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Hello, Elle,
Demon can mean someone who is highly skilled at something.
For instance in cricket, a "demon bowler" is a highly skilled bowler, hence a master.
My Chambers, for instance, gives "demon" as a "person of great skill" and "genius". Either of these can mean "master", surely?
Anne, in my book, wants "demon" lumped with "devil".
That does not help!
I think it is a perfectly valid clue and have no quibble with the setter, regarding it.

I just typed "synonym for demon" into my search bar/Google.
And the third item on the first entry gives "master" as a synonym for "demon",
I rest my case.

Rusty, although I have no quibble as such with the clue, I don't like it because it seemed very clunky - I prefer smoother, more elegant clues. Like you, I think the master/demon thing works fine.

Mmm......... I have just looked it up in my Collins Thesaurus.....
When looking up "master" it does NOT give "demon" as a synonym -
yet when looking up "demon", it DOES offer up "master."
I still don't like it!
Surely if the one means the other , they should be interchangeable?

I have no problem with it, Malone.
For me it is much preferred to having to know which station 'Arry from 'Ampstead gets on at.
I have found "master" and "demon" as synonyms for each other in Collins Thesaurus and Oxford Thesaurus.
I had a look at Chambers Thesaurus but it was going to cost £2.99 to download the app, so I gave it a miss!

I have a paperback Chambers Thesaurus.
It give neither as a synonym of the other!

Hello, Elle,
I had a look at Chambers Thesaurus on Amazon.
Very mixed reviews.
Some love it, others hate it.
One lad said in his copy, the first word was "barley".
No entries under "A"!
Hard to believe!

Hi, Rusty!
I'm not particularly fond of my Chambers Thesaurus; I much prefer the Collins version.
But my Chambers Thesaurus does have numerous ( into the hundreds) entries under "A" - from the first one of "abandon" through to "axle".
I am reading about the origins of the Steed family now in "Chesapeake" and who swore allegiance to either the Pope or the Crown.
And the beginnings of Catholicism versus Protestantism, and the way things were twisted and distorted to gain favourable points of view.
How difficult it was for the Steeds to remain true to both their faith and their sovereign.
I am still wondering "where " this is all going?
It will be interesting to find out...........

Good morning, Elle!
I do not have a Thesaurus, just Anne Bradford's Dictionary, which I like a lot.
A running thread through Chesapeake is about the Quakers.
That comes in to the story through Ruth Brinton, if my memory is correct.
You will like Ruth!
The Steeds of Devon are major characters in the story.
The Catholics/Protestant thing is used by Michener to get some of his characters to the Eastern Shore.
I'll say no more. Don't want to spoil the tale, for you!
Not read it yet, but The Times is carrying a story saying there is going to be a Parliamentary enquiry (I think, it is!) into the Wiggins/Team Sky/British Cycling, doping issue.
And what was in the mystery package!
And a report is due on the Shane Sutton/Jess Varnish carry on.
Who would be a cycling fan!
Now, off for my paper!

Good morning, Rusty!
A glorious day here, blue skies and sunshine again! Very cold though!!
Re "Chesapeake!......I am reading the chapter entitled "The Island" at the moment, about the early days of the Steeds and Edmund 's independence.
As I said before , I am waiting to see how it will all hang together.
I think in "Cetennial" I "saw the light" much sooner?
Let me know if the Times story tells anything of interest about the cycling scandals!
I cannot imagine what the mystery package held!
We are off out for the day very shortly.......we are going to the Hallowe'en event at the farm near my daughter's home.
BB is dressing as a skeleton, I am not sure about Baby........
it should be a good day!
The dog has gone to my friend's - we shall collect her on our return about teatime!
Have a good day! Talk later.