3d - I still don't see it - maybe being very obtuse ... the 5-letter word seems clear but does OB mean by the way? and is INA/AIN a fish? This may be spoilering but few of us follow this thread - and even fewer the blogs ... anyone have any thoughts about the title? maybe just from a first-rate ship to a third-rate hulk ...?
Prospero, Ob is in Chambers - 'abbreviation, (Latin) died, obiter (Latin) by the way'.
Ai is the fish, quite common in crosswords and N is and, rock 'n' roll, fish 'n' chips etc.
Prospero, if you read the Wiki page for the theme ship, “third-rate” is a technical term explained in the second sentence.
And “first-rate” is an acknowledgement of its achievements I believe.
thank you both, malone and jono. I can't say I've ever encountered ai as fish - is there a reference anywhere? ... and I guess the ob is obiter dicta to mean by the way?? jono - I did see the third-rate definition of its class but, yes, it got swamped by to its achievements - which I suppose is the joint of the title .. chapeau to you both
Prospero, glad we could help. The 'ai' is a variant spelling of 'ayu' (probably not quite as versatile for clue-setting!), a small edible Japanese fish (also called sweet fish).