Spectator 2182

[djawhufc]

Hi all

Get your copy of Brewers ready.

All the best

DJA

[djawhufc]

Hi Pepperpot

I got a bounce back has your email address changed?

[Jogler]

Thanks, once again, Daniel. Confused by the suggestion that Hants isn't a headword in Chambers in the solution to 2179 that was published this week. What are we missing?

[djawhufc]

The answer to that unclued was hunts not hants as it is a county abbreviation and a word in its own right.

[roslyn251254]

Thanks Daniel. Not too bad today and a quick google of several of the unclued told me where to look in Bradfords!
Lots of time for gardening now before the rain expected at the weekend!

[Jogler]

Probably unfortunate that Hunts isn't included in Chambers as a county abbreviation; muddies the water somewhat, but I understand it now, ty D. Now, for something completely different, I just have to work out who my right hand neighbour is!

[whatsthat]

Re 2179: In my Chambers 12th edition Hants. is included as a headword, but not Hunts. Very strange indeed.

[Ironie]

No, W., the preamble condition was that each of the county abbreviations (whether or not they appear as such in Chambers) should be listed as an inflected headword in Chambers, i.e. that for example 'hunts' is valid as it is the 3rd-person inflected form of 'hunt', whereas 'hants' is not valid as there is no verb or noun 'hant'. Get it now?

[whatsthat]

Thanks Ironie, now I think I know what inflected means.

[hankir]

Daniel, thanks for the puzzle.

I am stymied.
I have some of the unclued lights (guesses) filled in.
A couple of them can be connected to the title.

I checked Brewers but cannot find any reference to any of the words.
A small hint would be helpful.

[Ironie]

H, look up 'top' in Bradford's and, er, think royal. You're nearly there!

[hankir]

Thanks, Ironie.
Unfortunately I don't have Bradfords.
I can get it for $12 from Amazon.
I will see if it is available online.
I will be out for a few hours but when I return I will explore the word top.

[crosswhit99]

Brewers is available online via this site, just enter your library card details to log in:

http://literati.credoreference.com/auth/libcard

[hankir]

Thank you crosswhit99.
I do have Brewers downloaded on my PC.
I don't have Bradford's.
They are two different dictionaries, I presume.
I am about 3900 miles away from London, so my library card will not work.

[hankir]

Ironie and crosswhit 99.

Thanks for your suggestions. I finally figured out where to look in Brewers.
I had heard of 7D before but not the others.

Now the only one remaining is 33 A.
This outstanding rose would be needle-pointed. (3)

Only one letter is missing. It can't be that bad to figure out.

[Neveracrossword]

That one held me up too! All you need is a three letter word that means outstanding/super. If you add this word to 'rose' it would mean needle-pointed.

[whatsthat]

Brewers 1898 version is available free online at
http://www.bartleby.com/81/
It's good enough for most crosswords, including this one.

[crosswhit99]

Bradfords is indeed a different volume, but if you have Brewers then that's the one the preamble for this one recommends.

[British_Olympics]

I've been playing around with your link crosswhit, and if hankir puts in the following details s/he should be able to access Brewers at:

http://literati.credoreference.com/content/title/brewerphrase?tab=entries

Library: Preston Harris (also over 3000 miles from London, culturally speaking)

Number: 20118016857354