Crossword Help Forum
Forum Rules

Good morning friends. I'm in a ruse this morning as I'm having motherboard problems and must bring my computer to the nearest tech (25 miles). Therefore [b[I'll be off the air for a few days. Please have fun. I'll see you when I have my machine back. Bless. 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 + 1) to allow others to have a go.

1. Old maid called for a big alcoholic drink (7)

2. Say nothing (initially tasteless) to criticise severely, it inflates one's good opinion of oneself. (3-4)

3. Has to be painful for a US type of walrus? (8)

4. Fruit of children with sin ending up in prison (11)

5. Dons conceal the whole crop as someone may be listening (5,4,4)

... and even "I'm in a rush ....."

Hi jolan
Hope it's not too long until you are back.

Just have #5 on first reading.

I can now add #3.

Out with the dog soon - I'll look in again later.

I think I have #4 which is a bit convoluted but seems to work. We shall see....:)

Oh no! Jolan's incommunicado. I see all but #4. The answer that springs to mind for that one has two of the clue words in it but I can't parse the rest. Must be barking up the wrong tree.

A new site problem. I've tried to post several times but when I put the cursor in the reply box my computer freezes.

Well, it worked that time- obviously.

Hi Chrise, Jazzy and Ari {brngs a whole now meaning to "ghost in the machine" Ari :-)}. Good to see you all solving. A techie replaced the CMOS battery in my computer last week and the problems started. Never thought to check his work. Instead I foolishly suspected the motherboard (as did the "much better" techie). When we opened it up we found that the CMOS had not been seated correctly and this was causing the problem. Back now, after a long but enjoyable ride and all seems well again.

See you later. J

Pleased to see you back Jolan.
I now have #5 also

Hi Jolan, golf rained off so here I am. I think I have them all apart from 4) which I can't parse properly so I'll keep going.