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I prefer "eggs is eggs", even though it's ungrammatical, as it introduces a down-to-earth and slightly humorous tone into what may be an earnest conversation or piece of writing. It seems it first appeared in print in Tom Brown's Schooldays (1857).

I'm not convinced by the "x is x" origin. Eggs are used in a number of stock phrases and proverbs so it would be natural to coin another one. The use of "is" is dialectal so I think the phrase was begun by people of little or no education, certainly not people who rubbed shoulders with logicians.

Thanks, Orson. My personal view of 'Eggs is eggs' was definitely a more mundane version - I saw it coming from a rosy-cheeked American grandma!

Thanks Orson, interesting analysis. Nice that you appeared in the Times puzzle yesterday.

In today’s Guardian cryptic, “allegedly “ is allegedly a homophone indicator.

MathProf, Chambers gives allege as “to cite or quote in discussion”, so I think it’s ok. I was slightly more disappointed with that clue being yet another schoolboy “Trump” gag. Impressed if you knew the 1970s BBC children’s tv presenter, did Animal Magic show in the US?

Did not know that one. Didn’t know 13 either. I was familiar with 27 though.

Malone

As sure as eggs is eggs, they appeared in the Times today, I see.

Thanks, Grunger, I missed that! The paper's away in the recycling, so I can't have a look now. I'll make a start on today's puzzle.

Malone

I am sure you solved it quickly. I missed Bailiwick, not thinking of Wick.

Watched a lot of Olympics, loved "she's got great boatship". I never knew the difference between a ship and a boat. I should cocoa! if I knew what it meant.

That's an interesting one, grunger. There's no such word as boatship but there is boatmanship. Collins gives boatsmanship as an American word (by analogy with craftsmanship, I suppose) but the OED does not.

No boatwomanship or boatladyship though. Sorry.