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jigjag

2nd May 2023, 17:18
...sorry, I didnt notice the date!
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parallelogram

8th May 2023, 21:28
Back again after a lengthy absence during which I stopped doing crosswords (I have read a lot of library books instead). I do not have time to read through all the pages I have missed so I may be repeating something that has been mentioned before. Anyway, I have been discovering some strange verb constructions recently (in The Times). The first was a transitive verb being used intransitively as in "The rocket will launch on Thursday". The second was more recent as in "The economy has managed so far to swerve an official recession". What is wrong with avoid or miss? Am I being hyper-sensitive?
I think I will have to concede defeat on the use of "trove" as a noun but what is a trove? This seems to be more common in the Guardian.
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parallelogram

8th May 2023, 21:53
Can I add my tuppence worth to the question of resolving golfing ties? The intention of using the back nine, I assume, is to sort out which player is better able to stand up to the pressure of holding a lead over his opponent. Player A could be 3 strokes ahead after 15 holes but finish 6 4 5 to Player B's 5 3 4.
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paulhabershon

9th May 2023, 09:15
parallelogram @622

Transitive verbs used intransitively, agreed; at the risk of having said this here before, I hate hearing the exhortation 'Enjoy!' Irrational perhaps, but true. I suppose a direct object can be 'understood', but I do feel the lack of it here.

Again probably repeating myself, I keep seeing 'cater to' - e.g. Toby Young in the Spectator (29th April): 'Netflix caters to people with a wide range of different tastes...' Andrew Robson is another frequent 'cater to' writer in his otherwise excellent Times bridge column. Not certain I am on solid ground here, but I still don't like it. Surely 'cater for'?

Finally, I wonder how long the fashion of 'super' will last, as in 'I am super happy, super annoyed etc.'

Good point about golf ties @623.
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jigjag

9th May 2023, 13:10
parallel

Glad to see you here again.

I agree about the verbs. The rocket will launch......The train derailed......are wrong and irritating.

Paul

I agree about cater to - wrong and cater for is correct. I also agree about Robson's column. I wrote to him recently suggesting a better line on one hand and received a nice reply thanking me and saying he simply had not seen the improvement.
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tyke51

9th May 2023, 14:17
Jigjag

Great win last night! Calvert - Lewin makes a difference even when not scoring.
Hoping Yorkshire get a CC win soon - it`s been over a year since the last one!
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jigjag

10th May 2023, 11:52
Tyke

Yes he makes a big difference, but is only just getting fit -just in time I hope!

Hope Yorks first win is not at New Road!
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chrise

26th May 2023, 14:12
I'm watching the "Queen stage" of the Giro d'Italia. They've gone over 2000m altitude. A commentator, Robbie McEwan, helpfully explained that they have difficulty getting enough oxygen at this altitude as the % of oxygen in the air is lower because oxygen has heavier molecules (which is true, but not enough to make any difference to the mixing of gases).
It reminds me of the last time I had a new tyre, when I was offered it to be inflated with nitrogen rather than air (for extra expense, of course) as it "didn't expand as much when it got hot.
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chrise

26th May 2023, 15:05
to be fair, he has just corrected himself (or someone else told him!)
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tyke51

26th May 2023, 16:12
I'm pleased he appreciates the gravity of the situation!
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