Radio Times 5

[davey b]

Famous Russian without a job. Can anyone please explain why the answer is TROTSKY?

[ladyalex]

I cannot explain it,but nothing else seems to fit ?R?T?K?
Perhaps someone else will see this and explain it.
:-))

[scorpiojo]

Er....

[ladyalex]

I'm not understanding you, Scorpiojo.
Am I being thick?

[factor-fiction]

Not fully.
I can see job = task and without A it's TSK
That leaves TROY?

[scorpiojo]

Sorry, I meant Er...me neither :)

Perhaps there's a word missing from the clue?

[ladyalex]

You've got further than me, factor fiction.

[ladyalex]

No, I have the magazine in front of me and the full clue is as davey b posted
Famous Russian without a job (7)

[scorpiojo]

Sorry (again), I meant RT omitted something

[ladyalex]

Possibly......

Any ideas what?

[scorpiojo]

Famous Russian without a job in the City?

[ladyalex]

Famous Russian without a job in legendary city?

[factor-fiction]

Famous Russian EPIC (or CITY) without a job, perhaps

[mazie]

According to this blog, that's the complete clue

http://www.chrismart.luporz.com/crosswords/Radio%20Times%20Prize%20Crossword%205%20Solution.html

[ladyalex]

We'll never know ......another one of life's mysteries.

[factor-fiction]

D'oh- I spent too long thinking.
Without can mean outside

[ladyalex]

Give us the full parse of the actual clue, then factor.....please!!!!

[factor-fiction]

Famous Russian is the definition.
Epic/city is TROY
Put that outside (without) TSK
The TSK came from TASK (job) without the A- although the clue 'without a job' is clumsy

[factor-fiction]

But I'm not great at this

[ladyalex]

That's good factor, but the full printed clue is

Famous Russian without a job (7)

Nothing about Epic or City

[factor-fiction]

I can't- my suggestion was based on a missing word leading to TROY