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Hi Badvest. I agree with you. This site is called the Crossword HELPForum. In the days of Custos and Araucaria I used to get my solution in the noon post on Saturday. Fraid I haven't kept pace with John Graham and his clever clues. I hope to get help when I log on tomorrow. Does anyone know what happened to Custos?

Alec Robins, who was Custos in The Guardian, died in 1998.

There is a terrific lot of help given on ths site, but other things happen too. Some of us are addicted to particular crosswords, usually the most cryptic of cryptic, and particularly those of the master, Araucaria, and we like to discuss their intricacies. It's not usually boasting, more admiration. And, as always, if you don't like these discussions, you don't have to read them.

badvest - try answerbank - the listener thread - for some top class boasting!! Not really! They are very clever people

I was being slightly impish with my comments and din't mean any harm. I can't wait for the big Christmas Araucaria and to have a little boast myself to my friend Paul.

To those for whom my initial remark "went down the wrong way":I was indeed just admiring another little masterpiece from A.Often I take much longer.Also I have to hurry here to have even a chance of sending in the finished solution within the set period (secondary motive, I know, but counts as well just a little).It gets easier with experience:I'm no longer one of the younger fanatics! Then there's time for the other wonderful things in life. So I'm not "proud".And there are extremely helpful people on this forum.Amazingly almost no-one has asked for concrete assistance so far today,otherwise I'm sure it would appear very promptly as always.And BTW:I'm getting tired of misunderstandings.That's not a complaint:I just realize more & more as a relative newcomer to this scene how easily feelings are misconstrued here. A pity, I think.Perhaps a little more goodwill from all sides? Nevertheless sorry for the admittedly misunderstandable "starter"!

greedy gled: Your post didn't seem at all vicious to me- but then I can't look deep into your soul, which may indeed harbor extreme pride and spitefulness. Oh! And be grateful that you only have to send your puzzles across the Channel (as I gather); it would be pointless for me to send mine from (as posters here refer to my homeland) the colonies. By the way, I for one enjoy this site. Not only are posters very helpful; they're also very funny.

Merry Christmas everyone.

And to you too, andyc! Trust you found a holiday destination!

I'll get back to you Aristo, but we are 90% certain about going to Sicily. I hadn't realised the Greek link until you pointed it out. Thanks.