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That looks like BUTTER MUSLIN, elle - what's the clue?

Hello, Elle!

It is dark now and just heard my first banger!
18a, The camp fellow is Billy Butlin!
19, is "s" son, "web/net" reversed and "h"ackers.
26 I do not know other than worker's is "bee's", time is "t".
I have no idea about Francis Bret!
You have done well.
Get Billy Butlin and you are there, though I have not heard of the answer before.

hello jigjag
Did you ask why you needed an annual blood test re your liver? Is everyone over a certain age meant to have one? (I can't remember when I last went to my GP except for that one flu jab and I wouldn't agree to such a test unless it was for specific symptoms). Many elderly people are overmedicated and would be far better off all their drugs except those for specific and very definite complaints eg Type 1 diabetes.
The wood was peaceful and very beautiful today.

Anyone else like the Mediaeval Murderers books?

Hi Ros
I'm a great fan of mediaeval murder books - Cadfael, Owen Archer, Domesday etc., but I think you might be referring to a specific series?

Yes chris. The MMs are a group of people who each write one section of a book. I believe the MMs are given as the authors. A bit like Cadfael (always far too clean on TV!) and progress forward in time as well.

Hi, Rusty!
Yes, bangers are going off in our neighbourhood , too.
Oh dear! Poor dog!
Now.....I have been trying to work out 18a from your hint of "Billy Butlin"....
Chris has kindly supplied "butter muslin" as the answer, of which I have never heard?
So working it out backwards, how about the following?
butter muslin = wrapping material (def)
Butlin = camp fellow
term- conditions
u-posh
I think that must be it?
I thought that was a very hard clue?
(Yet Butlin should have come to mind, as Bill Bryson was referring to him in "Little Dribbling"!)
Now Francis Bret.......your having explained "bee's t" to me, left only " harte" unaccounted for......
So I have Googled "Francis Bret Harte" and discovered he is an American short story writer and poet.
There do appear to be variations on the spelling of his name.....Bret/ Brett...and Hart/Harte ......but this is obviously from where the "harte" part of the answer comes.
Very convoluted!


Hello, Chris!
Yes, thank you, "butter muslin" is the answer.
I have never heard of it!

Hi elle
It's used for wrapping food, and also for straining - apple jelly, for example.

btw you seem to be missing an S - is it "terms" for conditions?

Dear me, elle, have you never made butter ;-))

Whenever a dairy product is made that involves a liquid being separated from a solid, you need to strain the liquid off. Butter muslin has a close weave and was used for that- it still is used if you make (soft) cheese at home. Personally I find Mr Tesco does fine at that, though I have made soft cheese in the past.
It's also used for making jelly - straining the yummy liquid from the fruit. I still have some of my son's old muslin nappies stained deep purple in the middle from blackberries.

Hello, Elle!
It is very noisy here now!
I would like to run these folk out of town on a rail!
Yes, I agree with your parse. It is as I have it.
Not too hard once you twigged the "camp fellow"?
I have not heard of "butter muslin", too.
I have not heard of Bert Harte in "hartebeest", and could not be bothered looking for him, as it was my final solve.
I was convinced "hartebeest" was right, though.
The clue did not appeal to me, probably because I had no inkling of Bert.
I liked Damon Runyon short stories but it is many years since I read them.
How is your dog this evening?