Inquisitor 1441

[Ripper]

All filled in (except one letter!)and understood the theme, but 1down: the obvious answer ends in T, is this right?
Sorry this is not much info but I didn't want to give too much away for people still doing this excellent crossword. Thanks in advance

[Gregsdad]

Hi Ripper

You're ahead of me on this. I have five of the unclued entries but struggling with last two, as there are two candidate clues for one of them and one red herring which seems to have two possible definitions. Do the fourteen consecutive clues start at 17A ?

[Ripper]

Hi Gregsdad. Amazingly I've got all the words without using the fourteen consecutive clues, so I can't help you there. All I can say (without giving too much away) is the first of the eight is at 20 down and they are all synonyms. All eight remind me of what we did with school puddings in the 60's!!!!
Any other help you need - just ask, you've always been so helpful to me.

[Spoffy]

Ripper - I think you're nearly there, but it isn't a T - you need to refer to the last nine words of the preamble and think a little 'cryptically'...

Gregsdad - yes.

[Gregsdad]

Many thanks Ripper and Spoffy

I now have the theme - and have deduced the eighth unclued entry ...and its place cryptically, although it's not the last word in the sequence ?

[Gregsdad]

Doh...the title shows its position of course. Thanks !

[Spoffy]

Ripper - ...imagine a cryptic wordplay "StIV in his 'normal place of work'"

[Ripper]

Thanks Spoffy & Gregdad. I'm still at a loss with 1 down.....Spoffy you say the last 9 words of the preamble, trouble is I've no idea what "ST IV" is. My only other thought is to put an S at the end, but that doesn't make any sense to me!
....and I thought I was doing so well!

[Gregsdad]

Hi Ripper,

You're right, it's an S, so show the person in his (or her) place....on board.

[Ripper]

Thanks Gregsdad, have great (rest of the) weekend!

[Spoffy]

...think what 'St' is an abbreviation of, and what IV represents...

[Gregsdad]

Thanks Ripper, you too

[crosswhit99]

Ripper, the first of the eight is actually at 26a (letter mixture) and 3d (def); 20a gives a letter mixture for the last of the eight.

[Gregsdad]

Hi,
I think Ripper meant that the first of the eight grid entry is at 20D.
Like you I have the mixed letters for this at 26A but the definition at 29A. I have the definition for the 7th entry at 3D

[crosswhit99]

Looks good, I'd assumed CANTER was defined as a pilgrim (Palmer).

[Gregsdad]

Yes, there are one or two alternatives for some of the defs. and mixed letters. I still don't have def. for 3rd entry, I think it's in 30A ?

[Kobnut]

Yes Gregsdad I also think it is in 30A , slang as in the expression the car engine has a lot of ...... A clever construct but Too many misleading alternatives as you say for it to be entirely satisfactory IMHO.

[LuckySalem]

I have the 14 thematic clues (I think) but I just cannot see any connection between the unclued entries. Unfortunately I'm not old enough to remember school dinners in the 60s ;) HELP!

[Gregsdad]

Hi

As Ripper says, they are synonyms, for professions and people of different social status, that all go together in sequence in a children's verse. Hope that's enough...

[LuckySalem]

Oh ok, I think I have a handle on it now. Thank you :)

[rabet]

I have completed the crossword but have no idea as to the meaning or significance of "St IV", which is very annoying!