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Good evening, Elle.
A great visit from your family!
Well done!
Lindsey done brilliantly.
That is the 6th World Championships in which she has won a medal/medals.
A bronze today.
She had two ambitions when she left the gate.
Firstly, not to crash out, secondly, to lead the field for one last time in her last ever race.
And she did both!
She led until Ilka Suhec came down faster.
I managed to record the athletics, too, but not watched it yet.
I may look for Jemma Reekie's race.
So...there is a new setter doing Everyman?
I just saw the clue that was puzzling Brendan.
Apparently there was a word missing!
I know little about grammar, Elle, but could "rail" and "banter" be used as verbs and mean the same?
Just wondering!

Hi, Rusty!
Yes, there is a new setter for the Everyman, and has been for the last three weeks.
The previous compiler apparently had to retire from the task , because of ill health.
I am uncertain whether this is a permanent decision, or just until his health perhaps improves?
There have been various problems with the crossword since then.
No, "rail" and "banter" do not mean the same in any context.......
Collins gives "rail" as "to complain bitterly , or vehemently", whereas "banter" is given as "to tease or speak lightly, or jokingly."
( However, "raillery" is "light-hearted satire or ridicule; banter")
An unacceptable mistake, in my book.
Jemma Reekie did well , didn't she?
She won the 1500m and now has a place on the GB team for the European Indoor Championships in Glasgow.
Well done, Jemma!
It is my turn to phone my cousin.......

Hello, Elle!
There are some very good setters going about, too, you'd think Everyman would find an adequate replacement for the usual one.
Though I doubt it'd be the setter's fault for the missing word?
I agree with you about rail/banter.
To me it looks as if "rail" and "raillery" have completely different roots?
Jemma did very well.
She trains with Laura and they have the same coach, Andy Young.
Hope your cousin is to the fore in the North!
The golf has been postponed.
Bad weather in California.
The greens are white with hailstones!

I hope this helps

In Chambers

Rail (definiton 2 ) is to banter - verb

Hello, Cerasus!
Thank you for that!
I only looked up "raillery", wondering why it had two "L's" !

hello rusty
I also found railly -Scottish a jacket
That is new to me

Hello, Cerasus.
It is a new word to me, too!
I see it in the Scots Dictionary and Bradford's.
But not in Chambers or Collins.

Hello rusty
In Chambers I found railly under rail(def5)

Ah, yes, Cerasus, I see it now!
It is certainly a new word to me.

Hi, Rusty!
Yes, all well up north, thank you, but they, like us here, have been having very strong winds.
Local trees are missing a lot of branches!
Although fortunately our own trees in the garden have been undamaged.
But a very good thing that we had our huge copper beech tree docked last year.
I have read Cerasus' comment about "rail"......however, I have never come across its meaning "banter" before ...
And nor can I find that definition anywhere, but seemingly only in Chambers!
Online Collins, as I have already said, does not give that definition....
It says: criticize loudly and angrily.
Merriam Webster gives: : to revile or scold in harsh, insolent, or abusive language
Oxford Dictionary gives: rail against/at/about; Complain or protest strongly and persistently about.
Cambridge gives: to complain angrily
So...unless the compiler specifically used only Chambers, I still say he had no excuse!
I am sorry to hear your gold has been postponed!

Hello, Cerasus!
Thank you for your input!
Chambers , however, seems to stand alone in its viewpoint.....
See online dictionary references above......