EV 962 Depicting South by Kruger

[dr b]

Proving that they don't need to be too tough to be entertaining. Just enough of a workout to figure out where the spaces went, then a straightforward but pleasing end game. I got 22a early, but I have to say the full meaning of the title didn't hit me till I was almost done. Very clever.

Has DocHH been about? He was not on the thread last week.

[dr b]

PS Having the completed grid consist of only real words was also a nice bit of construction.

[devadolly]

Good Afternoon drb (well at least it is here!) Haven't begun 962 yet, weather too nice and the garden called (loudly), it was worth the effort. How is the weather in the Mid-West today?

[DocHH]

Je suis ici dr b.
Had awful problems with internet connection all of last week, but like most of you I was also lead up the garden path!
This week was definitely an easier clue solve, and like you groaned in agony when I realised the relevance of the title. I had highlighted the relocated cells, passed the paper to Herself to do the GK, and she asked "Who are?", which triggered the groan!

I suspect there are quite a few people in the UK who would support a reconstruction if it could be applied to the House in Westminster!

[dr b]

Hola dd, already 80 degrees at 11 am here in old St. Lou, a little too warm for my tastes but better than snow, anyway. Rain tonight then back into the low 60s, more normal for this tie of year. I too was out, raking up what is hopefully the last of last fall's detritus before spring planting begins in a few weeks.

Welcome back, DocHH! Long may your internet connection wave.

[DocHH]

Devadolly, we have had around 20°C for the past few days here on the sunshine coast. The call to the garden for us was more to wear out a garden chair rather than be actively gardening! The garden faces south and the patio is a sun-trap!
dr b, had to hang on to a phone for ages numerous times to get to talk to an advisor to get reconnected, fortunately at one point got to talk to a "level 2" person, whose first language was English, problem now seems to be resolved. I had previously repsonded to the message that was displayed on screen, "Internet Explorer cannot display the page", plus the subsequent procedure! Sometimes 50 times a day! The laptop was on the point of being subject to a Devadolly over the shoulder action!

[devadolly]

You do have extremes of weather don't you drb? It must be very hard to cope with. Have you always lived in St L or are you from elsewhere. Forgive excessive curiosity, I just find the different parts of the world so very fascinating.
DocHH, you a geeky scientist and floored by the internet.......into DC with you! That is quite worthy of me. Have beenn commissioned to write yet more, so am using sneaky trips to the N & C channel to settle the brain, not really good though as you all seem to have 'cottoned' on to the theme without trouble and my tentative glance an hour ago filled me with fear.....................spaces? Moving spaces? Reconstruction?? Groanworthy? Oh H am destined to DC if not chucking over the shoulder! Don't think I will even attempt it, coul;d be too demoralising!

[DocHH]

Devadolly, I worked through looking the clues for the easily solved ones. surprise, surprise, they were in the south! My first post actually contains a hint about the unclued light, 22a! I think it is called the Mid-Lothian problem!

[devadolly]

I think it is (if you are trotting down the political Caledonian problem) it is the West Lothian problem DocHH. Not filling me with any forther confidence though!

[dr b]

dd, except for 7 strange years in Los Angeles I have been a midwesterner all my life, so abnormal weather is just something that's normal. My youngest is about to make her college choice and it looks like the cities are down to San Antonio and Miami, so for the next 4 years at least we'll have a good excuse to go visit warm weather whenever the mood strikes.

[devadolly]

Hi drb, am still plodding away on this new piece and 'cheating' every ten minutes! We are attempting our very first footfall on American soil in October when we fly into New York for a couple of days. Really don't know what to expect but two frienda are flying in from Dallas to join two other friend who reside in a most interesting sounding Indian named area (would have to look it up to remember it!) of New Jersey and they are going to 'show us the sights' - this is absolutely wonderful as far as we are concerned as I don't think we would know where to start (not being shoppers). Is LA as strange as it seems to us? Apart from the earthquake fear, I'm not sure I would fit in veryu well there from what I have read, biut that could quite easily be pre-conceived predjudice on my part - having turned into a Grumpy Old Woman without realising it! That comment might be a bit of a Brit thing.................

[dr b]

NYC will be a blast; my oldest will be living there by then. LA is even stranger than it seems (much like Wagner's music is better than it sounds).

[TheBear69]

I see only one possibility for 28d and see how the wordplay gives it, but the definition eludes me...

[dr b]

I was in the same boat, Bear, so I resorted to Google to confirm that there is a product sold in the UK (or at least there once was) with the brand name given by the first word of the clue, that performs the function given by the grid entry.

[kayakamina]

A bit late starting due to the counter attractions of the Masters golf & Grand Prix.

An enjoyable, if rather straightforward, puzzle from Kruger and I'm probably being pedantic when I say that 1a is not in my Chambers.

[bellabee]

well not in bold type that is - another pedantic point - shouldn't 23 be books? must say i enjoyed this one, very humorous.

[haggis58]

Thoroughly enjoyable EV this week. Took a while for the penny to drop, but got there very quickly in the end. As a Northern Scot, I should have realised sooner! I too was watching the Masters til late. Oh dear Mr McIlroy!

[devadolly]

As usual, the penny is taking some time to drop! The S area of the grid is pleasingly full with a couple of the odd clues identified but the N area is very sparse. Have 'strained the brain' round all the posts about the S, West L problem and what on earth is meant by the blank cells and where to move them to. Have decided the bad winter has rotted my brain and I should give up the ST and confine my cruciverbal activities to the DT quick Xword!

[bellabee]

devadolly - scour the south of the grid for some of haggis' countrymen who have managed to circumnavigate 22. they need to be repatriated.

[bellabee]

more accurately that should read 'circumvent 22'

[DocHH]

Devadolly, in the North concentrate on solving the down clues, particularly the longer ones. The short ones are obvious, but !
DT Quick crossword, my nemesis, you actually have to have a vocabulary, not possible to work out an answer from subsidiary cryptic clue-ing! I do it, but sometimes it takes as long as the Cryptic or Toughie!
Just an aside it seems Jaques intended a monochrome rather than rainbow shading in EV 956, Hobson's Choice.