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Hello, Elle,
My MOT is due by Jan 30th.
I have been involved with granddaughters' MOTs during the year, though.
Probably those you may be thinking of.
I think I would contact M&S first.
Why on earth should you have to contact the carrier when M&S employed them?
But....!
You have your parcel safely delivered and nobody died, so is it worth kicking up a big fuss?
I think not, if it were me.
Lovely day here!

Hi, Rusty!
Still dull, and getting very dark.......a very miserable day!
But there is a principle involved in this dealing with Royal Mail....
I object to being lied to...... an acknowledgement of wrongdoing and an apology would suffice.
I am not especially concerned about the delivery fee.
I have finished the crossword …...bar one clue .......
It is not too strenuous a puzzle today?
I cannot do 5a: Steal whiskey for large singer (10)
H??F?N?H
I have no ideas as to where this is going?
I wondered about "filch" for "steal" but my "N" is definitely correct.

HAWFINCH
"halfinch" - rhyming sland for "pinch", with L changed to W(hiskey. from the Nato alphabet)
Nice clue!

Thank you, Chris!
Sorry for the delay in replying, I have been out.
Both "hawfinch" and "halfinch" are new words to me, so it is no wonder I got no further!

Did you have a good Christmas? and all the best for 2019!

Hi elle
All the best to you, too.
We had a slightly tense Christmas as a very old friend stayed, as she does most Christmases (she taught us at university). She lives by herself, so talks a lot, and she can be rather demanding. Our daughter heartily dislikes her, though they did get on a bit better this year.
How was yours?

Good afternoon, Elle!
The wind is wild here!
Stuff getting blown everywhere.
I understand what you mean with Royal Mail, but you did not employ them.
Marks and Spencers did, so let them know how you feel, and they can deal with them.
I found several new words as answers in my puzzle today.
11a, 22a, 23a, 25a, 17d.
And 15a is a dreadful homothingy.
But, I know the one you are stuck on.
"Half inch" means "pinch", as in "steal", apparently, and if you remove "l" for "large" and replace it with "W" for "Whiskey", there is a bird called "hawfinch".
In puzzles birds are often referred to as "singers".
Puzzle not too much of a tester today, I agree.

Hello Elle and Rusty

it enjoyed puzzle today but could not see the "Judges wine..." one

I put CRITIC in but dont see it

Jigjag, Cric(k) is the biologist (briefly) and IT is the wine, mbibed = put IT inside Cric.

Hello, Chris!
Is this the "fern collector" lady?
We had a lovely Christmas, thank you!
We went to our younger daughter's for Christmas lunch (our son -in -law cooked)
And on New Year's Day had all the family here (including the six grandchildren ) as it is also my husband's birthday.
A good time was had by all!

malone

thanks - I have looked up Crick, never heard of him. Why is IT wine?