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Hello, Elle!
I do not know the definition of "ocean", but I had it in my head there were five oceans?
I thought oceans were larger?
Surely the Sargasso Sea is part of the Atlantic Ocean?
And it has no coastline, either.
The Java Sea is part of the Indian Ocean?
But I could not define the difference other than oceans are a lot bigger.
That is a good bit of research for you to find out and let us know?
It is intriguing though!
I am fairly confident there will be a paper tomorrow.
My ASDA opens at 9 and I shall be there soon after to find out.
Hang on a minute.
Yes, there is certainly a Times tomorrow.
I pay for my Times by direct debit, and receive a book of vouchers for my paper.
One for each day, and there is one for tomorrow.

Update, Elle!
Just checked that the Times for Monday is online.
It is.
it also has two Jumbos in it.
One cryptic, and one Sports.
The weather is wild here.
Conor has landed!

Hi elle

I think this is a case for common sense, and for the purposes of the quiz, perhaps a "sea" has to have the word in it to count. However, if people say "sail the seven seas", they will, almost by definition, be including an ocean or two.
It's like similar dilemmas with other games, you can make a ruling once, and write it down for the future.
I once did a quiz where we had to write down as many seas as we could in a minute. I was so horrified by my lack of knowledge, I learned a few! Since then I have swum in the Libyan Sea, written about the South China Sea and read about the devastation of the Aral Sea, now the North and South Aral Seas and with only a small fraction of its volume remaining. There are 4 named by colour!

A very good morning to you, Rusty!
We have a lovely day here - blue sky and a watery (so far) sun, but it is very cold after yesterday's mildness.
How about you? Has Storm Conor wreaked much damage up your way?
Have you been out yet for your paper?
Only the boys and I are up at the moment..........
I have been doing some research re oceans and seas....this is what I have found...
"In terms of geography, a sea is part of the ocean partially enclosed by land. Seas are found on the margins of the ocean and are partially enclosed by land.
For instance, the Bering Sea is part of the Pacific Ocean".
This bears out what you said last night.
Interesting to know!
Nearly two hours to go before our next load of visitors arrive!



Hello, Ros!
Surprisingly, between us we came with a large number of "seas"!
It would seem from what I have found out that Oceans in that context are excluded!
But you make a good point..... it is an excellent idea to make a firm ruling over any disputed point in a game, and stick to that for the future.
Have a good day!

Hi elle
I expect the others must be stirring by now!

There are also some totally inland seas, such as the Sea of Marmara, not part of any ocean! Interesting, isn't it?

Most of the lids of our family board games have a piece of paper stuck in them with our rulings noted down (this did save a lot of arguments), and, in the case of Scrabble, maximum word and game points scored.

I am off on my walk to try my new stopwatch.

Good morning, Elle!
It is windy, cold, snowy and treacherous slippy paths up here!
Conor has been!
Patches of snow left, and untreated pavements are potentially dangerous.
I have been out refilling the bins that were blown over!
Not many at ASDA when I visited.
Interesting what you have found out about seas and oceans.
Had a look in Bradford's and she has many more seas than oceans.
The East China Sea? A new one for me!
Is there a South China Sea, or am I amuddled?
Time for a coffee after my bin filling endeavours!

Hi Rusty!
A quick response before the rest of the family arrive.....
Eldest grandson and I have just returned from a walk with the dog!
We collected a Times on the way home, but it will be this evening before I get a chance to look at the crossword (s).
So you have had snow!
'Almost' a White Christmas! A near miss!
I don't suppose Boxing Day counts with the bookies?
Yes, there is a South China Sea - there was a dispute over militarised territory - or some such issue - between China and the US earlier in the year?
I am vague about it!
I must away...I am being called upon to play a game.......
Have a good day....talk later.......

The South China sea was once a lotbed of pirates making for the ships sailing to China from anywhere, but of course particularly tea clippers. Captains had to make sure they were armed, which was difficult if the ship owners were Quakers! (the purchase of arms was, and had to be, disguised as something else).
The Chinese would accept only silver in exchange for tea, porcelain, silk etc, so the pirates could be richly rewarded. That was why we (the UK) started to grow opium in India to export to China, because we had run out of silver. Silver currency of other countries was imported to the UK and overstamped to use for change.

Hotbed even!

Good evening, Rusty!
Mr Jingles has shared our day!
He has put in three separate appearances in our lounge, at the height of the activity.
He is one fearless little mouse!
We have had a lovely day, with most of the family together under the one roof - not an event that happens very often.
Younger daughter and her family have now gone home.....YB enjoyed his very first Christmas!
He is standing, but has only taken one step so far. Then he sits down and crawls!
I am taking a little time out for myself.....
I have done the Times QC but not looked at the harder puzzle yet...maybe after the boys have gone to bed!
How has your day been? Has your weather improved?