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Pigale, I'm glad Elle provided some Spoonerism information - I'm hopeless at explanations. There was a timely clue in today's Times Quick Cryptic...
3 D. Lead at this place went very fast for Spooner (9)
The answer is Spearhead, lead. Spooner would have said Here Sped, at this place went very fast.

Elle, Malone, Thanks for enlightening me ; I have met this in xwords without fully understanding it.

I am sure we have a word in French for this (perhaps Javanais, but am not sure). Anyway, I've learnt something today !

stopped raining and looking much brighter now.

Hello, Elle!
Fine day here, but a bit cold!
I have my paper but have not opened it yet.
Been involved in other things today.
I spotted a bit of info elsewhere (on a sports forum) and the gist of it is, the manufacturer of Maria's drug say it is to be taken for a maximum of six weeks. The bold Maria has taken it for ten years! I do not know how accurate that story is though?
Serena is a belter. And where did her muscles come from?
She is the last one to talk!
You explained Spoonerisms very well!

Hello Pigale,
I have no set routine for rising in the morning, though it tends to be earlyish.
Living alone I can please myself!

Good afternoon, Rusty!
You will find, if you have by now opened your paper, that the selfsame story about Maria's having taken the drug mildronate / meldonium for a decade instead of six weeks is also in there!
There have been suggestions that she should be stripped of her tennis titles!
This could never happen, though, could it?
Or else where would this debacle stop?
Every sport would be involved and numerous fingers pointed at goodness knows how many sportsmen and women!
Chaos would reign!
I am feeling sadly disillusioned!
Not just by Maria......... but by the knowledge that so much of this "cheating" is going on.......
I have tried to close my eyes to some of it - as you well know! - not wishing to acknowledge how bad things really are.......
But I am forced to face the harsh reality.
I've only done the Times QC so far today...........yes, another Spoonerism!
I had the answer before I could work out the spoonerism though!
What next...."Malapropisms"......?
Still raining here........

Elle, I am sorry that you are so disappointed by Maria S, but Lance Armstrong was indeed stripped off all his record wins on the Tour de France after he finally admitted to having taken drugs.

I dare say that unfortunately there are not many sports without some sort of performance enhancer - I would like to believe that Rugby is clean yet but..... who knows ? It certainly was when my husband played it.

Hello, Elle!
Yes, have read The Times.
As Pigale has pointed out, Armstrong was stripped of seven Tours de France.
Maria's titles will be safe, I'd say, as the drug was not on the banned list when she won her titles.
I am pleased the Times writer touched on Froome and oxygen tents. I have always said that should not be allowed.
Mechanical doping in my book.
And then there is the healthy asthma medication takers!
Sport is rife with cheating.
The athletes doctors try to keep ahead of the testers.
Lovely day here!
And what am I to make of 6 across in The Times puzzle?
"Take in bread and tea maker, we hear" (4)
Mr Rogan's setters are at it again!

Rusty, I'm glad you mentioned 'earn' and 'urn' first - I wanted to moan about that, but felt I could be turning into a permanent grouch re these (non)homophones.

I think I am quite saddened by many of the ruses and methods used in sports, all sorts of sports, nowadays. I feel many of the participants are trying to keep one step ahead of any rules, laws, codes. Some of the things that are happening may not be classed as illegal, but there's no doubt that they are unethical and immoral.

I saw an article by Dean Ryan (currently Director of Rugby at Worcester) that explained the various underhand methods that the Welsh front row utilise to win penalties at scrums. Let's hope that Saturday's referee is wise to them!

Chrise, this has always existed I think - the best team being the one which does not get caught doing it ! but pulling down, twisting nose or fingers in eyes have always gone on, if I believe what my husband has told me. However, even though it is not strictly fair play, it is not drug !

Hi, Rusty!
Yes, there is an awful lot about Maria et all in The Times today!
An extensive well written article, I think.
I'm still struggling with the Times 15x 15 today! - doing it in dribs and drabs!
It is about half completed so far!
I don't have a problem with the pronunciation of "earn " and "urn" - to me, they sound exactly the same!
Try this
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ggMEH2aGAbk
You can type in both words and compare the pronunciation - unless it's my ears (!) they sound alike?
I am puzzled about 3D though? I worked out the answer to the clue as " Mission Creep" - had to look it up to find out what it meant - never heard of it before!
I did like clues 7D and 12A!
Well, will press on.......I expect you finished it in record time!