Azed 1787

[pldcav]

24a seems to rely on CASSIN(O) being a gambling joint, but my reading of Chambers suggests that that spelling only refers to the card game?

[mahonia]

Yes, I thought this was strange too as the Chambers entries under cassino itself and under casino mention only the card game. However, I'm assuming MOCASSIN is the correct solution.

[ontarioice]

My old Websters gives Cassino as a variant of Casino so I think you can safely use you Cassino.

[goldenfield]

I am surprised at that ontarioice - the New International Websters Comprehensive Dictionary has for cassino - see casion (def 3). Defintion 3 for casino is for the game and not for the room or building. Perhaps you would quote what exactly your Websters says under cassino?

[ontarioice]

This is a very old Websters. First meaning is: A town in Italy Northwest of Naples etc. With the second meaning: Variant of Casino.
I also double checked online at The Free Dictionary site and it gives same meanings.

[ontarioice]

See: http://www.thefreedictionary.com/cassino

[Quizmonster]

I suspect the Chambers problem is that the semi-colon is in the wrong place...ie seemingly tying the cassino version to only the game. Certainly the double-s variant is included in The Oxford English Dictionary as an alternative to 'casino' meaning the gaming-house and it completes the 'mocassin' clue perfectly fitting all surrounding answers.

[Quizmonster]

Oh, dear! The underlining was supposed to stop after the second 's'. I must sort out this short-term memory problem of mine!