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Good morning, Rusty!
Damp here - yet again!
And fairly mild (comparatively )
How is it with you?
Laura sounds as though she is in good form for the coming athletics season!
Speaking of which....
There is an athletics programme on Sunday afternoon, showing on BBC2.
"Nitro" athletics?
Does this mean anything to you?
It appears to be something to do with Usain Bolt?
The heading in my TV guide says "Usain Bolt takes on the World"!
I am going to take a look at the crossword now, before my friend arrives about 11ish.
Have you already been out to buy your paper?

Good morning, Elle!
A dreichish day up here.
Yes, got my paper and maple pancakes.
Nitro Athletics is a new-fangled team competion taking place in Melbourne.
One team taking part is "Usain Bolt All-Stars".
That is all I know, other than England has a team entered, and Australia.
Good luck with your crossword.
How much the better t'would be if you complete it.
Did you see what I did there?

Hi, Rusty!
We have some pancakes too! but are going to have them with lemon!
I am looking forward to it!
I have done the Times QC...what do you think of this clue?
1a: Rectangular layout of elements from report of month with pranks? (6)
( I have to admit that I didn't know that definition of the word, and had to consult Chambers!)
I'm still working on the 15 x15.
My friend should be here very shortly though, so I will probably have to complete it this evening.
She has been held up as there was a dreadful accident ahead of her on the motorway.
Sadly, there is always a problem for someone.......
I am not sure about your use of "how much..."?
Maybe I didn't grasp the correlation between that and "the " as well as I thought I did?

Quick update, Rusty!...
My friend has arrived .....we are just popping out for an early lunch!

Just popping in before I cook my salmon....

I am not sure, but, the way I see it is :
"how much better it will be if ......" is the same as :

"the better it will be if ...."
(but maybe not use both e.g.not "how much the better....)

I am sure Malone will correct if he is around

Hello, Elle!
Hope you enjoyed your lunch!
I do not know the answer to your crossword clue, I'm afraid.
I am half way through the Times crossword but have put it away for now,
The/how much = bafflement to me!
I am sorry I came across it, now!
Just read an article in Cycling Weekly.
There was a TV programme in USA which stated motorised bikes have been used in the 2015 Tour de France.
The wheels have motors in them and weigh 800 gms heavier than a normal wheel.
Team Sky's bikes were weighed and were heavier than all the other teams bikes...by 800 grammes.
Interesting!
Hope we hear more! It is called "motorised doping".

Hello, Jazzgirl!
"The/how much" has defeated me.
Chambers has "used before superlative adjectives and adverbs to indicate an amount beyond all others."
I know an adjective but do not understand what they are meaning.
I have a vague notion of what an adverb is.
Further on, Chambers has "the instrumental case of the definite article".
Nope. I do not grasp that, I'm afraid!
A step too far for me!
Anyway, hope your salmon was fine, and I am off for a walk!

Hi, Rusty!
Yes, I had a very nice lunch!
I am sure that I shall not want any dinner!
Now the crossword clue......
1a: Rectangular layout of elements from report of month with pranks? (6)
The answer is matrix = rectangular layer of elements (def)
May - month
pranks - tricks
May tricks sounds like matrix!
I think Jazzgirl has expressed the "how much = the" conundrum very well with her latest example/ explanation.
Has that helped you?
It did me.
I don't understand about this motorised cycling?
Surely, if Team Sky's bikes weighed suspiciously heavier than all the others, there would be grounds for stripping the bikes and examining them for mechanical aids?
So why was this not done?
It would seem a logical progression to me?
How was your walk? Where did you go?




Hi, Jazzy!
I think your explanation of the "how much / the " situation is very well expressed by your saying that
"how much better it will be if ......"
is exactly the same as saying
"the better it will be if ...."
I think this sums it up nicely and makes it very clear.
Thank you. I can fully understand it now.

Jazzgirl, I think your 'the better...' example was great. I tried but couldn't come up with a way of expressing the concept. I can see how 'the' equates to 'how much', when you think of 'how much' as 'on that account', but I'd be hopeless at explaining it further!

Elle, for tennis and coverage of tennis, I usually just go to the BBC Sport page, click on 'tennis' and then check to see if there's a 'Coverage on BBC' box at the side. This usually gives details - when I looked today, there was information about the times the Davis Cup is on television and on the Red Button this weekend.

Thanks Malone. I found Chambers' explanation confusing, so tried to work it out in my own simple way.
Rusty, what will be your next tricky poser I wonder !?
The salmon "went down" a treat and was enjoyed by my lunch guests.