Crossword Help Forum
Forum Rules

Malone

Interesting that a variation of your "offer" is in the Times today. Did you set it?

Grunger

Yes I noticed that and it did occur to me that Malone set todays. If not, the "casual" use must be common though I had not heard it until Malone mentioned it last week.

Thanks, Grunger and Jigjag. I hadn't even looked at today's puzzle, so am glad you mentioned it. I definitely didn't set it - I wish I was smart enough for that to be a possibility!

Cater to or cater for?

I often hear the former (e.g. catering to someone's needs) and it mildly irritates me. Should it?

Paul

For me it can only be cater for. Cater to is wrong. It is to pander to someones needs.

I much prefer "cater for...". It's the standard usage.
"Cater to" does crop up occasionally, especially in the USA, and it has been used by such Victorian writers as Thackeray and Kingsley.

BBC Commentator: "This is the lowest key Olympic Games ever."

Surely it should be "These are the most low key Olympic Games ever", whether true or not.

Malone

You mentioned on the EV thread that "eggs is eggs", My mum used to say that. Should it be "eggs are eggs"? I am not sure.

I had a great time away thanks. Spent a few days at M5 Services, a good centre for my walking and exploring. Did the Times most days and struggled with a few EVs from recent Sundays. Enjoying Olympics .

What do you think of this clue (not cryptic) in the Mail last week.

Gambling game (5)

I had B-N-O

Obvious answer but gambling???

Grunger, that was the first time I'd ever used 'eggs is eggs' - I'd seen it recently in a book and decided I'd slip it in somewhere, sometime. I'd never thought of the 'eggs are eggs' being perhaps the better version. I have done some very quick research - online, Collins gave me 'eggs is eggs', my Brewer's gives the singular, then the plural version. I definitely prefer the 'is' - and saw that 'it has been suggested that this is an alteration of the logician's formula " x is x" . I'll stick with that one!

Glad you had a great time away, though I expect that ANY time away is wonderful right now!

The gambling game clue is distinctly odd, though I see that Chambers says it is a '...game, prizes being won by the first to cover...' I think my perception of 'gambling' is a little different.

Grunger

Glad you had a good time on the M5, but isn't it a little crowded?

Malone

I have heard both versions of eggs here. I like both.