Sunday Times Mephisto 2692 Sunday April 1st 2012

[Mikejas]

Have managed to complete grid and I think that the 4 clues lacking definition are all fish. However, I'm struggling to find the linked six letters which have to be shaded. Could it be something to do with Lent and fasting; these fish being permitted foods?

[kayakamina]

Think of the French word for fish & the date of the puzzle and look
at the end of 15a & all of 16a.

[Mikejas]

Thanks kayakamina. I always thought you'd have to get up pretty early in the morning to get one past you. Poisson d'Avril. Being Scottish,we refer to "Hunt tne Gowk" so it would probably never occurred to me and I was away off on a completely wrong track with Lent! Up here on April 2nd we also have Taily Day when you surreptitiously pinned a paper tail on unsuspecting colleagues. But trust the French to give it a foody connection!

[kayakamina]

Always happy to help Mike, and thank you for those two pieces of information
which, you never know, could come up in a future crossword!

Regards K

[Mikejas]

Maybe should explain that Gowk is a cuckoo.