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Good morning! Hope you are all well. Here are today's clues. Happy solving! J

I set clues just for pleasure. I wonder if some of you excellent regulars would like to try a few? Since they're new, no letters!

Please withhold solutions till 5 pm (GMT) to allow others to have a go.

1. Usually it’s the coachman’s right to a position of control (3,4,4)

2. Sophisticated construction spotted off volcanic island (6)

3. Wish evil on old bachelor dragon (7)

4. I won’t hear this within earshot for example (2,7)

5. Decline to accept suspensions fail in going about from one tack to another (6,5)

Hi jolan
No solutions (though some ideas) on quick first reading. Lunch calls, then I'm taking the dog out and then cooking, but I hope that I'll be able to fit in a more careful perusal.

Hi Chris. I'm trying to find the energy to do a bit of work around the place. See you later.

Hi Jolan,

Got No 2 (nicely worked out) but going back to work now, I'll check in tonight.

Take care.

Good afternoon jolan, I trust you're well. I hope this laissez faire attitude of yours has nothing to do with your bumper crop of "rhubarb"! Similar to Les I only have #2 so far but will happily plod on with the others, thanks.

Good afternoon Jolan
Glorious sunny day here and I am busy in the garden.
I can see #2 on first reading. Till later...

Thanks, Jolan. All great clues and as cunning as always. Have Chambers defined word perfect answer to 5 but the letter count means it is in the past tense. Am I off beam?

I've got #2 now, and an answer to #5 that's only partly parsed.

Jolan, please ignore previous post. I should know better than to question the master. Have found the synonym.

Thanks jolan for a frustrating set (just joking, really - I have ideas for all of them, but most I haven't worked through)

2 ISCHIA - subtractive anagram of "sophisticated" without "spotted"

5 JIBING ROUND? - "jib" is decline to accept, and it is a means of changing course in a sailing boat*. Don't see the "IN GROUND" bit, though.


* for info, in jibing, the stern passes through where the wind is coming from. This is potentially much more hazardous than "tacking", in which the bow passes through the wind direction. In jibing, the mainsail can be blown across rather violently.