Comments for Big Dave's Crossword Blog http://bigdave44.com Putting the words to lights – crossword clues explained in plain English Mon, 21 May 2012 16:22:18 +0100 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.3.2 Comment on DT 26871 by crypticsue http://bigdave44.com/2012/05/21/dt-26871/#comment-108657 crypticsue Mon, 21 May 2012 16:22:18 +0000 http://bigdave44.com/?p=31093#comment-108657 Much less in the sense of 'not to mention' Much less in the sense of ‘not to mention’

]]> Comment on DT 26871 by Pam http://bigdave44.com/2012/05/21/dt-26871/#comment-108656 Pam Mon, 21 May 2012 16:22:09 +0000 http://bigdave44.com/?p=31093#comment-108656 Enjoyed today, as I usually do Rufus's offerings. Thanks to him and to Libellule for the hints, without which I might not have finished. Fav clue was 6a which made me smile, having spent some years with fidgety young scholars! Lots of good clues today I thought. Enjoyed today, as I usually do Rufus’s offerings. Thanks to him and to Libellule for the hints, without which I might not have finished. Fav clue was 6a which made me smile, having spent some years with fidgety young scholars! Lots of good clues today I thought.

]]> Comment on DT 26871 by Digby http://bigdave44.com/2012/05/21/dt-26871/#comment-108652 Digby Mon, 21 May 2012 16:15:48 +0000 http://bigdave44.com/?p=31093#comment-108652 Derek, There is a school of thought which suggests that the "may" in question is the blossom of the hawthorn, which appears (outs) when a certian ambient temeperature is reached. Anyway, it has also been a very nice May day in Heavenly Henfield Derek, There is a school of thought which suggests that the “may” in question is the blossom of the hawthorn, which appears (outs) when a certian ambient temeperature is reached.
Anyway, it has also been a very nice May day in Heavenly Henfield

]]> Comment on DT 26871 by Derek http://bigdave44.com/2012/05/21/dt-26871/#comment-108645 Derek Mon, 21 May 2012 15:51:06 +0000 http://bigdave44.com/?p=31093#comment-108645 The usual gentle start to the week from Jolly Roger. Liked : 9a, 19a, 21a, 25a, 8d, 14d, 15d & 20d. Very definitely summery weather now in NL - had lunch with my daughter today in the open air at a restaurant on the bank of the Rijn (Rhine) at Alphen a/d Rijn. First open-air meal this year! The trees everywhere are still very emerald green which shows how late the spring has been this weird year. Am now casting woolly clothing at long last! Ne'er cast a clout 'til May be out! I always took the out to mean finished - the French equivalent says end of April but France is further south! The usual gentle start to the week from Jolly Roger.

Liked : 9a, 19a, 21a, 25a, 8d, 14d, 15d & 20d.

Very definitely summery weather now in NL – had lunch with my daughter today in the open air at a restaurant on the bank of the Rijn (Rhine) at Alphen a/d Rijn. First open-air meal this year!

The trees everywhere are still very emerald green which shows how late the spring has been this weird year.
Am now casting woolly clothing at long last!
Ne’er cast a clout ’til May be out! I always took the out to mean finished – the French equivalent says end of April but France is further south!

]]> Comment on DT 26871 by After 10 pm http://bigdave44.com/2012/05/21/dt-26871/#comment-108642 After 10 pm Mon, 21 May 2012 15:39:20 +0000 http://bigdave44.com/?p=31093#comment-108642 Although it's Monday I found this one far too easy to give much satisfaction. I did however struggle with 26a and, although I got it right, it was a guess. I still don't really understand the connection with "Much less". Although it’s Monday I found this one far too easy to give much satisfaction. I did however struggle with 26a and, although I got it right, it was a guess. I still don’t really understand the connection with “Much less”.

]]> Comment on DT 26871 by Annidrum http://bigdave44.com/2012/05/21/dt-26871/#comment-108640 Annidrum Mon, 21 May 2012 15:38:38 +0000 http://bigdave44.com/?p=31093#comment-108640 I found I was slow with this to-day and like Libellule wonder why and for me last one in was 21a. Lovely Rufus puzzle and thanks to Libellule. I found I was slow with this to-day and like Libellule wonder why and for me last one in was 21a. Lovely Rufus puzzle and thanks to Libellule.

]]> Comment on DT 26871 by Wayne http://bigdave44.com/2012/05/21/dt-26871/#comment-108639 Wayne Mon, 21 May 2012 15:35:56 +0000 http://bigdave44.com/?p=31093#comment-108639 No problems for me today, maybe I'm just lucky and on the Compilers wavelength, sure i'll pay for it later in the week. Thanx to Compiler and to Libellule for his review. Well done Chelsea and West Ham, must be nice to live in London if you're a 'footie' fan, regrettably I come from Portsmouth (Pompey). :-( Regards from a lovely sunny south coast, long may it last. No problems for me today, maybe I’m just lucky and on the Compilers wavelength, sure i’ll pay for it later in the week.
Thanx to Compiler and to Libellule for his review.
Well done Chelsea and West Ham, must be nice to live in London if you’re a ‘footie’ fan, regrettably I come from Portsmouth (Pompey). :-( Regards from a lovely sunny south coast, long may it last.

]]> Comment on DT 26871 by Kath http://bigdave44.com/2012/05/21/dt-26871/#comment-108637 Kath Mon, 21 May 2012 15:27:37 +0000 http://bigdave44.com/?p=31093#comment-108637 Sun almost out in Oxford too - well, maybe that's going a bit too far - it is, at least, thinking about it! Sun almost out in Oxford too – well, maybe that’s going a bit too far – it is, at least, thinking about it!

]]> Comment on DT 26871 by Heno http://bigdave44.com/2012/05/21/dt-26871/#comment-108621 Heno Mon, 21 May 2012 14:32:43 +0000 http://bigdave44.com/?p=31093#comment-108621 Thanks to the setter and Libellule for the review and hints. Found this very straightforward except for 19a, which I had never heard of, but I should have got it from the wordplay. Favourites were 9& 21a. Sun 21a ing to break through in Central London. Well done to England! Thanks to the setter and Libellule for the review and hints. Found this very straightforward except for 19a, which I had never heard of, but I should have got it from the wordplay. Favourites were 9& 21a. Sun 21a ing to break through in Central London. Well done to England!

]]> Comment on DT 26871 by spindrift http://bigdave44.com/2012/05/21/dt-26871/#comment-108618 spindrift Mon, 21 May 2012 14:24:52 +0000 http://bigdave44.com/?p=31093#comment-108618 Whisper it quietly but the sun is cracking the pavements here in West Bridgford (comparatively speaking anyway) Whisper it quietly but the sun is cracking the pavements here in West Bridgford (comparatively speaking anyway)

]]> Comment on DT 26871 by Hrothgar http://bigdave44.com/2012/05/21/dt-26871/#comment-108616 Hrothgar Mon, 21 May 2012 14:21:27 +0000 http://bigdave44.com/?p=31093#comment-108616 I'm another bucker. Did this quite quickly. Enjoyable. Thanks Rufus and Libellule. I’m another bucker.
Did this quite quickly.
Enjoyable.
Thanks Rufus and Libellule.

]]> Comment on DT 26871 by BEAVER http://bigdave44.com/2012/05/21/dt-26871/#comment-108611 BEAVER Mon, 21 May 2012 13:54:31 +0000 http://bigdave44.com/?p=31093#comment-108611 Indeed i did through a' haze' of Robinsons bitter intersperced with appropriate barbed rantings to the smug 'enemy'when Fergie time finally kicked in! Oh Frabjous day! Callooh! Callay! Indeed i did through a’ haze’ of Robinsons bitter intersperced with appropriate barbed rantings to the smug ‘enemy’when Fergie time finally kicked in! Oh Frabjous day! Callooh! Callay!

]]> Comment on DT 26871 by Chris http://bigdave44.com/2012/05/21/dt-26871/#comment-108601 Chris Mon, 21 May 2012 13:13:39 +0000 http://bigdave44.com/?p=31093#comment-108601 Quite enjoyable. Liked 19a, 20d. Never heard of 3d before. Thought 5d, 15d a little weak. Quite enjoyable. Liked 19a, 20d. Never heard of 3d before. Thought 5d, 15d a little weak.

]]> Comment on DT 26871 by Nigel Baker http://bigdave44.com/2012/05/21/dt-26871/#comment-108593 Nigel Baker Mon, 21 May 2012 12:34:17 +0000 http://bigdave44.com/?p=31093#comment-108593 Just noticed the iPad theme off feature! Not sure where my last post went. But hard going for a Monday. *** / *** from me. Many thanks. Just noticed the iPad theme off feature! Not sure where my last post went. But hard going for a Monday. *** / *** from me. Many thanks.

]]> Comment on DT 26871 by Senf http://bigdave44.com/2012/05/21/dt-26871/#comment-108589 Senf Mon, 21 May 2012 12:15:21 +0000 http://bigdave44.com/?p=31093#comment-108589 http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Where_does_to_have_a_gander_ie_look_originate_from says "to have a gander" is from an OE word "gandra." http://wiki.answers.com/Q/Where_does_to_have_a_gander_ie_look_originate_from says “to have a gander” is from an OE word “gandra.”

]]> Comment on DT 26871 by nubian http://bigdave44.com/2012/05/21/dt-26871/#comment-108587 nubian Mon, 21 May 2012 12:12:55 +0000 http://bigdave44.com/?p=31093#comment-108587 Ahh! Ahh!

]]> Comment on DT 26871 by Senf http://bigdave44.com/2012/05/21/dt-26871/#comment-108586 Senf Mon, 21 May 2012 12:12:23 +0000 http://bigdave44.com/?p=31093#comment-108586 Thanks to Rufus for a nice start to the week. Finished it last night while watching Sherlock Holmes taking on Moriarty on PBS, so around two hours to complete which is fast for me. Last in were 25a and 15d, didn't help that my I ended 15 d with "ED" to start with. I liked the anagram indicator in 21a. Thanks to Rufus for a nice start to the week. Finished it last night while watching Sherlock Holmes taking on Moriarty on PBS, so around two hours to complete which is fast for me. Last in were 25a and 15d, didn’t help that my I ended 15 d with “ED” to start with. I liked the anagram indicator in 21a.

]]> Comment on DT 26871 by andy http://bigdave44.com/2012/05/21/dt-26871/#comment-108585 andy Mon, 21 May 2012 12:10:29 +0000 http://bigdave44.com/?p=31093#comment-108585 Hi Nubian, Mary is still here, away for a few days in her new camper van Hi Nubian, Mary is still here, away for a few days in her new camper van

]]> Comment on DT 26871 by Digby http://bigdave44.com/2012/05/21/dt-26871/#comment-108584 Digby Mon, 21 May 2012 12:06:51 +0000 http://bigdave44.com/?p=31093#comment-108584 13d is at hand, with Messrs Cook & Bell doing a bit of 25a and 2d -ing. The puzzle was about par for Roger's course, I thought, and thanks to him and Libellule. 13d is at hand, with Messrs Cook & Bell doing a bit of 25a and 2d -ing.
The puzzle was about par for Roger’s course, I thought, and thanks to him and Libellule.

]]> Comment on DT 26871 by BigBoab http://bigdave44.com/2012/05/21/dt-26871/#comment-108583 BigBoab Mon, 21 May 2012 12:04:25 +0000 http://bigdave44.com/?p=31093#comment-108583 Beaver, I would have thought you enjoyed 8d as I did after last weeks delights at the Ethiad. Beaver, I would have thought you enjoyed 8d as I did after last weeks delights at the Ethiad.

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