Crossword Help Forum
Forum Rules

Hiya!

I'm probably not allowed to swear on here, but this one's making me want to. It's a total 'Spooner's discover dirt (4, 4)", as far as I'm concerned, but one thing might make it much easier. Does the first word in each clue determine which of the answers goes in first? So, does the answer from the 'only children' wordplay go in 1A?

Many thanks,
Suzannah x

Hi suzannah,

No, sorry, it doesn't work like that, in some cases the second part of the run-together clues is the first entry. Also, definitions and wordplay are separated in most, as in 1,36, and on top, there is the issue of entering the 'double' partner in the right location in eight cases. Thus, the two 1.36 answers are two individual items (both people) in two separate 'mixed doubles', whose partners are to be entered at 13A and 16d.

Have I made things better or worse?!

Hi Muraria!

I'm too nice not to thank you, but you've made it worse and ruined my day! I thought I might have found a nice easy way to get moving on the grid fill, but obviously not!

Oh, well, back to the drawing board! I have a feeling most of the clues will be quite easy to parse once I've unravelled the two wordplays and two definitions, but my mind starts to wander about halfway through each read-through.

Cheers,
Suzannah x

Sorry! Actually many clues' wordplays are pretty straightforward and I spotted many of the definitions within clues from the wordplay. Most are also straightforward entries. Once you've got a foothold, it becomes much less daunting...

You mentioned 1/36 linking with 16D, Muraria! Should I be thinking football for that one?

Indeed, one half of the Saturday lunchtime football show duo of the 90s was it?.

Brilliant. I can start filling in the grid now. I used to watch them every week.

Can’t believe this Susannah, that one was was my last tortured entry! I had never heard of it. My favourite was the other half of 1/36.