Crossword Help Forum
Forum Rules

Hello, Elle!
Google Dandy Horse? It is at the top of the page.
Wonder if they do bacon rolls?
Elgin is in the north of Scotland. Just a little place although it is a city. The Beatles played at the Two Red Shoes.
The London clue is,
6d Escaped ducks found in London school (5)
My rain has been on for over a week.
There were folk evacuated from flats at the waterfront today as the wind had torn the roofs off the building.

Hi, Rusty!
Yes, I've had a look at the Dandy Horse - maybe I will get the chance to see it in situ sometime!
I can do your clue......loose = escaped (def)
oo ( ducks) in LSE - London School of Economics
I hadn't appreciated that your rain has now gone on for so long, or that the local winds were strong enough to rip roofs from houses / blocks of flats.
Nasty.
How close are YOU to the waterfront? or your family? Are you likely to encounter any problems?
We are very lucky here - when we don't have leaking gas in the Borough - or gangs with machetes running around Bromley shopping centre!

Hello, Elle!
Yes, the Dandy Horse looks good to visit!
Our rain has not let up for over a week, and no end in sight.
Probably the longest wet spell I can remember.
Quite a few rivers have burst their banks, too. Flooded roads etc.
The housing is a modern block of flats at the waterfront.
Everything is new down there.
Costing an incredible amount of money.
We are well away from the waterfront.
It is a lot windier there, too.
Anyway, the folk in the flats have had to move out.
Yes, I read about your hooligans in Bromley. Shocking!

Good Morning, Rusty!
Damp, muddy underfoot, but not actually raining so far......an improvement on last night's effort! We had very heavy rain throughout the night.
How is it with you? Has your rain stopped?
Has your painter arrived yet to gloss the door ?
Nothing special planned for today.... but I need to do some reorganising of cupboards, drawers and wardrobes at some stage.
We have a lot of gifts to put away - and I think it is a good opportunity to do some sorting out of "old" clothes for the charity shop.
Hopefully, we shall get out again later for a second walk... I gave up on that idea yesterday as the rain was torrential.
What are your plans for the day - is the weather fit for you to go for a walk? (when your paint is dry!)

Good morning, Elle!
Rain, rain, rain, here!
No respite until the end of the week.
Painter due here after dinner/lunch time.
May have other jobs for him in the future.
So, we shall have a chat!
My car alarm seems to have settled.
Not sure if I will get a walk.
Depends on when painter finishes.
He is very fast!
Good to see a pro in action!

No Londonisms today, but one clue in the Times Quick Cryptic has me slightly puzzled.

4 A. Watch bags, said to be something mountaineer might need (3,3)

Ice Axe is the answer - but I've been trying to figure out where in the UK this would sound anything like Eye Sacks.
The 'sacks' works fine - but the 'I' sound just doesn't work. Ice is pronounced in the same way as mice, price, rice - but maybe that's only in my (Scottish) part of the country.

Hi malone
The i in mice sounds exactly like "eye" to me. You don't say "meece", do you?

Thanks, ChrisE. I must pronounce Mice differently - my first part would sound like Mike, bike, whereas yours sounds more like M eye ce. It must be the north/south (flattened vowel sounds) difference!

Hi, Rusty!
Goodness, where has the time gone!
Did you do anything specific to sort out your car alarm - or did it just settle by itself? You said that you had a list of things to try.....one by one.........?
Glad it is okay, anyway!
Has the painter come? Are you pleased with the colour of the door, now that you see it "in the flesh" so to speak?
I am only half way through my own "list" of things to do.......I start something and get sidetracked by something en route.....still, a lot of sorting is getting done even if not in the order or manner envisaged! Time well spent if not well planned!
No rain at the moment but still dank.......

Hello, Malone and Chris!
I didn't have a problem with the pronunciation when doing that particular clue earlier........
"eye" sounds like "I" ?
and the "s" at the beginning of "sacks " is a soft pronunciation "ce" NOT a "z " sound.
so eye + (s) pronounced ce, gives ice ?
and of course acks = axe
I think I'm agreeing with Chris, here!