daily record big one

[glamis66]

117A girth 8L d?e?e?e? last one many thanks

[johnalex]

Diameter

[bookbinder]

If the answer really is diameter, then it's a poorly-written clue.

[johnalex]

Yes, agreed bookbinder. Girth goes around, diameter is straight across but can't think of an alternative! Regards, ja.

[bookbinder]

I'll have a look in Roget's Thesaurus.

[bookbinder]

I can't find anything that fits perfectly the letters that we have been given.
Diameter could be right, johnalex. Crossword compilers don't always get it right. A recent clue on AB more or less said that the Gestapo was the same as the SS. Saga magazine's compiler has made a mistake with the July crossword.

[johnalex]

Yes, bb I've also checked Roget plus three other dictionaries but none will confirm that a circle is a straight line! Glamis, is your first E correct?

[bookbinder]

I have done some digging, and I have found that, if you take the meaning of 'girth' to be simply 'measurement', then 'diameter' would be acceptable. I used to compile crosswords for a hotel chain magazine, and I wouldn't have used this clue in this way. Still, it takes all sorts...