Seen And Not Heard

[itinerants]

Ducks and drakes used to bust the dam (8)
Answer will have a silent letter in it.

[Prudie]

oh dear just seen that :-(
Also meant to say silent letter is the e of course. Still don't think it's skimmers for a moment.

[dannyk13]

Prudie, do you disagree with skimmers fitting both parts of the clue?

[elliemay1]

I don't think it's skimmers either but I can't come up with anything else!

[diddlydo]

Skimmers doesn't have a silent letter and eiderdown doesn't have 8 letters as per the clue. End of.

[JJ109]

That's exactly how I feel also Prudie and Elliemay!

[dannyk13]

Very helpful post diddlydo.

[Prudie]

No danny I can see the dambuster connection but I can't see however we would like it to be so that double m has a silent letter.

[dannyk13]

Plenty of negative posts but no credible alternatives.I also am not happy with the question of a silent letter.All I am saying is that skimmers does fit both parts of the clue.

[Prudie]

Out of interest if it were actually (9) would you agree with eiderdown?

[Zacs-Master]

Maybe mine’s right after all!

[Calibax]

Ricochet?
Strictly speaking, bouncing bombs do not "bounce", but "ricochet"

[dannyk13]

Brilliant Calibax- that fits both clues.

[dannyk13]

https://thesaurus.plus/related/ricochet/skim

[elliemay1]

But shouldn't the answer be 'ricochets' then as 'ducks/drakes' are plural?

[itinerants]

No problem mamyalynne

[dannyk13]

ellie, no, ducks and drakes is he name of a game (singular)

[elliemay1]

Okay, thanks danny

[Davemano]

Ducks and drakes definition and meaning | Collins English Dictionary
https://www.collinsdictionary.com/dictionary/english/ducks-and-drakes
Ducks and drakes definition: a game in which a flat stone is bounced across the surface of water .
So it could be Bouncers or Bouncing, the U silent.

[Zacs-Master]

That would be Boncing or Bonces then.

[Prudie]

There are some odd ideas about what a silent letter is, like p in bath