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Good morning, Rusty!
Wet here...and cold!
I am very much behind schedule this morning, having spent a long time on the phone, sorting out various family problems.
Hopefully, though, all is now resolved!
Yes, I have just found a reasonable offer for "Rabbit Proof Fence"....
I only buy through Amazon as I still have money in my account there.
I bought the copy from "World of Books", and it should be with me in a few days.
Your Pine Cone outing seems destined to be postponed!
Still, maybe some of the others can come, as well, tomorrow?



Hello, Ros!
I cannot understand why, but typing in just "Rabbit Proof Fence" - as you said your book is called - brings forth (very much) cheaper offers than does "FOLLOW the Rabbit Proof Fence"!
It would appear to be the same book?
So I have gone with that, and my book should arrive soon!
Btw, have you noticed that Jigjag ( sorry, don't know whether that denotes male or female?) also hails from Liverpool originally?


Hello, Jiggag!
Uhm...I hadn't thought of the possible confusion should my friends want to buy a paper from a piper!
They also buy "plice" from the chip shop!
I am well used to it now...and it does help with the East End references and homonyms!

Good afternoon, Elle!
Fine day here! And a nice fresh breeze.
I was out dandering!
I'll just leave the Pine Cone trip the way it is with two granddaughters.
They will provide enough hilarity to be going on with!
Well done on your book.
World of Books will provide a good copy, I'm sure.
Touching on "Rabbits" title.
Books often have varying titles.
Bryson's "Down Under" is also published as "In a Sunburned Country".

Hello Elle

I am male and I assume everyone else is - unless it is obvious!

Funnily enough, Malone referred to me as a "she" in a post the other week and when I advised her, she said she assumes everyone is female like her. That was a surprise as I had assumed she was male, although there is no logic to that. Maybe we all think the same way.

Hello Rusty

Mark G's opinion should certainly carry some weight - he is just amazing. The first time I went to the Times final, he walked out after 22 mins - I assumed he had had enough, not realising that he could finish 3 in that time. I struggled on for the hour. Quite a few solvers did them in half an hour

Where does the Editor come from? I find quite a few clues are unfair but that could be because I dont understand them or the solutions.

Hello, Jigjag!
Mark is astonishing, true!
I think he has won the last eleven titles!
The crossword editor is Richard Rogan, who comes from Northern Ireland.
Hope this link works!

https://www.news.co.uk/who-we-are/toptalent/richard-rogan/


He uses around 15 or 16 setters, if I remember correctly.
Mr Rogan also sets, too, but I don't know which paper/s he sets for.

Update, Jigjag!
A bit more detail about Mr Rogan here.
http://www.harperreach.com/author/richard-rogan/

Hi, Rusty!
We have been out walking, too!
Very cold.......and it rained again!
I had thought that it was only going to be Miss L-B whom you were meeting today- assuming that Miss O would be at school - which is why I commented that maybe Saturday would bring forth more granddaughters!
I don't think I have read Bryson's "Down Under"........but I have "The Road to Little Dribbling" in my pile of "still to read".
Daughter has just phoned on her way home.....
BB has enjoyed his week going on a football course over the half term!
So I may learn some new footie skills over the weekend!



Hello, Jigjag!
I am impressed that you took part in the Times Final!
Are you allowed any reference aids when competing?
I should be lost without Chambers and Bradford's!
I struggle as it is!!

Hello, Elle!
The temperature is dropping here, too.
We have a weather warning.
Possible ice overnight.
I had already arranged to go with Miss O on Saturday.
Now it will be her and La Bamba.
I think you have read "Down Under", Elle, it was about Australia?
Talking about football skills, a team mate of Usain Bolt's said his first touch is like "a trampoline", and he will never make a player!
Good puzzle today, though I have not heard of 2d before.
11a was my favourite!

Hi, Rusty!
Ah, mystery solved about the number of granddaughters!
Yes, you are right - I have read "Down Under".......I had forgotten!
It was in my "Walkabout " book, following on from "A Walk in the Woods".
( Oh dear! sometimes I worry about myself!)
Yes, it was a good puzzle today!
There were a few that I especially liked......12a: oviporous; 13a: Nobel laureate; 17a; West Side Story; and 22d: radii.
"Pendennis" is the main character - Arthur Pendennis - in a Thackeray novel. entitled (I think?) "The History of Pendennis."
I don't know what CGI means?
And I cannot do 8d: I'm not sure about feminist opponent (8)
I have R?S?S?E?
What am I missing here ?
I had pancakes for dinner! Very good they were, too!

Good evening, Elle!
I had "Pendragon" on my head, but could not get the parse.
"CGI", I think is "computer generated something".
Now, 8d is "resister" for "opponent".
"I'm not sure" is the "word" "er..." said in a hesitating manner.
You say "er..." and pause slightly before continuing.
(See Chambers)
So! Reverse/"about" "er" and you get "re".
A "feminist" in modern parlance is sometimes referred to as a "sister".
Just wondering if your modern Chambers will have that meaning of "sister" in it?
Sorry, it's a bit of a carry-on of an explanation, Elle!