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Good afternoon, Elle!
Yes, I have risen.
It is a fine day here but we had heavy rain at dinner time!
Well now, I do not know the Merchant of Venice, I'm afraid.
I am sure it is a good story though.
You will be looking forward to seeing your daughter, I'd say!
Quite a good puzzle today.
I am not quite sure how 19a works?
1d is a new word to me!
There is a new blog up from Cherry about the pesky camera!

Good afternoon everyone!

Shame about the ospreys' personnal camera!

the Dorset barn owl web cam, had some problem yesterday but is back on now- there are no less than 7 eggs now!!!
That seems rather a lot of owlets to feed!
I read somewhere recently that some owls can lay as much as
14 eggs! I wonder how they all manage to survive.

Weather cold at night (minus 3C last night!), but absolutely gorgeous and warm now. Just been cutting the Box Hedge after treatment:
it seems to have done some good, but I shall have to spray some
more after cutting. Quite a tiring job since the hedge is no more
than 50cm high - a lot of bending or on all fours!

Hi, Rusty!
It has remained dull but dry here....we have been out this afternoon, but it was not a particularly nice day.
Yes, I think "The Merchant of Venice" has a good storyline.........I am looking forward to reading it again!
(I might need to do some sellotaping of my volume!)
I found today's 15 x15 puzzle very hard, Rusty....I have no way managed to complete it!
Strangely, I thought it far more difficult than the Championship crossword!
I couldn't do 1d?
but 19a "Zippo" is a double definition?
Zippo being a type of cigarette lighter and also meaning "nothing" (like "zip" all?)
The Times QC was quite manageable though!
Yes, it will be good to see our daughter on Sunday!


Hello, Pigale!
Dull and miserable looking here!
No sun and not all that warm!
I have had no access to the osprey nest for a few days now?
There seems to be an ongoing problem with the webcam.........

I saw the nest yesterday, but nothing today as yet.

Hello, Elle,
"Zippo" means "not a bit"?
I did not know that.
I knew the lighter brand, though.
1d, "Cataphract". I would imagine many would be stumped by it!
Cataract is the "big fall" around "PH" for pub.
I liked 4d too.
It was a toughish puzzle, but I prefer that.
I think most folk on the forum do?
If you were interested, the webcam at Loch Garten is working, but appears to have no sound!

Hello Rusty,

the webcam is not working for me yet!

Hello, Pigale!
Not working for me either, at Loch of the Lowes, Pigale, but the webcam at Loch Garten is.
EJ is sitting happily on her eggs!

Good evening, Rusty!
I guess a lot depends on how much one is on the same wavelength as the crossword setter.....
I fully agree with you, it is much more fun when the crossword is (a bit ) tough and one has to struggle a while to get the answers!
But today's puzzle is either way above my head?
Or else the compiler and I are living on different planets?
I have only been able to do a few of the clues!
I have given up now........time to concede defeat!
I cannot access the Loch Garten webcam either- that too doesn't appear to be working - there is an error notice on my screen?

Hello, Elle!
Wee tip!
Keep todays puzzle and see what the answers are tomorrow.
It's a good way to learn.
Did you get the jazzman, Dave "Brew beck"?
I liked that one.
And 17a , C elan dine. Caught, dash, lunch.
C is a cricket abbreviation for a batsman "caught".
My webcam from Loch Garten is working fine?
I think you must be a jinx!

Hi, Rusty!
Yes, checking out the answers the next day would be a good idea........but I cannot do that as I do not have the paper.....
John sends me the crosswords on the day of issue, but he never sends the subsequent answers!
That is why, once I have "given up" on a clue, I ask you for the answer and explanation, as otherwise I would never know.
You see?
Yes, I got Dave Brubeck....also "celandine". I liked that one! I could do that one straightaway!
I liked "umbrellaed " too! and "lounge lizards" but there were so many I just gave up on........
It was the "15 to 1" Final today!
There was another Shakespearean question on that - this time about Malvolio ("Twelfth Night")
Shakespeare is everywhere at the moment - do you think it might be because it is his birthday on Sunday, April 23rd ?
Which of course is also St George's Day - as well as the London Marathon!