Crossword Clues Part 2

[Aruntraveller]

Susan is the clue that or is it "writing after interval" ?

If it is this, then when you buy something from a charity shop it can be this if it has passed through 2 previous owners.

[SusanDoris]

Susan is the clue that or is it "writing after interval" ?

If it is this, then when you buy something from a charity shop it can be this if it has passed through 2 previous owners.

Oh, dear! Thank you - yes, I increased the magnification, and it is 'writing'. Mind you, I'm not sure whether reading it correctly would have helped or not, but I'll see what I can do with the help of the hint. Thank uou.

Okay, got it - THIRD HAND... and that'll be a musical interval before the hand writing - I suppose not so much of that gets done these days!

[SusanDoris]

Having the I from THIRD HAND I managed the down clue and another across and then did two more, guessing wildly, but the answers are clearly right and fit - goodness knows why!
I now have

19 down: Soubriquet's essence in letter written up (7)
Letters: E - - - H - T

so I jump to the conclusion that it must be EPITHET, but if so, why, oh why!

And then that leaves only a few more to do ...

[bluehillside Retd.]

Hi Susan,

Having the I from THIRD HAND I managed the down clue and another across and then did two more, guessing wildly, but the answers are clearly right and fit - goodness knows why!
I now have

19 down: Soubriquet's essence in letter written up (7)
Letters: E - - - H - T

so I jump to the conclusion that it must be EPITHET, but if so, why, oh why!

And then that leaves only a few more to do ...

It's PITH (“essence”) in the letter TEE “written up” – ie, reversed for a down clue. 

[SusanDoris]

Hi Susan,

It's PITH (“essence”) in the letter TEE “written up” – ie, reversed for a down clue.

Thank you. I can get the PITH part, but how do you know it is the letter T being referred to, and that it must be spelt?

The last two clues are:
22 across: Think pigmies occasionally must conceal a trap (7)
Letters: I - - - i - e   Anagram of 'pigmies'?
 23 down: Subtle charm of an Italian city (5)
Letters: - - O - A
Third letter of 22 across is first of 23 down.

I think I can allow myself to ask for answers at this point, please? I've spent quite a bit of today trying to get used to using chrome and MS edge.

[bluehillside Retd.]

Hi Susan,

Thank you. I can get the PITH part, but how do you know it is the letter T being referred to, and that it must be spelt?

It’s the standard phonetic spelling of the letter I think.

The last two clues are:
22 across: Think pigmies occasionally must conceal a trap (7)
Letters: I - - - i - e   Anagram of 'pigmies'?

No. It’s IMAGINE. “Think” is the synonym, the “trap” is GIN and it’s inside (“conceal”) the alternate letters ("occasionally") of the word “pigmies”.
 

23 down: Subtle charm of an Italian city (5)
Letters: - - O - A
Third letter of 22 across is first of 23 down.

I think I can allow myself to ask for answers at this point, please? I've spent quite a bit of today trying to get used to using chrome and MS edge.

AROMA.

[SusanDoris]

Hi Susan,

It’s the standard phonetic spelling of the letter I think.

thank you and yes, I do see that, but what told you it was the letter T to choose and not, say, bee or cee?

No. It’s IMAGINE. “Think” is the synonym, the “trap” is GIN and it’s inside (“conceal”) the alternate letters ("occasionally") of the word “pigmies”.

Thank you - and I did wonder about the alternate letters but there didn't seem to be enough of them.
 

AROMA.

Thank you for your help, much appreciated as always. 
[/quote]

[bluehillside Retd.]

Hi Susan,

thank you and yes, I do see that, but what told you it was the letter T to choose and not, say, bee or cee?

It was the other way around. EPITHET fitted and gave me the synonym, and PITH was the essence part. All I had to do then was to reason that EET "upwards" was TEE, which must have been the intended letter. I have to say that I don't like it much - maybe something like: "Soubriquet's essence in shirt upside down" would have been better? 

[SusanDoris]

Hi Susan,

It was the other way around. EPITHET fitted and gave me the synonym, and PITH was the essence part. All I had to do then was to reason that EET "upwards" was TEE, which must have been the intended letter. I have to say that I don't like it much - maybe something like: "Soubriquet's essence in shirt upside down" would have been better?

Yes! My opinion is that Clever Clogs perhaps has a slightly inflated opinion of himself!

Thank you as always for the answer to the why question.

And since yesterday, I have even managed to work out the reason for one of the other answers!

[SusanDoris]

15 answers done so far, so a reasonable start with clues more to my liking. However, a hint for the folowing would help and be much appreciated:

9 down: African transmitter runs right round hollow tree (6)
Fourth letter T

[bluehillside Retd.]

Hi Susan,

15 answers done so far, so a reasonable start with clues more to my liking. However, a hint for the folowing would help and be much appreciated:

9 down: African transmitter runs right round hollow tree (6)
Fourth letter T

Maybe the “transmitter” transmits disease rather than broadcasts? 

[SusanDoris]

Hi Susan,

Maybe the “transmitter” transmits disease rather than broadcasts?

Thank you. I'll work on that ... ...

[SusanDoris]

I'm afraid I haven't got it yet. It is becoming impossible to find synonyms on the internet, because there is so much stuff on the page  and I simply cannot find the links to click on to get somewhere. The Meriam(phonetic sp)) Webster used to go straight to synonyms, but it doesn't seem to be doing that any more.  Even if I got the Tech chap to register me on one of these sites, it's just about impossible to make it simple. *sigh*

So, unless another hint would get me closer to the answer, may I have the answer please?

[bluehillside Retd.]

Hi Susan,

I'm afraid I haven't got it yet. It is becoming impossible to find synonyms on the internet, because there is so much stuff on the page  and I simply cannot find the links to click on to get somewhere. The Meriam(phonetic sp)) Webster used to go straight to synonyms, but it doesn't seem to be doing that any more.  Even if I got the Tech chap to register me on one of these sites, it's just about impossible to make it simple. *sigh*

So, unless another hint would get me closer to the answer, may I have the answer please?

Of course: TSETSE (as in the fly).

[SusanDoris]

Hi Susan,

Of course: TSETSE (as in the fly).

Many thanks - I certainly wouldn't have got that. What is the relevance of the rest of the clue? 'runs right round' and 'hollow tree' I suppose the 'runs right round' has something to do with the repeat three letters, but ' hollow tree'? I had actually thought of 'tree' without the middle letters, but it didn't seem to have anything to do with anything!

[SusanDoris]

What with my low sodium count, I'm obviously not myself this weekend! I have just looked again at the clue and see that I copied it wrongly in the first place. Oh dear ...

9 down: African transmitter sets in hollow tree (6)

So now I can see plainly the answer to the 'why' question. My apologies!!

[SusanDoris]

18 down is: Carnage said to be well-proportioned (
Letters: H - - - S - M -

I assume the answer is HANDSOME, but may I ask, please: is that supposed to sound like 'hang some'?

[Nearly Sane]

18 down is: Carnage said to be well-proportioned (
Letters: H - - - S - M -

I assume the answer is HANDSOME, but may I ask, please: is that supposed to sound like 'hang some'?

Not carnage but carriage

[SusanDoris]

Not carnage but carriage

Many thanks. Oh dear, my peripheral vision is letting me down a bit this weekend - perhaps the low sodium count has got into that part of my brain!

[bluehillside Retd.]

Hi Susan

What with my low sodium count, I'm obviously not myself this weekend! I have just looked again at the clue and see that I copied it wrongly in the first place. Oh dear ...

9 down: African transmitter sets in hollow tree (6)

So now I can see plainly the answer to the 'why' question. My apologies!!

Ah, I'm glad you said that. It had be TSETSE ("mosquito" didn't fit) but I couldn't work out the cryptic part. Makes perfect sense now! 

[SusanDoris]

Hi Susan

Ah, I'm glad you said that. It had be TSETSE ("mosquito" didn't fit) but I couldn't work out the cryptic part. Makes perfect sense now!

This cryptic could have been compiled by two setters! The clues I did yesterday were the sort that suited me but the rest have been needing a guess to cover the part that, to me, is missing. However, today I googled two answers and have more or less finished it. Still empty squares here and there but they only affect the word they're in, So I am free to guess! I'll have to know the 'why' though, so I might well be back requesting them ...

[SusanDoris]

Regarding those few empty squares …

8 across is: Mean to get wasted (5)
Letters: - I - H -

21 across is: Have riches perhaps in American vault(6)
Letters: A - O - N -

For both I have been putting in an assortment of letters but although I can make any number of words, none seems to fit exactly. I certainly can't fit Fort Knox into the latter!

If there are hints which would help, they will of course be much appreciated.

[bluehillside Retd.]

Hi Susan,

Regarding those few empty squares …

8 across is: Mean to get wasted (5)
Letters: - I - H –

You need a synonym that means both ungenerous and tiddly!

21 across is: Have riches perhaps in American vault(6)
Letters: A - O - N -

For both I have been putting in an assortment of letters but although I can make any number of words, none seems to fit exactly. I certainly can't fit Fort Knox into the latter!

If there are hints which would help, they will of course be much appreciated.

“American” can be abbreviated to a single letter, and “vault” is also a verb for something gymnasts and kangaroos do… 

[SusanDoris]

Hi Susan,

You need a synonym that means both ungenerous and tiddly!

Thank you. Yes, I thought it probably would be, but not being in the habit of being 'tiddly', the word doesn't spring readily to mind! I'll give it a day or so.

American” can be abbreviated to a single letter, and “vault” is also a verb for something gymnasts and kangaroos do… 

Thank you. ABOUND was one of my choicces, but I didn't think of the gymnastic vault. I suppose the word 'riches' was to mislead crossworders like me into thinking it must be Fort Knox!

[SusanDoris]

TIGHT  And I really should have got that sooner!