Inquisitor 1324

[boreas]

I have finished apart from 13 ac. Can't work out what the third letter is.
The only word that seems to fit doesn't seem to answer the clue.

Clue says:

"Tolkien's ogre finally got away from old enclosed fruit garden (4)".

There is a surplus letter in the wordplay of the clue.

[factor-fiction]

What letters do you have please (presumably the first, second and fourth)?

[Gregsdad]

ORC(H)A(T)

[boreas]

FF, I have OR-A.

Gregsdad, I understand ORC and ORCHAT.
But where does HAT come from, and where is the definition of the actual entry?

[slaney]

The wordplay as Gregsdad says, leads to ORCA
ORCHA(t)= finally got away from old enclosed fruit garden, with H as the extra letter.
There is a slip-up in the definition "Tolkien's ogre" which is ORC not ORCA - a killer whale.

[boreas]

Many thanks Slaney. (and Gregsdad).

Yes it was o

So the definition was: Tolkien's ogre. So ORCA is a mistake.

[boreas]

Sorry. That should have read . . .

Many thanks Slaney. (and Gregsdad).

So the definition was: Tolkien's ogre. So ORCA is a mistake by the setter.
Very enjoyable puzzle though.

[Gregsdad]

Boreas, Slaney

Yes, think it's a mistake. I'm no expert, or indeed fan, of Tolkien so don't know whether ORC was referred to as ORCA at all in his books ? Looking up the derivation of the word ORCA only served to muddy the waters.

[boreas]

I have read his books, and it was always ORC.

It will be interesting to see Fifteensquared when this puzzle comes up.

[Indy-trier]

I was about to answer you when I saw Slaney also thought there was a setter mistake. Interesting! I've finished everything apart from 18d. Any help to tidy this away would be much appreciated.

[Indy-trier]

PS I have the spare letter and all the letters of 18D bar the first one. I can't seem to find anything that fits!

[boreas]

Hi Indy,

This was the last one I got - after ages.
Indeed = AY.
Spirit = KA.
Excellent = FAB.

Put them together as the clue instructs to get a tunic.

[boreas]

Sorry . . . I should have also said take away the F, the superfluous letter.

[Johnjohnw]

I have both quotations and the author, but what is the connection between them?

[boreas]

I just took the connection to be the title of the puzzle: 'Baby Talk'.
Both quotes relate to babies.
But I wouldn't be surprised if there is a deeper and more subtle connection - which someone will post, I'm sure.

[Indy-trier]

Thanks, Boreas. I had everything apart from that first letter and the logic behind it. All tidied away now!