EV 979 - Problem by Salamanca

[kayakamina]

Everyone must be away on their hols or just enjoying a lazy Sunday.

A pretty straightforward grid fill, and once I'd decided that SMIR was not relevant other than the placing of unchecked letters, an enjoyable finale.

[DocHH]

Hello Kayakamina,
I agree, despite 1ac, the rest of the clues were relatively straightforward. I don't normally like re-arrrangements of answers within the grid, however this one worked OK.
Enjoying a glass of Hardy's Bin 53 "Special Release" ROUGE!

[slaney]

Hi K - it took far too long for the penny to drop for me.
I had expected something not so straightforward, and perhaps the title to be a little more specific to the method of entry.
Perhaps I'm just in grumpy old woman mode!

[slaney]

'evening DocHH...indeed maybe another glass of wine would help!

[AndrewG-S]

Straightforward enough grid fill but still not sure what the title is. Will mull over a little while longer. Agree that the SMIR was a bit unnecessary, but double unches are also a little unusual. K - have certainly been enjoying a lazy sunday, lengthy roast lunch before EV.

[AndrewG-S]

Well I think I now have it but agree with slaney on the title, unless of course I have something wrong...

[slaney]

Ahh - there is a better title, so apologies to Salamanca!

[AndrewG-S]

I seem now to have three candidates for the title one of which seems to fit the best but still not perfectly.

[kayakamina]

As far as I know only one title has the 'problem' quote.

[AndrewG-S]

and that is the title I was proposing to use.

[devadolly]

Good late afternoon to all. I have (amazingly) finished the grid and tracked down the quote - but do I have to do anything with the 'drizzle'? Do the four letters have a purpose?

[DocHH]

Hello Devadolly,
In my opinion the SMIR was entirely redundant, other to confirm the 2 pairs of unchecked lights! Don't you just love ODQ? That trailer-load of fruit has not arrrived yet, just as well really, we are of on our travels for a few days. Should be back for 981! Nowhere exotic, visiting friends in the Midlands, with no access to BRB! Herself would be less than pleased if I took it with us and attempted EV!

[devadolly]

Thank you DocHH. We will probably pass you en route, we are off to my sister's in Cheltenham via our wonderful osteopath in Redditch, can easily arrange to pass a trailer-load of assorted produce across the central reservation!

[bobbycollins]

Quite enjoyed that, but it took ages for the final PDM which was met with a huge DOH. I am sure that the work has previously been used as a theme - maybe The Listener?

[novalis]

Enjoyed this and have actually read the work involved. Agree with the comments above.

[AndrewG-S]

bobbycollins, if you do IQ there was one with exactly this theme in 2004. For EV there was one along the same lines in 2007, there was also one in the Listener in that year.

[Christiana]

Hi everyone, well made heavier weather of it than I should have done, as I messed up 9d, ( a slightly different plant from the correct answer) which threw me off the scent somewhat in the endgame. K has put me right, though and now all done and dusted. Enjoy the Midlands DocHH and Cheltenham, Devadolly (hope you're not abandoning the fruit for too long.

I'm actually getting ripe peaches from our two trees this year and they're yummy. Last year we only managed one peach between the two trees.