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Good morning, Rusty!
It is a lovely day here.......bright and sunny.
There is an Autumnal chill to the air, but the sun may warm everywhere up later.
Well done on tracking down "feet of clay".... I could not remember whence it came!
Yes we bought my granddaughter the entire "set" of "Famous Five" books for her Christmas present...they came so packaged, like a little library!
I think there were 21 books.
The set was not all that expensive.... there is a very good website for new children's and adults' books - both fiction and non-fiction.
Take a look...... https://www.thebookpeople.co.uk
The books are good value.
We bought all the Beatrix Potter books as a set, for BB the previous year.
I think whoever devised the titles for Enid Blyton's books liked alliteration...."Famous Five"......"Secret Seven!
Do you have any plans for today?

My brother gave the complete Beatrix Potter set to my elder son when born. I was reading him one of them aged about 18 months (too young, obviously) when he put his hands through the bars of his cot and closed the book! (He didn't speak much until he was 4). I got the message. The books remain, a complete, almost untouched set in a box.

elle
No, I haven't tried my grandchildren with Enid Blyton. They love the King Rollo books I saved, though. King Rollo and the bread is my favourite.
No-one seems to have any difficulty with Struwelpeter. It's horrific, yet was available in children's libraries when my children were small (until I pointed out the illustrated page with the boy having his hands chopped off to the librarian). Perhaps things have changed.

Hello, Elle!
A tad chilly here, too!
I think, many years ago, I bought books from the BookPeople.
I seem to remember they had a special introductory offer.
"Buy four for very little" or words to that effect.
One of them was my first ever English dictionary.
A Chambers paperback one.
No plans, but I hope my son visits later.
Finished the puzzle!
New words for me at, 14a, 15a, 4d, 8d, 14d, 18d, and 19d.
A good test today!

Hi, Rusty!
Yes, I, too, have had some very good bargains from the Book People, in particular with regard to children's books.
I bought books for five of my six grandchildren last Christmas!
I checked this out first with their parents to ensure I was making the right choices.
All went down well!
When I was young myself, I loved receiving book tokens........so that I could go to the bookshop and ' browse.'...before finally choosing my precious book!
Yes, I also have finished my puzzle.
A nice one today!
I've got one I cannot do, though, and another I cannot parse......
18d: Rock fragments thrown from stage indisposed one (7)
L?P?L?I
I have no ideas here?
1d: Is solicitor's power something 25 deflects? (5)
(25a is "parasol")
prays = ? (what is the definition?)
p - power
rays - something a parasol deflects
I don't understand "prays"???
My favourites are 28a: pied-a-terre ; and 14d: tittupped
"Gradatory" was a new word for me......but Collins Online dictionary told me that it was a flight of stairs!
And I hadn't heard of Nicolai as a German composer.



Hello, Ros!
I have never heard of King Rollo or Struwelpeter?

Hello, Elle!
Yes, the Book People is a good company.
18 is "lapilli", stage is a "lap", indisposed is "ill", one is "i".
Lapilli are fragments of rock.
1d, if you solicit for something, you may be said to "pray" for it.
I did not know either of the composers, but the clues sent me in the right direction.

Hi, Rusty!
Ah, great! thank you!
I have never heard of "lapilli", but I should have got it from the parsing, shouldn't I?
However, it is easy to be wise after the event!
But I am afraid that I still do not get "prays"?
Now....I did not realise that "solicit" could mean "pray"...…?
But even so, the clue states "solicitor" not "solicit".
"Solicitor" is a noun ......"prays" is a verb.......
So how can one substitute the one for the other?
I am obviously missing something here?
Please can you explain more fully.
But right now, I am going to take advantage of the brilliant sunshine and go for a walk!
I shall be back shortly!

Hello, Elle!
I had a bit of a struggle getting on here.
Took ages.
All else was fine, just this site I had a problem with.
Yes, "lapilli" was fairly easy with parsing, I think.
Now, your "prays"!
You are not taking into account the word "is" at the start of the clue.
"Is solicitor" is the definition as far as I can see. "Prays".
If you solicit something you may be said to "pray" for it.
A solicitor "prays" for something.
That's the best I can do, Elle.
It is a lovely day here, too!

Hi, Rusty!
It was lovely out...and much warmer this afternoon than of late.
No jacket needed!
Ah, yes, I think I see now about "is solicitor" and "prays"....
I am sorry I was so dim, before!
Thank you for being so patient!
I've found something else, too, that I didn't quite get....the "ip" of "ipso facto" in 15a?
"ipso facto" means "by that very fact or act".....
So the definition is "by that"....
sofa co - furniture business
t- time
but "ip"?
It just isn't my day for 'grasping' things!
Your son will be coming round soon?

Hello, Elle!
Great afternoon here.
You are not dim, but learning!
I remember when I started out, I was completely stuck on one clue.
Just could not fathom it.
The first word in clue was "As" and I eventually looked it up and discovered it was the symbol for arsenic.
I can't remember the answer but once I had arsenic it fell into place.
"Ip" is puzzling me, too, Elle.
It can mean Internet Protocol, but I suspect it is 1p (one penny).
"One penny sofa company"?
Does that make sense, you think?
Yes, my son should be here soon.
He was at the physio earlier, so may be a bit late.

Good evening, Rusty!
I know I do not make it easy on myself - or you - when I want to understand every bit of the clue......
But that is the only way to learn, isn't it?
To try to dot all the "i"s and cross all the "t"s?
I am doing my best!
Yes, you could well be right....."1p" is "ridiculously cheap"?
Sounds good?
I think you have it!
Oh dear! Is your son okay?
Why does he need to go to physio?
I hope you both have a good chat!