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my favourite bumble story is after he had been commentating at napier, nz, he and some fellow commentators went out to a pub called the boozeee. there were two events on - speed dating and sheep shearing. late in the evening he came across a chap with a particularly attractive sheep.
"are you shearing?" he asked
"no mate, you'll have to get your own..."

In a letter in yesterday's Times, a reader mentioned hiccough (pronounced hiccup) as another way of pronouncing "ough". But why have such a useless word when hiccup is much better? After all, no one talks about "hiccuffs".

And one of the clues in the DT toughie crossword last week said of a horse running in The Derby. I know that is what the race is called but that capital T jars with me. I might visit the Queen and listen to the BBC but there's no need for capital Ts there, in my view.

ChrisE

That's a good sheep story. I have heard many in these parts, none of them publishable.

Orson

I agree about the Derby, the Times etc., but I like hiccough and it is one of the 10 ways of pronouncing -ough words.

I enjoyed the Last Night of the Proms and was pleased it was dominated by women for a change. Particularly liked the un-named cellist. But I thought the "arrangement" of Jerusalem was awful. and I dont know why the pundits had to pretend it was brilliant.

Are there really 10 variations of -ough?

Grunger

10 different -OUGH sounds. You have the usual 8:
ought
through
though
thorough
tough
bough
cough
hiccough

then I think you have
lough pronounced the Scottish (or Irish) way - loch,
and - stretching it a bit - apparently Lough Neagh is pronounced Lock Nay!

Orson, jigjag

I mostly agree about no upper case for 'the...' but I would make an exception for 'The Times' because it is what appears on its front page and it thus distinguishes itself from the many other newspapers which have 'Times' in their names.

I can also make a case for 'The Derby' as it is such an iconic race. But then how far do I go? 'The Grand National' (yes), 'The 2000 Guineas' (probably not). I'm getting in a mess!

I've heard a London football club being called the Arsenal, but no big T for me there.

Pedants might enjoy 13d in the Guardian today ...

Thanks, Jono, I liked that one! I don't like this in today's Times...

17 Daily column includes a drawing (8)

Has anyone - in the real world, not Crosswordland - referred to a 'daily' or the first part of the answer in the last 20 or 30 years? Not only do I think it's dated, I feel it's lazy setting.

I’m with you Malone, I’m sure there’s a better clue involving a fish!

Paul

My rough cough and hough ought to plough me through the borough lough, though not without a hiccough.