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Hello, Elle!
Mrs Ricci is English, sorry, not American like her husband!.
They live near Sevenoaks. (Not so far from you?)
Now, Elle, you have mentioned being a Latin student before, so I thought you would see "id est"!
I don't speak Latin, but it looked very familiar!
Chambers tells me it is Latin for "that is/that is to say".
If you put "L" for litres in it, it becomes "idlest"/"least likely to work".
Yes, there are tougher clues. You should have nailed this one!
In 28a I have "estate".
I am thinking Virginia is on the eastern side of USA and it is a state.
Is that what you reckon?
Well, I used to do the Guardian puzzle.
To me, some puzzles were super, and some were much less so.
But, others may well think differently.

Hi, Rusty!
Yes, Sevenoaks is not all that far away - perhaps about 15 miles or so?
I didn't see "id est" as two separate words!!!!
I kept wondering what "idest" meant!
How could I be so dim?
( Better not answer that on the grounds that it may incriminate you!)
Yes, I , too, have "estate" for 28a.
I parsed it , like you, as "estate = "country property" (def)
E (astern) state = Virginia
I am sure that we are correct!
What are you doing tomorrow?
Are you meeting up with the girls?




Hello, Chris!
Thank you! I didn't see that!
Yes, I saw your messages and answered on the other thread, earlier.

Hello, Elle!
Rich(ard) Ricci was very high up in Barclays Bank.
They are loaded!
I like Rich, he comes across as a very nice lad.
Yes, you should have seen "id est", if a thicko like me can see it!
"Estate" was not a great clue, for a prize puzzle, I do not think.
Yes, I am going out with Miss O tomorrow morning, and hope to hear all about New York.
Hopefully La Bamba will be along too.

Good morning, Rusty!
A lovely day here - a tad chilly, but at least it is fine for our family outing later.
I have no early morning walk this morning , as we shall be out from midday onwards until teatime.
Instead, I am relaxing......drinking coffee and contemplating an early start to the Everyman!
You will be looking forward to your outing to the Pine Cone with your granddaughters.
I expect there will be lot of photos to show you!

Good morning, Elle!
A bit cloudy here, so far, but no frost.
Yes, it will be nice to meet up with my granddaughters.
I hope you enjoy your day out, too.
Where do you find the Everyman, Elle?
I don't get a Sunday paper, so I'm a bit out of touch with the Sunday puzzles.

Hi, Rusty!
I've just had an email from my daughter - it seems we are aiming for another picnic!
A special request from the boys!
That means sausage rolls, small sausages, chicken nuggets , tomatoes , cucumber, raw carrots.....grapes, apples ........crisps........you name it , they will eat it!
Now the Everyman......
https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords
The Everyman puzzle come up in the top right hand corner...
I print mine out though...I never noticed whether one could do it online?

Hello, Elle!
Let's hope you get the weather for a picnic!
I occasionally do my Times puzzle on line, but I find it a bit of a scutter.
I much prefer a paper version.
Nowadays I have no printer, so it has to be a newspaper version for me.
I'll be patient and wait until tomorrow for my puzzle!

Hi, Rusty!
Well, it's glorious at the moment - and looks set for the day!
It might be a tad cold, but we can wrap up, and the object is to walk...only "pausing" for refreshment en route.
Is it not possible to do the Everyman crossword online?
Or did you change your mind about trying?
I've never investigated the possibility?

Hello, Elle!
I am sure you will enjoy your walk!
I am fairly sure the Everyman can be done online.
I prefer my day off, though!
Now, this may or may not interest you!
I found it browsing the internet.
It is a short film on, probably the best known puzzle setter, the late Araucaria of the Guardian.
https://www.theguardian.com/news/video/2015/jun/08/dear-araucaria-guardian-cryptic-crossword-video

Hi, Rusty!
I have just watched the video link about "Araucaria".
Yes, I had heard about him...it was interesting to listen to him.......
I noticed how he and his sister were doing the crossword in the newspaper with a pencil.......
This is how I have always done mine.......on paper ( if lately not in the actual newspaper).
Rather sadly, it is not so for the younger generations ...
Those days of simple pleasures are over .......everything is computerised!
And the delight in studying the crab...... do children nowadays have the time for this?
I feel so much is missed......
But here I am, waxing philosophical, and I still have one clue left to solve and then I must get organised.....
What time are you going out?