Crossword Help Forum
Forum Rules

Good evening, Elle!
Been a fine day here and warmish.
I did not pass the bottle bank on my dander.
I do not know if The Times has Latin puzzle books.
Why not ask John to send you one to try?
My youngest son was here as usual.

Hi, Rusty!
Still mild here......I shall have to rethink my early morning dog walking gear, if this warmer weather continues.
I tend to dress in a zombie- like fashion in the early mornings, throwing on all the warm clothing!
You have had a nice time, seeing both sons in the one day.
I wish that my elder daughter were nearer, although we always see the family in the school holidays.
We are at least fortunate in that.
I have recorded a new serial on the television.........
I shall watch it now and see if it is worth pursuing in the weeks to follow.

Hello, Elle!
Yes, I have had a busyish day.
i am very lucky, my family is close by.
My grandson has had a bid for a flat accepted today, and it is not far from me.
A five minute drive away.
I would walk there but it's uphill all the way!
Now this is not a Latin puzzle, but apparently it does not contain the letter "e"!

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xLunE_UfYvA

Good morning, Rusty!
Dull and mild (ish) here......no obvious feel good factor to the day!
An energetic walk though.
Well done your grandson on his pending flat purchase!
And it is good that he will be living so near to you.
Is property buying in Scotland still done by sealed bids?
Does this work in preventing "gazumping"?
You say the flat is " up a hill".......your elder son lives up a hill........the same hill?
So will your grandson be near his dad?
I have enjoyed the crossword that you sent!
It took me a while to realise that not only the answers contained no "e"s, but the clues did not have any either....
Very clever!

Good morning, Elle!
Cloudy and colder here today!
Yes, my grandson will be nearer his father than me.
Yes, they are on the same hill, roughly.
I don't know about sealed bids, but he told me he would know by yesterday at dinnertime if their bid was successful.
Is that a clue?
What's "gazumping"?
It was a good puzzle.
I went looking on YouTube for a Latin puzzle, but could not see one, and found that one instead.
I knew you would appreciate it, for the explanations, as the solver progressed!
These setters are very good indeed, I think!
Today's puzzle was quite tricky for me, with new words and puzzling parses.
Not convinced I have all the parses 100% !

Hi, Rusty!
How very nice for your grandson to be living near to both his dad and to you!
A "sealed bid" on a property is a price offered in a sealed envelope, in response to the "asking price" of the property.
These offers are given to the seller, and he/ she can choose the most appropriate offer..... maybe the highest, or perhaps the buyer in the best position to proceed.
This, as far as I am aware, is still the way property is sold in Scotland?
I have learned of this over the years, as family and friends have bought and sold houses there.
"Gazumping" is making a higher bid for property than someone whose offer has already been accepted.
Thereby acquiring the property over the other person's head.
I don't think gazumping can happen in Scotland, though, with the conveyancing laws the way they are, which will be why you do not know the term.
I am struggling with today's crossword puzzle... it is very difficult for me!

Hello, Elle!
Thank you for the very complete explanations!
I think, on reflection, I may have heard of "gazumping".
Could it be linked to "gazundering", I wonder?
Now today's puzzle!
I did not want to scare you off by saying it was a toughie....but I found it to be so!
I got 1a straight off, but the parse took a bit of thinking about.
The last two letters in the answer is the name of a mountain in Karakorams, better known as Masherbrum.
Munro is the definition, but not a mountain.
18 is a Czech river which I had not heard of (and probably a few like me!)
12a is an old play that I had not heard of before, by John Milton.
19d is the name of a London theatre.
Hope these hints are a help, Elle.
Just ask if you need any more.

Hi, Rusty!
Yes, "gazundering" is another term that one may encounter when selling/ buying a house, but under different circumstances.
"Gazundering" is when the prospective buyer lowers the offer he has made to the seller, at the very last moment, usually just before the exchange of contracts.
Dirty dealing!
Now the puzzle...
I had already got 1a: Saki (the pen name of H. H. Munro); 18a: Vltava (I liked the parsing of this) and 19d: Aldwych (sounds like "auld witch")
They were some of the ones that I found easier.
12a, which you also mention , I cannot do?
There are seven, in total, that I do not think I shall have any hope at all of solving!
Maybe you could tell me the answer to 2d, please , which crosses several of the other clues ?
And then I shall intermittently battle on...and will ask for more help later, if I decide to throw in the towel!
Goodness, I need a coffee......

Hello, Elle!
2d is the city of "Kalamazoo" in Michigan.
A "kazoo" is a music intrument and "lama" is the priest.
12a is "Samson Agonistes". Think it is an anagram but I have not checked.
I've not heard of it.
Have a break from it, Elle.
It freshens the mind I think!

Update, Elle.
Meant to say, I looked up Saki/Munro and discovered that he was killed at Beaumont Hamel during WW1.
He was killed by a sniper.
Did not know that.