Spectator Crossword 1902

[Rapparee]

This week's offering, folks -
Skinned by Columba

[kayakamina]

Whereas in last weeks Valentine's Day puzzle I had a lot of Y's in the outer perimeter before I solved it, this week it seemed to be B's !

Once I had sussed the connection it was reasonably straightforward with my Bradford's.

[Rapparee]

I've got most of this done but have no reference books to hand at the moment. I still need to verify some of the thematic words so will roll out my Bradford's later. I'm quite confident I've got this beat.

[mad max]

Many thanks for link

[robinruth]

Not just Bs but MBs and D, G and L - what an odd lot! My left half is filling a lot faster than the right half but this one does seem fairly straight-forward with no need for Brewer!

[robinruth]

Yes, Rapparee, I think you have got it beat - but Bradfords doesn't seem to include all of them.

[robinruth]

Just completed it - I think, kayakamina, that it was slightly more difficult than usual. However, all the items are in 2008 Chambers. Two were not in my 1996 CD-ROM (Chambers) - must be recent additions. Off now to boil the kettle!- earned that cuppa.

[Helveticus]

Once I realised the theme, I was on a roll: Chambers 1998 and Wikipedia confirm all but third of the unclued lights (reading clockwise from top left). My head is pounding, but to no avail...

[Rapparee]

I found all the theme words in the 2007 edition of Bradfords if you allow for one variant spelling in the SW corner.

I see the title gives 'Send ink'. Anything to do with tattoos d'you suppose?

[robinruth]

See my earlier comment about brewing a kettle and having a cuppa - might help. This one is actually the second (alphabetically) in Bradford's solver's dictionary - without giving too much away, you would probably encounter it at a (French) ball. The word is from Moorish and is in Chambers 2008 and 2003.

[mjld]

I just want to be able to see crossword 1902, but get a "402 not found" error when trying Rapparee's link, and also on the Spectator's website, spectator.co.uk .... only me?

[robinruth]

Me again! I must be becoming a site hog - but the answer is that the link works fine for me, as does the Spectator website. Good luck.

[Rollo]

mjld, I works fine for me too.

Do you have a PDF reader program on your computer?

[AHearer]

Thanks for the link. Quite a nice puzzle, though I must have been a bit dozy as I was solving it as I seemd to find omitted letters in a numbers clues which were really complete. The theme was not hard to spot, and then the five squares leapt out, but I had to go back and check my earlier mistaken interpretations of some cryptic parts..

[crucifernz]

Hi again from the Antipodes
I'm just about there, but stuck on:
14A Drive back with acceptable force ??A?O?? (7)
6D Worth covering section with last bit of fine tissue
???I?T?E (8)
The latter should confirm my 28A
I think I have the right direction for the unclued lights around the perimeter - can someone confirm that they are all fleshy, sweet and edible? Or am I barking up the wrong tree in the orchard/jungle?

[bathtub]

14a Dragoon
6d Meristem

[robinruth]

Crucifernz, you are indeed beating up the wrong tree. At least, mine were not jucy or edible or on trees. Read some of the earlier posts (Rapparee, Helveticus ...) - the ones who got it beat first.
Good luck
(And get that kettle on!)

[crucifernz]

Thanks for those last solutions. OK, I've beaten it now - ratatatat, parumpapumpum. Thanks for all the subtle hints...my head is no longer pounding.

[Mysterons]

.... beats me what you lot are banging on about.