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Good morning, Elle!
Lovely day here.
Hope you get on fine on your outing!
I had the cemetery to myself the other day!

Hello, Chris!
A wee bit info about The Quiet Man.
This Sunday is "The Quiet Man Day" in a pub in Comber, County Down. The pub is McBrides On The Square.
The have the film on a loop, serve Irish stew all day, and encourage patrons to dress up as characters in the film.
This has been an annual event for twenty years or more.
It is very popular, so much so, that it is a struggle to get anywhere near the bar!
It is always the Sunday before Christmas they have it.
They raise a lot of money for charity.
Wish I was going!

Good afternoon, Rusty!
We were pleased to see that our friend and neighbour was looking none too much the worse for his frightening experience last Sunday.
A "proper" diagnosis has not yet been made, as he is awaiting an appointment at the Seizure Clinic and will have to undergo more tests.
But although he admits to feeling somewhat frail, he is bright and alert mentally and has no trouble remembering events in the past and yesterday!
So hopefully, fingers crossed, all will be well.....he was very pleased to see us!
I haven't seen "The Quiet Man" but I do remember your telling me previously about the annual showing of the film!
It sounds an event not to be missed, if possible!
And a great opportunity to give to charity!
Speaking of charity........ a friend of mine is holding a photography exhibition in aid of the PDSA (who helped with his dog's illness).
I must send an online contribution as we were unable to go to the Opening day.
I shall now take a look at the crossword, I think.......
Have you already done yours?



Hi, Chris!
I am sorry not to have answered earlier; I have been out until now.
Strangely, I have never seen "The Philadelphia Story".
It doesn't sound as though the plot was much altered in the musical?
I am not sure I would want to see the film now, though, as I have Bing and Grace Kelly firmly entrenched in my head as the characters!

Hello, Elle!
Yes the Comber "Quiet Man" day is very popular.
It is a good pub, too. Excellent Guinness.
You shall have to make an effort to watch it, if it comes on.
I saw another old film once, "The Petrified Forest".
The lead actor's speech/diction struck me as being pretty close to perfect.
I do not know who he was, though.
Humphrey Bogart was in it, too. I remember that.
Have you seen it?
That is good your friend seems not too bad!
Hopefully he shall improve.
Yes, I have finished my crossword.
Was not too bad, today.
Still very mild here!

Hi elle
Cary Grant, Katherine Hepburn and James Stewart, or Bing Crosby, Frank Sinatra and Grace Kelly? No contest as far as I'm concerned!

Hi, Rusty!
Yes, I will look out for "The Quiet Man" and watch it should it be televised - or even maybe pick up an inexpensive DVD.
I shall look on Amazon.
Leslie Howard was in "The Petrified Forest."
Very upper class British accent. Could it be he of whom you are thinking?.
He was in "Gone with the Wind." Have you seen that?
I have finished the Times QC.
I cannot parse this ......
15A: Counter on which to tell one's beads (6)
The answer is "abacus".
An abacus is a counter with beads ....but that is as far as I go.....
Is this what is called an "& lit"?
I never have understood that term?
I'm not sure I have the strength to tackle the 15 x 15!
Dank and dark here. Very miserable!


Ah, but Chris........you are not an avid Bing fan....!
I was brought up from the cradle on a diet of Bing!

Hello, Elle!
Yes, that was the name!
Leslie Howard!
I thought his pronunciation of words was perfect.
Best I have heard.
I have not watched "Gone With The Wind", no.
Your clue.
"Count" and "tell" mean the same.
So, abacus sounds fine, it is a counter.
i have no idea what "& lit" means but have seen it mentioned on the forum before.
It is "beyond my ken!"
It is to do with a crossword answer, I think.
It is a bit dull here, too, and the light is going.
Keep your strength for the prize crossword tomorrow!

Hello Rusty and Elle,

Hope all is OK.

According to google, an &lit is 'when the clue as a whole functions as a definition' (but no definition part is indicated) -
they give the following example:

Terribly evil = vile

It took me a while before I understand what it meant.

Hi, Rusty!
This delving into the past with favourite films and songs - several of us were doing the latter in the park whilst walking the dogs....... you should have heard us! - is very nostalgic, and somewhat compulsive!!
I find myself searching my mind to come up with another film that I like!
I think also that I have a tendency to watch films when I particularly like an actor or actress.
I like Julia Roberts.
She was excellent in "Eat, Pray, Love"
I saw the film and then later read the book which was written by Elizabeth Gilbert.
I was amazed at how well the main character was portrayed by Julia Roberts as the book was mainly about the character's thought and ideals and aims , rather than her actions - and yet all this came across really well in the film.
I was impressed!
Have you read the book?
I would recommend it.



Hello, Pigale!
I understand that the term ''& lit" means that it encompasses the whole clue, although I cannot see this in the example given!
And I still don't know if "my" clue is one!

Hi Elle,

my guess is that your clue is not an &lit because there is one word that acts as the definition ie counter. But I could be wrong.

In the example terribly evil
terribly means that clue is anagram of evil
but there is no 'definition word' that means 'vile'
What does mean 'vile' is the whole clue ie 'terribly evil'

er..... am I making sense?

Elle, the Times For The Times website explains your clue as...

Counter on which to tell = the definition
One's beads = One has beads.

I think this means it's not an '&lit' clue, but I don't always understand those anyway!