Mephisto 2583

[eac2337]

10ac Joker, eg, adding a line to bardic matter (6) c???u?e Nearly done. Help welcome

[Mamyalynne]

can you clarify the layout as you say (6) but show (7) ?

[eac2337]

Sorry. Should have been c??u?e

[Mamyalynne]

sorry I feel silly now as none of the words I can find seem to fit the clue.

[eac2337]

don't worry

[mike11111]

I have been stuck on this one too for the past three hours, the last one I need to complete.I have narrowed the letter selection down to c?au?e. The only three words I can find in Chambers are: chaufe, Claude and clause. The only connection I can find is that Claude is one of the names of Thomas Claude Wade Midwood, an Australian caricaturist of the 19th - early 20th century who designed playing cards, including the joker. As to deconstructing the rest of the definition, I must admit to defeat.

[Mamyalynne]

see my reply to eac above this one

[mike11111]

Just had a flash of inspiration. Had I bothered to look up 'joker' in Chambers in the first place I would have got it much sooner.One of the definitions of joker is a clause inserted into a bill or contract with the intent of rendering it ineffective. One of the meanings of cause as used by Shakespeare (hence 'bardic') is matter. So by adding a line 'l' into cause we get clause, which is the answer. All done, I can go to bed now!

[Mamyalynne]

Isn`t that what I said?