Inquisitor 1305

[Indy-trier]

I'm falling at the last hurdle as usual! I have the phrase from the surplus letters, the four answers with their pairs, and I think I'm close to getting the alternative title - only mine has 18 letters but only 3 words! I have convinced myself that a certain brewer of ales has a law (7,3) related to the surplus letter phrase and the 8 letter anagram. Am I going wrong somewhere?
Also - I'm not happy with my answer for 19A. Any tips please?
PS Happy birthday, Nimrod!

[boreas]

Hi Indy,

19A is EIDOS.

What is your brewer's law?

[Neveracrossword]

I think the brewer's law must be Murphys Law (where anything that can go wrong, will go wrong).

[christamacm]

I suspected Murphy's Law from the beginning, but also considered 'Take...Courage' as a possible connection. I haven't got the 8-letter one-word anagram, maybe one of my pairs is incorrect?

[Neveracrossword]

There's another thread which might help you check your pairs. The eight-letter anagram is mentioned there too.

[christamacm]

I did consult that but no joy. Could you please confirm whether my 39D pair is 11A & 7D?

[christamacm]

Oops! I meant 30D pair

[Neveracrossword]

I've no longer got the paper, so this is being done from memory - and I don't have numbers.
The pairs were Elements, Suits, Rhymes ...and my mind's gone blank.
Is this any help?

[christamacm]

got those plus 'continental', but it's the pair for Rhymes that I'm not sure about. I have 'envoi' and 'introit'.

[Neveracrossword]

It was 'runs' and 'tons'.

[christamacm]

Durrh..... how could I have missed that. Thanks for saving my sanity, Never!

[christamacm]

Have the anagram. Now thinking about what you might 'take...' when there is an occurrence of this anagram.

[Indy-trier]

Thanks Neveracrossword. It was Murphy's Law I was thinking of. In Chicago the Murphy's Brewery is in Sheffield Street but this is probably coincidence ??
Thanks Boreas. I have the same answer for 19a and an assuming it's a character in something as I can't find it in Chambers. My alternative title has 18 letters but it still has only 3 words! Where am I going wrong folks?

[christamacm]

Hi Indy-trier, you'll find EIDOS in Collins Dictionary - 'the intellectual character of a culture or a social group'.

[boreas]

In word lengths the alternative title is:
1,6,3,8

[christamacm]

Thanks for the hint, boreas, I have the four-word title now!!

[Indy-trier]

I'm probably being totally dim now, but am I to assume this has nothing to do with Murphy?

[boreas]

No, nothing to do with Murphy's Law.

[Indy-trier]

What a shame! Apart from it being wrong I thought that was brilliant - ha, ha! Now to clear my mind and work out the right answer. . . .

[boreas]

I know what you mean. When you have a 'flash of light' it's veru hard to move away from it.