EV 975 58, 91 by Syd Lexis

[dr b]

Greetings and salutations! A medium-difficulty EV, I thought. I confess that I don't have the extra letters quite figured out towards the end of the "phrase", but the phrase itself doesn't really seem to be needed to figure out the unclued lights, the shading, or the significance of the title.

100 degrees (F) in old St. Lou today! That's 212 (C) to you! No, wait....

[DocHH]

Hello dr b
I also don't have all the extra letters, and agree that they aren't essential to the grid population, and subsequent shading.
By my reckoning 100°F equates to around 37.8°C! A pleasant sunny 23°C here on the South Coast, just a bit breezy!

[devadolly]

Good afternoon Doc's both! Have got no-where with it yet as have only looked at the title and preamble, what with what seems like acres of soft fruit to pick and 'deal with' Suspect Christina is also sick of the sight of it too. Also 'Himself' getting into an argument with a very nasty bullock and losing, happily only to the tune of a couple of broken ribs + severe bruising in the nether regions and left leg, but it could have been worse. Said bullock was swiftly dispatched to the auction and will no doubt be gracing a number of dinner plates in the not too distant future! But lifting is now off H's agenda and on mine.
The numbers 58 & 91 say nothing to me, do they have any connection with the EV number? Ginger Mog and I will attempt to make inroads later.

[DocHH]

devadolly, as always, I more or less ignored most of the rubric, except the extra letter indication, that lead me to populating quite a lot of the grid. A few leaps of faith with the paired unclued downs lead to completion of the unclued across entries.
Hope Himself recovers quickly from the injuries sustained from the irascible bullock, sounds frightening, but from the way you relate it, it's not the first time this has happened! Does Ginger Mog have the same affinity to Himself as to you, my hound (Golden Retriever) although responsive to Herself, was more loyal to me!
I am sure this weeks offering will be very rewarding!
The numbers in this EV title are not relevant to the EV issue number.

[devadolly]

Good Morning, have made quite a good start on the grid but am very confused by the title. Ginger Mog very little help as (altho' is generally considered my cat) was attending to Himself.
As to it happening before, never in decades of being a livestock farmer, any macho stirks are generally sold long before they get dangerous, and we have never kept dairy bulls. This one had turned nasty within a very short period and the attack was quite unexpected, all one usually experiences is a feeling of being followed and stared at!

[novalis]

Agree with both Dr B and DocHH about the puzzle. I made life difficult for myself at the end by looking across bars to begin with.
Devadolly, I hope him imdoors is soon on the mend. The numbers are technically one out in each case.

[Christiana]

Agree with the sentiments expressed. Have solved all that's needed to post off, but didn't figure out all the extra letters and like Doc HH find ignoring all but the most necessary bits of the rubric the best way forward.
Devadolly, you're so right, but just the blackcurrants left now to cope with. Trouble is the apples, plums and pears are all leering at me with promise of things to come, and seem twice as prolific this year.
I'm also somewhat distracted as our little black cat, Marley, who came all the way from Portugal with us, had to make the journey to Sleepy Valley, as the vet put it. He was born with FIV so had done well to achieve almost 6 years of happy life, especially the first few months here, when he revelled in the garden and soft earth. He has been going downhill for about three months, so we knew the inevitable was coming, but I am still at the stage of missing my garden companion

[novalis]

Hi Christiana!

Sorry to here about your garden companion.

[devadolly]

Oh Christina, you must be so sad, it's just so awful when they depart isn't it? I have yet to work out which is worse, when they die accidentally in their prime enjoying life to the full, or when one has had them for years and have to make the final decision for them. Ginger Mog is here with me and I have given him a special stroke on your behalf. Soft or what? Sorry folks, but they get under the skin.

[turnerjmw]

So sorry to hear about Marley, Christiana. My little black thing finally went a few months ago, just before her 21st birthday. She had had a stroke, and then her kidneys went, so there was no decision, but still so upsetting. I still see her round the house every now and again! Put me in as founder member of the soft club.

I made the effort to figure out all the extra letters, though it certainly wasn't necessary. But I failed to understand the definition in 17ac, though the checking letters seem to confirm it must be RODED. A pleasant puzzle

[dr b]

Hi turnerjmw, one def. of "rode" is "Eng. regional (south-west.). Of wildfowl: to fly to their feeding grounds in the evening. Now rare." (from the OED). Obscure to say the least!

Sorry to hear about cats and angry cows. Hope everyone is feeling better soon.

[turnerjmw]

Thanks very much for that, dr b. I now see it's in Chambers, too, as "(esp of woodcock) to perform a regular evening flight". I can't even claim it's my woeful ignorance of rare south-western English - just inability to use a dictionary

[devadolly]

Good Morning All. Have at last got the grid finished, though I have to say, I find some of the word-play a little dubious but maybe that is just me! However, I am having great difficulty with finding what to highlight, a hint or two would be most gratefully received.
Thank you drb, Himself has recovered from the shock and is progressing nicely, the kitchen looks a bit like a drug emporium with all the heavy duty pain-killers and the bruises are an art-work in themselves stretching from underarm to ankle. He is managing tractor-work with an old pillow round the offending side and apart from the odd squeal when he forgets and does something he shouldn't everything carrys on as normal.

[dr b]

Hi dd, you're looking for the full names of two more people who can be described as 45a/46a, although one could say that they won their 1a/7a for being behind the scenes. In contrast, the unclued down lights won their 1a/7a for being IN the scenes!

All four answers to be highlighted are vertical in the grid.

[devadolly]

Thank you drb, had the unclued downers, will now make further investigation thanks for the help.