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Hi, Rusty!
Oh dear!
I was sitting there, watching the clip...unable to believe that none of them ..... the contestant , his phone-a friend, and Jeremy.......knew that an ibex is a wild goat!
No, I don't think recourse to "asking Jeremy" is a good idea!
I think the programme is going to resemble a comedy show, rather than a semi- serious quiz!
But then, I never saw Chris Tarrant in action - other than during Judith's performance - so have no standard of comparison.
I have done about three -quarters of the crossword.
I am happy with what I have done......but am stuck on the remainder!
My husband is home from his exercise class....... he seems quite pleased with it!

Hello, Elle!
Goodness knows what animal Jeremy was thinking about!
Us Tour de France watchers see ibex when the Tour goes to the Pyrenees!
It's good lighthearted entertainment for me.
I hope the Spice Girls were not watching last night for Jeremy slaughtered them!
Tarrant was good, but I prefer Clarkson.
You have done more of the puzzle than me!
I'll resume the battle later!

Hi, Rusty!
I am just back from an unexpectedly sudden walk!
My husband decided to go to Screwfix....so I thought I would beg a lift and go to the park.
Dog and I are now home again.
I may watch "Millionaire" tonight, and see what happens......
Jeremy didn't like the Spice Girls?
I thought they were a good group?
I have no doubt that you will finish the puzzle , Rusty!
I, on the other hand, am well and truly stuck........
I shall take one more look......

Hello, Elle!
Screwfix sent me another voucher!
For £5.
I'll give it to my son.
One of the questions on Millionaire was on the Spice Girls singles.
The contestant was an opera singer, and Jeremy voiced his opinion several times that they were rotten.
I did not like them, too, especially Victoria Spice.
I have two to get in the puzzle, and one to parse.
I'll try and get there, but I think I am dealing with "unknowns" here!
I think it was quite a tricky puzzle, today.

I'm watching the two selected groups at the Arnold Palmer Invitational at the moment. On of the groups was Poulter, Fowler and Jason Day, but the latter walked off after about 5 holes, after hitting a second shot of the round in the water. It looked bad - I hope that he has a medical reason (though he has had history of problems).

They've just announced that it is a disc problem in his lower back.

Hi, Rusty!
I meant to ask my husband about these Screwfix vouchers.
He has never mentioned receiving one?
Right, now........
Some progress!
I am down to just two unsolved clues.....
11a: Do lie in chat (13)
C?N?A?U?A?I?N
19a: Speaking drunkenly; neglect religious ceremony in confusion (8)
?I?H?A?H
And I think that I have parsed all the others correctly.....
Which are the two that you haven't done?

19 is rather amusing, elle - think of a religious ceremony!
11 is often shortened incorrectly

Hello, Elle!
I think this is the third or fourth voucher Screwfix has sent me.
My son uses them as he is a regular customer of theirs.
11, to do (someone) can be to "con" them, "con" is an abbreviation of "confidence", or "confidence trick", and "fabulation" appears to be an American word.
I guessed it and found it in Merriam Websters Dictionary.
A "confabulation" can be a "chat".
The other one is "mishmash"/missMass.
I had quite a bit of difficulty with 1d, and not sure at all of the parse!
I had "h?h?" and hunted through Collins and found "Hahnium" which was named after a German lad called "Hahn".
I think he had something to do with nuclear fission, and was interned near Cambridge during the war.
Mind you, Elle, it took me a while to get it solved, and I'll give the parse more thought!
My other one was a new word to me.
5a, But "job" is a "post" and "doc" is "not genuine" reversed.
I think that's every day this week I have had "new words", which is good!

Hi, Rusty!
Ah, thank you kindly!
I should have been there till the proverbial cows come home trying to solve both those clues.
Yes, I can see "con" easily enough, but have never heard of "fabulation".
Nor do I know "confabulation"?
Although "confab" is a familiar word, but I was just not aware that it was a shortened form?
"Mishmash"!
Well, I have never been drunk....... nor in the company of someone trying to say "miss mass", when in an inebriated state!
( I think I can be forgiven not getting that one!! )
I have "Hahn" for 1d.
Otto Hahn is a German chemist who discovered nuclear fission..
I knew his name, so didn't find that clue a problem.
I parsed it as "H" for heroin........
a - in the clue
"h n" as the casing (case) of "h(eroi)n"
Does that sound okay?
My daughter has not phoned tonight?
I must text and find out why!
Is your son paying his usual Thursday visit?



Hello, Chris!
Thank you....
A life of sobriety did not help me with "miss mass" !