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bradman turned up in today's guardian puzzle.

Tyke Malone and Jigjag

Thanks for thinking of me. I'm fine but have been very busy lately. I should be able to post more, now that we have been re-lockdowned.

Tyke

I liked your clue for "parties". A clue for that appeared in the Times earlier this week.

Malone

I love your "suitress". I will add it to my list of rare -ess words such as carpentress, executioneress et al. You're right that I am a suitable suitress.

Jigjag

I liked your Hallowe'en poem, and your idea of e'e, e'en when nothing is missing.

Grunger

Thanks. I was glad to hear you've been fine and very busy, and even gladder that you'll be posting more. Your -ess file must be pretty thick by now. If you ever want it pruned, I can give you contact details for an excellent sub-editress.

Jigjag

Grunger's post reminded me that I forgot to thank you for the good little poem.

Grunger

Pleased to hear from you - trust you`re prancing around the local park regularly - I`m a bit bored with taking the same route every day.

Grunger

Very pleased you are back and keeping busy with exercising, baking and....eating?

Malone

Yes I notice you help with the Private Eye crossword. You must find some of the clues rather distasteful, so it is very sporting of you to offer hints. Do you write anything for that publication? Some of your stuff here is good enough for it. I read it occasionally.

Jigjag,

The Private Eye crossword can be quite entertaining - as well as the occasional rudeness, I like the irreverence! It's a fortnightly publication, I probably would tire of it if I tackled it every week.

Today's Times Cryptic had another - yet another - of my eyebrow-raising clues...

Action English novelist mentioned (3)

...and yes, I know it probably works perfectly well for much of England, but it completely fails for me!

I agree, malone - I pronounce my Rs - but it at least makes sense of this quote:
Jaw, jaw is better than war, war
Often attributed to Churchill but actually said, in this form, by Harold Macmillan (Churchill had previously said something a bit similar).

Thanks, ChrisE.

I've never liked that quote very much - probably because 'jaw, jaw', talk, seems so, so dated now!

it was the 50s when he said it!

ChrisE, yes I know - but people have quoted it for decades afterwards, whereas I feel it should have disappeared along with antimacassars, blancmange, Liberty bodices.... It's not a quote that resonates very well now, whereas the best quotes are timeless ('One small step...', for example.)