Crossword Help Forum
Forum Rules

Good morning, Rusty!
A coolish drizzly day here at present.
They say sunshine later.
It is a good programme for the tennis, should you have time to watch?
Centre Court kicks off at 1pm with Andy Murray playing Sam Querry.
Followed by Roger v Miles Raonic.
Court No One (also 1pm) has Muller vs Cilic, followed by Novak v Tomas Berdych.
Heather and partner are playing in the Mixed Doubles; they are fourth on Court No 2 after an 11.30am start.
But you may have a busy schedule with the cycling?
Where is Le Tour off to, today?

Good morning, Elle!
Lovely morning here!
I will watch some tennis.
Who is the Bulgarian player in the mens' singles?
One of the ASDA girls has forgotten his name.
She is Bulgarian.
The cycling is a flat stage and apart from a church dedicated to cyclists on the route, Notre Dame des Cyclistes, nothing that I know of, of great interest.
I hope Le Tour proves me wrong!
Looks like another win for Marcel Kittel and the Quick-Steps.
The Tour is going to Pau today, on the edge of the Pyrenees.
Pau is often visited by the Tour.
Did you ever get an acknowledgement from whoever owns Chambers about their dodgy dictionary?

Hi, Rusty!
It is lovely here now - the sun is shining and the sky is blue!
I am thinking that your friend in Asda must mean Grigor Dimitrov?
He is a foremost tennis player and is Bulgarian.
He used to be the boyfriend of Maria Sharapova - I think they broke up around the time of her drug problems?
He is out of the tournament now.
No, I heard nothing at all from Chambers!
I expect they had so many complaints that they just blanked them all!
Well, I have my younger daughter and YB here......so must go and play!
I hope you enjoy the cycling - and the surroundings!

Hello, Elle!
I shall let the Bulgarian lady know about her compatriot.
Chambers and their publisher/printer are a huge let down in their lack of response to their disappointed dictionary buyers.
If it was a shop like Marks and Spencer their footfall would be considerably diminished.
You are correct about John McEnroe. I was wrong.
I put time aside to listen to him, and he is an entertaining speaker.
Was good craic with him, Sue, and Virginia, this morning.
I hope you are enjoying your visit from daughter and grandson!
You cannot beat family!
In my opinion.

Hello, Elle!
Speaking of Chambers.
I noticed one of their definitions the other day and I am still chuckling,
"Abloom", meaning, "in a blooming state"!
Hope it us not one of the "missing five hundred"!

Hi, Rusty!
Well.....it all seems to have been have been happening whilst I have been busy playing with my grandson!
They have gone home now.......and I have just switched on the television to find that Andy Murray is out of the Wimbledon tournament!
He has lost to Sam Equerry!
What a turn up for the books!
Sam will be the first American since Andy Roddick to reach this stage?
I wonder what this will mean to the World Rankings?
I am afraid I have no strong feelings either way......not being a Murray fan!
Roger is now just starting to play Miles Raonic.
Heather 's Mixed Doubles match is still to come on Court No 2.
Ah, I am glad that you now agree with me about John McEnroe!
Mac is one of my favourite sports personalities!
I always enjoy listening to him!
( His autobiography was like that....one could "hear" him talking throughout it! You would enjoy it! )
Right...I'd better go keep an eye on Roger........
I do have "abloom" in my Chambers!

Hello, Elle!
Andy looked a bit uncomfortable in his movements at times.
Big Sam won well, though.
I dipped in and out of several games during the afternoon.
And Le Tour.
The stage went as I expected, with a win for Marcel Kittel.
Mountains tomorrow, though!
I think there is an error of some kind in 11 across, or I just can not see it?
And 16 across is a new word/meaning for me!

Hi, Rusty!
I am hearing/ reading reports that Andy Murray has a hip injury.
I fear the talk of this is rather detracting from Sam Querry's win!
A shame! Querry played well.
Djokovic, too, is injured and had to retire from the tournament.
Roger sailed through his match with Miles Raonic......winning in three straight sets.
Unless something further untoward happens... Roger should surely now win the Men's Singles title - although I am sure he would not have wanted it to be this way.
Heather and Henri have just won their Mixed Doubles match!
Now 11a?
I have got "frogman"....but think the clue should surely have read "underwater" instead of "underground"?
G- man - US investigator + anagram of "for"
As regards "kedge" , I always thought it meant an anchor?
I don't understand "draw along vessel"?
Will mountains tomorrow in Le Tour produce any bears?

Hello, Elle!
I still have not seen Heather playing!
I agree regarding Querry.
Andy was not at his best for whatever reason.
I have "frogman" and have not a clue why the setter has "underground" unless there is an obscure meaning of the word to do with water?
Now, "kedge".
Here I will need your help.
Chambers has it as a "n" (noun) and a "vt", which I have discovered means "transitive verb".
It looks like to kedge a ship, is to tow it.
I know what a verb is, how are you with "transitive verbs"?
They are new to me.
Just heard that Nina's Dad, Tommy Carberry, has died.
He was a great jockey and trainer.

The world of sailing ships has many specialised terms, my favourite is "trestletree" or "trustletree". Jury rigging is basically making do with whatever is left after a storm, battle etc to sail the ship. How about futtock plate?
Kedging is a way of getting a ship moving when there is no other way. A small (kedge) anchor is rowed as far from the ship as its cable/rope will allow and dropped. The ship can then be moved by winding the cable/rope onto a capstan. It is very hard work (the weight of ship, cargo, arms if any, men) but if you are stuck ......