, notes (music) and I C, one conservative (the last two are inside State, countries)

[Neveracrossword]

PS State is from 'country' - I've just checked the clue and it's singular, so works better!

[Neveracrossword]

Final statement - look again at the very last clue in today's puzzle! It'd definitely the last word.

[stevenj]

I'm back. Just a quick supper for the two of us and she released me as soon as I cleared away the plates etc.

Thank you so much Neveracrossword . I see the tuba and domesticate ones now . I was try to get A to mean large but couldn't convince myself. Rightly so! And I am kicking myself for not seeing do an me!!! But I still don't get the last word. I have looked, as you instructed me, at the last clue . But why is a viva (what is a viva? I know it's an exam because it came up in a different puzzle but I don't know what it examines) the last word.
Sorry I am being thick I now.
steven

[stevenj]

Or "know" as we say in English

[cashier]

What is the last word in the last clue?

[stevenj]

Exam. And....?

[cashier]

Final statement is exam - at least as far as these clues go.
Exam - the last word

[stevenj]

Oh DOH!!! I have just looked again at Clue 7 down. OK. I am stupid. Thanks for your patience.
steven

[Neveracrossword]

Glad I could help, Steven - and glad you got there in the end. I didn't know how much clearer we could make The Last Word!

[Buenchico]

As Cashier indicates, the fact that viva/exam is "the last word" is all that matters for the purposes of the crossword but - since you ask about what a viva examines - a 'viva' (short for 'viva voce') is the oral examination of a candidate where his/her knowledge and understanding of the content of his/her thesis is assessed. (It was remarkably short for my own degree thesis because the examiner clearly hadn't got a clue about the subject himself!)

[stevenj]

Thanks Buenchico. That's what I love about this site. Not only do so many people help me improve my crossword skills but they (or you in this case) go the extra mile for me. I really appreciate that as much as the skills improvement. Nevercrossword has been a real star. But then others, missing tonight, like Lie-in King and Mamyalynne (and others) are great. They are so generous with their time and skill.
And now you
Thanks
steven