Tls

[dafyddapgwilym]

5d: A madeleine with a past, predating Proust (7). I have V?L?E?N.
Stumped.......

[berniecuddles]

villein?

[dafyddapgwilym]

Peut-etre, mais - pourqoi, s'il vous plait?

[shaneystar2]

Valjean
Monsieur Madeleine in Les Miserables .
Proust wrote Remembrance of Things Past where he rambles on about madeleine cakes dipped in tea.

[dafyddapgwilym]

Aha! Parfait! Merci, shaneystar2.

[dafyddapgwilym]

So all I'm left with now is 10 (not 12) down, which looks like Morte D'Arthur - "Malory's passing of the First Night, we hear" - although 19 across has surely to be Copse ("Thicket said to be associated with thieves in thrillers"). My brain hurts...

[pjwillcox]

have the same problem with 10d/19a - another TLS typo methinks.

[Gaperon]

Your 19ac doesn't appear in my TLS! However, could someone help out with 9ac pls. Lindsay's investigator said to show his cards - strange! M?L?RUM

[frameshift]

In the online version, 19a is Frank director who discovered it's a wondrful life, but you can't take it with you (5)
This is Capra which fits with Morte d'Arthur.
Can't get 9a though, Lindsay's investigator said to show his cards - Strange!
M?L?R?M

[Gaperon]

Inspector Meldrum, character by Frederic Lindsay, answer from Crossword help forum. However apart from rum for strange, can't parse the first part

[chelle7272]

meld 1 (mld)
v. meld·ed, meld·ing, melds
v.tr.
To declare or display (a card or combination of cards in a hand) for inclusion in one's score in various card games, such as pinochle.
v.intr.
To present a meld.
n.
A combination of cards to be declared for a score.

[dannyk13]

Meld - to combine similar cards.

[Gaperon]

Many thanks, a new one on me. I do cryptics, not cards!!

[dafyddapgwilym]

What a mess! And my printed TLS has 9ac as Sir David of the Mount's squire - later encountered with one foot in the grave? (7) which is indeed MELDRUM http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Lyndsay_(poet).
Hey-ho...

[highbury57]

Can anyone help with 14a Doctor from forbidding valley exposed by Holmes as murderer(9)
S*E*N*A*E although in the light of previous conversations I am having doubts about what I have got!

[scorpiojo]

Sterndale

[highbury57]

isn't it Victor Meldrew in One foot in the Grave?

[highbury57]

Thanks!

[scorpiojo]

http://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/The_Adventure_of_the_Devil's_Foot

[highbury57]

Was looking at The valley of fear

[dafyddapgwilym]

Yes, indeedy: Meldrew, not Meldrum, with one foot in the grave. I don't belieeeeve it! Curiouser & curiouser. Don't think I shall bother sending this one in. :(