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Hello, Elle!
War Horse was a fine film.
A good tale, well told, and superbly filmed.
Yes, a fine puzzle today, Elle.
Now, you know the drill when you are stuck?
Put the puzzle away, have a coffee etc and when you return, all will be revealed!
18a is new to me.
No bangs here, so far, but it is early yet.

Good evening, Rusty!
My parcel finally arrived at 4 o'clock!
It was already going dark by then, so a walk was definitely off the agenda.
Yes, I left my crossword alone, and went back to it later this afternoon, with some success!
I am now down to one unsolved clue and two parses....
The clue that I cannot do is the one that you mentioned....
18a: ?U?T?R / ?U?L?N
I have no ideas at all?
And the parsings...if you can help with those, please?
19d: I have "stench" = "stink" (def)
26a: "hartebeest" = "African native" (def)
But can see no further with either of them?
The local "official" fireworks display is due to start at 7 pm......

That looks like BUTTER MUSLIN, elle - what's the clue?

Hello, Elle!

It is dark now and just heard my first banger!
18a, The camp fellow is Billy Butlin!
19, is "s" son, "web/net" reversed and "h"ackers.
26 I do not know other than worker's is "bee's", time is "t".
I have no idea about Francis Bret!
You have done well.
Get Billy Butlin and you are there, though I have not heard of the answer before.

hello jigjag
Did you ask why you needed an annual blood test re your liver? Is everyone over a certain age meant to have one? (I can't remember when I last went to my GP except for that one flu jab and I wouldn't agree to such a test unless it was for specific symptoms). Many elderly people are overmedicated and would be far better off all their drugs except those for specific and very definite complaints eg Type 1 diabetes.
The wood was peaceful and very beautiful today.

Anyone else like the Mediaeval Murderers books?

Hi Ros
I'm a great fan of mediaeval murder books - Cadfael, Owen Archer, Domesday etc., but I think you might be referring to a specific series?

Yes chris. The MMs are a group of people who each write one section of a book. I believe the MMs are given as the authors. A bit like Cadfael (always far too clean on TV!) and progress forward in time as well.

Hi, Rusty!
Yes, bangers are going off in our neighbourhood , too.
Oh dear! Poor dog!
Now.....I have been trying to work out 18a from your hint of "Billy Butlin"....
Chris has kindly supplied "butter muslin" as the answer, of which I have never heard?
So working it out backwards, how about the following?
butter muslin = wrapping material (def)
Butlin = camp fellow
term- conditions
u-posh
I think that must be it?
I thought that was a very hard clue?
(Yet Butlin should have come to mind, as Bill Bryson was referring to him in "Little Dribbling"!)
Now Francis Bret.......your having explained "bee's t" to me, left only " harte" unaccounted for......
So I have Googled "Francis Bret Harte" and discovered he is an American short story writer and poet.
There do appear to be variations on the spelling of his name.....Bret/ Brett...and Hart/Harte ......but this is obviously from where the "harte" part of the answer comes.
Very convoluted!


Hello, Chris!
Yes, thank you, "butter muslin" is the answer.
I have never heard of it!

Hi elle
It's used for wrapping food, and also for straining - apple jelly, for example.

btw you seem to be missing an S - is it "terms" for conditions?