Spectator 2007 Saturday March 26th 2011

[mintyman99]

http://www.spectator....6809318/crossword.pdf

[zita-green]

VALI is a governor plus the omission. Can valid mean strong?

[turnerjmw]

A "vali" is a Turkish governor, especially of a vilayet. So you're correct

[Marmozetti]

Can someone confirm that 8 d ends in an "e" please.
Thanks

[turnerjmw]

Mine ends in an "a", I'm afraid

[barrybutler]

I was thinking of the Haiti connection for 28d but could not believe that Doc would have omitted to mention that one unclued light was of two words. I too went Welsh.

[zita-green]

I found this difficult for a Doc puzzle. Going to have a 1d myself this evening.

[novalis]

Many thanks for the link. I didn't start this until yeterday and have now juddered to a halt. 4 across is completely eluding me. Any hints would be most welcome. To be honest, I've lost all confidence in solving barred puzzles because I'm still stratching my head about the completion of the loop in last week's EV and one clue + what needs highlighting in today's EV.

[dr b]

Hi Novalis, if you look at the letter that is omitted from the wordplay in a lot of the clues, that letter is the Roman numeral for 4a. For today's EV, go back to the story of the title and find the scandalous character (5,5).

[novalis]

Many thanks for that Dr. B. Talk about not seeing the wood for the trees! I shall now have a further look atb today's EV. ( and, hopefully, last week's ).

[tenflags]

Late to pick this one up - thanks as always to MM99

Dr B is right - this is a tad harder than normal Speccies - especially for Doc who has tended to be more gentle than his team of late.

Enjoyable puzzle - well done Doc. I do think it's a shame that there is an element of inconclusiveness (28d) - I too have plumbed for the Welsh angle. I wonder perchance if Doc happens to be Welsh? I had his e-mail address once but lost it when my computer died (and not backed up).

[mintyman99]

Doc's e-mail is [email protected]
I thought this was a good puzzle. The missing bit was a clever idea. Congratulations to Doc.

[Ironie]

I emailed Doc. He recommends the Welshman for 28d.

[trux]

Good fun, nice devices, slight shame about 28D (my two alternatives could hardly be further apart - one a mass murderer, the other a "loving person" - as many of you seem to be hinting at earlier in this thread) dr. B - did u say you had 4 possibilities ??? ....

[trux]

Final thought : apart from the one highlighted, Doc could have also used the rather obscure STENE and ended up in Cornwall ....

[mintyman99]

I am flying and not near a computer until tomorrow pm. So someone else may have to post the puzzle.
If not I will get to it later on.

[mrcroft]

Highlighted normal clue must be 26d TREMA(DOC) a small town near PORTMADOC - Correct me if I'm wrong.

@8d though could be any of 4 - nothing in Chambers PAPADOC not likely,
CARADOC is at least Welsh - any ideas