Spectator 1875

[greyfox]

Here you go:

http://www.spectator.co.uk/article_assets/arti cledir_1733/866866/crossword.pdf

[Rapparee]

Many thanks for the link, Greyfox.

[mad max]

many thanks for link

[kayakamina]

Pardon me boy, but the theme was used in the Independent.


Thanks for the link.

[DocHH]

Having trouble wth middle square of 7ac, 8th and 9th squares of 14d, 36ac, 25d, 1st, 3rd and 4th square of 35d and 40ac. Hints appreciated, but apart from that the rest was OK quite quickly, less than an hour. So feeling chuffed!

[kayakamina]

I feared my Chattanooga reference had spoiled it for everyone.

36a Gilpy

35/40 The Scot

I'm a bit unclear exactly what you still looking for.

[DocHH]

Thanks Kayakamina
7ac. 2?1
14d OFTHECA?PIRA ?
25d ?LI?A? This is assuming IRONS is OK for 32ac!
26d ?ASI?IC
This is my first shot at Spectator! I need to get inside the setters head.
Ciao

[bathtub]

32a is TRONC, which should give you 26d

[bathtub]

No, I'm throwing in the towel, just have too much on at the moment. I have the theme (I think) but I'm stymied by 14d, 7ac (though I know in essence what has to be done) and 8dn.

Any help gratefully accepted!

[toalisi]

I am also battling with 14d.

I have eliminated all the letters from the phrase in the preamble except O T E O.
Assuming the O goes to make OF , and TE becomes THE I am left with CA (O) PIRA ?

Is it possible that Doc has made another slip?

[mad max]

toalisi
unchecked letters in 14d should be OTEI

[toalisi]

Thank you mad max.

I had crossed off a wrong letter from the phrase.

[Rapparee]

A little googling will get you the answer to 8d in a jiffy if you use the key words in the clue.

The one obvous pair was of course 1a & 23d.

The other pairs are:-

1d & 35d
26d & 7a

and the quartet is

40a, 28d, 21a & 14d

As ever, let Google be your friend.

[bathtub]

I know the Housman reference - what put me off is the instruction that the solution must be entered in an 'irregular style'. In this case, does that simply mean the omission of the first word of the two-word answer the clue leads to? I think I may be over-complicating things.

[augustusH]

Thank you all for your help, but I cant find any references to the what the pairing of 26D/7A must be (after elimination of all the other unchecked letters)
Am I looking in the wrong place?

thanks

[ulysses100]

Augustus,
There is only one word that will fit the letters ?ACI?IC
Google that word with the combination of numbers and you will end up with a piece of music.

Bathtub,
You will notice that these two answers contain numbers......

[bathtub]

Thank you! I don't believe how long it took me to get there!