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Thank you Orson - I entirely agree with all that you say!

Merci, pigale.

Malone, Grunger
I went to the market café on Saturday. I usually have poached egg on toast, but the 5-item breakfast for £2.95 caught my eye.
I ordered 2 sausages, an egg and 2 hash browns. “What would you like for the fifth item?” the waitress asked.
“I think I have ordered 5” but she replied “No, 2 hash browns is one item.”
“In that case, I’ll have a third sausage, please” but she said “Sorry, only 2 sausages are allowed on a 5-item breakfast.”
“I would really like half a grilled tomato, but is it one item or half?”
“Are you trying to be funny?” was the terse reply.
“Actually, I’ll just have what Paul gives me.”
When the breakfast arrived, there were 2 sausages, an egg, 2 hash browns, black pudding, 2 rounds of toast and a cup of tea. I make that 9 items but they insist it is 5. I might try the 10-item breakfast next week.

Orson

Thank you for your analysis. It seems I used the wrong terminology, but my point was that "Be agitated" = "seethe". The clue requires the end to be removed, but putting the "endlessly" between "be" and "agitated" is wrong, as which word does "endlessly" apply to?

So it may be good English, but for me, the clue is inaccurate.

Grunger, I knew exactly what you meant about that clue not working, and I still feel the same now! Even though I can be uber-pedantic about some things, I tend to switch off a bit when 'adjectival phrases' and even 'split infinitives' are mentioned - they bring back too many memories of school.

Jigjag,

Thanks for the market café update. The confusion over the number of items, and indeed, what constitutes an 'item' was old hat to me. My friend and I occasionally have breakfast in Wetherspoons. She always swaps her Quorn sausages (the work of the devil, if you ask me) for extra beans and that's straightforward enough. I have heard other customers seeking to do swapsies. I forget all the details, but there are various rules such as 'you can swap the tomato for an extra hash brown, but not for bacon or a sausage' and 'you can swap your hash browns for an egg, but not for black pudding'. It made me glad I usually just have toast and coffee.

Thanks Malone

I have swapped items in other cafes but I dont know if it is allowed in the market. They do 5-item, 10- item and all-day breakfasts. I suppose people ask for swaps in that.

I am afraid I dont like Wetherspoons. A couple of cosy pubs in town have been converted into large open-plan monstrosities. My friends like the cheap beer and food though, so I have to put up with it occasionally. The strategy has been a great success, of course.

Grunger

I agree with you about the clue. I am not bothered about the English but you cant split "be agitated" if you want "seethe" I liked "scintilla" featuring on consecutive days with completely different clues

Jigjag,

Although I'm not a huge fan of Wetherspoons, the ones I frequent (infrequently) are in really nice old buildings. One is a former cinema and it's spectacular - I love having my coffee and toast in the balcony, way up in the gods.

I'm not very keen on cosy pubs - well, not if they're so 'cosy' that they end up being crowded and noisy. I'd like them if there were very few customers...but then those places might not last long! I don't drink (alcohol), but my friends are always impressed with the range of wines, beers, gins etc in Wetherspoons.

Your 'swapping' tendencies might come a cropper in many US diners. Lots of those have signs saying 'no substitutions'.

PS I've always liked the word 'scintilla'.

Jigjag, Grunger & Malone

We have a nice Wetherspoons where I live - the traditional breakfast is fine but mushrooms (which i love) are `extra`! They are always a safe bet if you are in a strange town/city - the `Knights Templar`in London is wonderful while the Bletchley one is named `Captain Ridley`s Shooting Party`... a reference to a group of MI6 agents who were checking out Bletchley Park as a possible location for their wartime activities - very interesting!

I first went to Goodison Park in the late 60s Jigjag, I knew Everton`s nickname was the `Toffees`but was surprised to see a `Toffee Lady` (dressed like Mary Poppins!) distributing sweets to the crowd - I think they carry on this tradition to this day, while `Everton Mints`are still available as far as I know.

Tyke

Yes it is irritating to pay extra for something that should be included. I have the same problem at Morrisons where it is extra for black pudding and for a drink of course.

It is a great tradition at Goodison. You have to be in the ground rather early to have a chance, but I got one a couple of years ago. I was so thrilled! Malone would approve of the Toffee Lady's uniform if not the name. Long blue and white dress and hat - rather like Bo Peep. I think the umbrella has gone now.

Grunger and Malone

Grunger
Malone mentioned some time ago that she was an official of the Nitpickers Association, and I see you are making a bid to be elected to the committee of the Infinitive Splitting Society Undergoing Evolution. I have often taken issue with ISSUE, but they are moving with the times.
The two bodies have often considered merging, and last night I attended their latest joint meeting. They have issued a draft mission statement, which could possibly be improved upon. It is something like:
“To boldly, where no man has gone before, in order to pick nits and split infinitives in equal amounts, go.”
They have apologised to Star Trek fans.

Malone
I am sorry you could not make it to the meeting. There was a lot of interesting discussion. By the way, I also like scintilla, and soupcon.