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Hi, Rusty!
Yes, I like the " bafflin' " !
Good one!
I would say that this might well be an "apocope"!
I cannot say for sure that I do not use "apocopes", Rusty, as I still do not really know what they are!
But I do not shorten my words by leaving off a letter at the end......nor would I ever say "cuppa"....or Chris' "doan "!
I do use abbreviations such as hippo and rhino; but these , to me, are not "apocopes"?
How nice to be going to the Pine Cone with Miss L-B tomorrow!
I hope you have a sunny day for it!



Sorry, Chris,, yes you did say it meant "don't" ; but how has this been arrived at?
I cannot see what letter / syllable can have been left off at the end to make it an "apocope"?
My apologies if i am just being too dim to follow!

I wrote "doan" to indicate how people pronounce it - the "apocope" is "don'", of course.

Hello, Elle!
I would certainly say "cuppa".
As in, "Fancy a cuppa?"
I was pronouncing apocope wrongly, too.
I went into Collins On-line Dictionary to learn the correct way to say it.
Today's Times setter has certainly provoked a bit of a discussion!
Nothing wrong with that!
I am looking forward to seeing La Bamba.
I may even buy some Christmas cards at Pine Cone!

Hi, Rusty!
I already have my Christmas cards!
I usually buy them in the Sale at the end of the previous festive season
As we have such a large number to send, that is the only way I can afford their prices!
And we hand deliver where possible, as isn't postage expensive these days?
Also, I already have my 2020 Wall Calendar ......without which I should be completely lost!
Every year I promise myself I will be well organised for Christmas, but it never happens......
I am usually panicking at the last moment!

Hello, Elle!
I don't "do" Christmas as much as you!
I like the Pine Cone cards.
They are the artwork of a lady who lives near the Lake District.
Only family and some close pals get cards, and my neighbours.
And I don't buy presents.
I do not have a calendar yet, though, but do have next year's diary!
The only thing I buy is a steak pie for my dinner.
I rarely eat meat, so that is a treat.
And I always get myself several books from Amazon.
All nice and simple!

Hi, Rusty!
We have friends spread all over the globe......and Christmas is the main time we all keep in touch with each other - apart from the occasional emails throughout the year.
And I guess that perhaps the ages of our respective grandchildren might make a difference to the emphasis we put upon Christmas?
My youngest grandkid (we have six) is but three..... and my eldest only just turned twelve......all still at an age to be excited by Christmas, and the giving and receiving of longed for presents.
And of course the younger ones are still expecting a visit from Father Christmas!
And New Year is also a time much celebrated in our family, as New Year's Day is my husband's birthday..... and almost every close family member comes here for that!
So we have a houseful over that period!
It is a family time of year that I very much enjoy.........

Elle, I don't know if it's been mentioned earlier in this thread, but we have something good coming up next week. We're going to have tennis, the ATP World Tour Finals, on television - on 'normal' television, BBC. It starts on Sunday and we're not going to have full coverage, I think that's available only on Amazon Prime, but we should get to see some decent matches as the tournament features only the top players.

Good morning, Elle!
It's a fine dry day here with a touch of frost.
I can see you will be having a busy festive Christmas and New Year!
I have just put my puzzle away until later.
Halfway there and already two new words for me!
I just learned earlier that the Australian women's football team are known as the "Matildas"!
I like that!

Good morning, Rusty!
It is a lovely day here too, blue sky and sunny, but cold at 3C!
I can tolerate the cold, though - I wore my down coat this morning - as long as it is fine!
I wonder why the football team is called the "Matildas"?
I thought that in Australian slang, a "matilda" is the "swag" carried by a bushman?
Some sort of a bed roll?
I'm only going off the song "Waltzing Matilda" here.....it may have another meaning?
Oh dear, if you are finding the crossword difficult today, what chance do I have ?!
I hope you get this before you go out with your granddaughter!
Have a good time!




Hello, Malone!
Thank you for the info...
That is indeed good news!
I shall look forward to seeing the tennis.
You have helped make my day!

Hello, Elle!
Yes, Matilda is a swag, but it is a woman's name, too.
I know Banjo Patterson wrote the the song "Waltzing Matilda" and it was the unofficial Australian national anthem.
So, I think it is a fine name for the Aussie women footballers.
I could not find out who Banjo's Matilda was, though.
I don't think the puzzle is especially difficult but it does have words which are new to me, but I'll get there!
Going out with my granddaughter shortly.