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Hi, Rusty!
I have made a good start on the crossword.
Now I think you have an unfair advantage with 9a: "taoiseach" !
Although I suppose it balanced out with 11a...
I don't suppose you were happy with "'ardour" sounds like " 'arder"!
The puzzle doesn't seem too difficult ...although I am really not into crosswords this week!
My mind is too tennis orientated.....
One of my grandson's has a birthday today......he is eight!
We feel sad that we cannot see him!
Although we have sent him a present and card...and we shall phone him when he gets home from school.
But it is just not the same as when the family used to live locally!

Hello, Elle!
Ah, now, "taoiseach" is a good one!
I have to think deeply on the spelling though!
I thought "ardour" was fairly fair when I put my Cockney titfer on!
The "Newcastle mother" in 4d was a struggle for me.
I thought "mam" was a Scouse word.
In Donegal they say "mammy".
When Newcastle is mentioned it is often "NE" for North East, they are indicating...although it is South from me.
The parse in 28a is beyond me. Help?
I have the golf on.
A fair wind coming in off the North Sea.
Do you know of "Skype", Elle?
Can you not Skype your grandson when he comes home?

Hello, Jazzgirl.
I have not seen helicopters like that before!

Hello rusty
I have never seen a V22 before today.
My neighbour and I guessed it was Trump and this was confirmed soon after.
We often have Police choppers circling when they are tracking culprits.

Rusty, 28 Across...
Spirit revealed albeit briefly in French art (5) Ethos

Albeit = Though = Tho (briefly, so shortened)
Es = French for are, and art = are (how great thou art etc).

Hi, Rusty!
"Taoisreach" was a new term for me!
I worked out the word from the clue...... then had to Google it to verify the meaning!
28a: Spirit revealed albeit briefly in French art (5)
I have it as
ethos = spirit (def)
tho' - though; albeit
es - French for "are / art" (tu es = you are)
Now, I cannot parse 27a: Bizarre device tor converting motion (9)
I have got as far as "eccentric" = "bizarre" (def)
But cannot see the rest?
What am I not getting, please?
Yes, I do know of Skype , Rusty....but unfortunately I cannot be doing with using it, as it triggers off my migraine!
The tiny flickering that can occur (pixels?) sets my vision disturbances off!
(This is the aura that presages a migraine headache)
So we have to make do with the telephone!
The first men's Semi-final is now underway; Kevin Anderson against John Isner....
Even Stevens so far!

Hello, Malone!
Thank you for your help.
That was a clue too far, for me.
I had "ethos", though.
Just looked Bradford's and she has "es" under "art"
I shall give best to the setter on this one!

Rusty, glad I could help - it was one I could and did parse!

Elle, an Eccentric is a 'device for taking an alternating rectilinear motion from a revolving shaft '. I didn't know that until today, when I looked it up in Chambers.

Hello, Elle!
There is no "r" in "Taoiseach"!
Thank you for the parse for 28.
I did not know "albeit", I would have suggested it made sense as "all be it", a new word for me!
I did not know "es" but Anne Bradford did, I have just found out!
In mechanical devices an offset cam is an "eccentric" cam.
They were used to open and close contact breakers in a car's ignition system, making the engine go. (Wonder if that is what the setter is alluding to?)
Now, that is as close to an explanation as I can get, Elle.
I have never used Skype.
That is a pity about your migraine attacks.

Hello, Malone,
I think your version of "eccentric" is better than mine!
I remember changing the "points" (contact breakers) in cars and that is where I learned about eccentric cams.

Elle,
Malone's "eccentric" is the one to go with.
You did well on the puzzle today!

Hi, Rusty!
I apologise for my typo, Rusty!
I don't know where the "r" came from - fortunately, I didn't write it in the crossword grid!!
Re 27a: I didn't think of the word "eccentric" as meaning a device....
I was trying to break the word down into components.......I was completely on the wrong track.......
The tennis is very exciting...are you looking in?
Kevin Anderson has taken the first set, which went to a tie -break....
I do not know Iohn Isner, but John McEnroe tells us that Isner was two match points down in the Second Round.....went on to overcome that...and is now in the Semi Final...so presumably a formidable player!
I am looking forward to the second Semi, when two of my favourites - Rafa and Novak - play each other!
Are you keeping up with cycling and the golf?
What progress there?



Hello, Malone!
Thank you for your input.....
I was way off beam...I was trying to break down the word "eccentric".....
Are you watching the tennis?
I am sad, though, that Roger is out of it.......