EV 857 Exactly by Lato

[DocHH]

Hello EV Wine Clubbers,
Struggled with this for a while, but have populated the grid. All entries fully justified, although I had a bit of a problem with the definition of 41a, until I read "Our beloved Book" properly. However am still wondering about how the "unclued entry (of three words, (the answer to which I found sneaky)) explains exactly where the ten others" could go! Any thoughts!
Tempranillo again tonight! I'll not use my usual goodbye in case it ruins 38d

[novalis]

Agree with Christiana and dr b re "a" for about but in THE BOOK ( 2003 edition ) it is given as the first entry under a3.

[devadolly]

Hello All - am having a bit of a mind block re today's deadline so am having a little look. The B12 does seem to have worked (well, a bit) as I have managed about 3/4 now and the 3 words also hit with a sickening clunk whilst reading about the carnage at Agincourt! Think it is in the right place.
DocHH - Ginger Mog loves visitors especially if they are staying and leave their bedroom door open! Just butter, and new peas from the garden for the JRs.
Copelander, fruit cakes easy as long as you have checked your oven temp and take no notice of the cooking times in recipe books, they have a life of their own! Oh and DocHH can't be 97, he was rampaging around the 'Towers' at Loughboro' and they were only opened in 1965 - on second thoughts perhaps he was a VERY mature student!!! Sorry DocHH...............
PS Hello ziller.

[dr b]

"The book!" Bah! Just out of spite I refuse to buy or consult Chambers when I do these things. This is probably pretty self defeating....

[Christiana]

I did my best without Chambers for several months then I won Chambers10th edition. Looking back it was incredibly painful and time-consuming prior to this, but I understand where you're coming from Dr. B.
I go through the same struggles whenever I return to the UK as the Chambers is just too heavy to lug with me. Bradfords is more easily transportable, and has an electronic version, and is almost as useful, I find.

[copelander]

DrB I couldn't attempt any EVs without Chambers and I can only salute you if you do. Devadolly,maybe someday I will attempt a fruitcake but I will be sure to check in with you first. Will you help me? I hope I haven't upset DocHH too much by guessing, sorry, estimating, his age.Had a bad afternoon today when our computer crashed, but all is OK again.

[DocHH]

Hello everyone.
Copelander, I am just a mere EVer who is like the rest of us ageless! Certainly not upset, and in all honestly so laid back that I have been accused of being horizontal. In fact one of my young guests, 13 years young has agreed with that statement! In fact she is currently watching me type this!
Have just been dormant watching the rest of the EV Wine Club enjoy themselves, and morph into the EV Culinary society. BTW Devadolly I didnt rampage through the Towers, rather more strolled exuding a suave scientific air!!
Adios

[ringer]

Hi All
Christiana - Re the "B book" - as opposed to the "C book" I have a birthday coming up and thought I might hint that my nearest and dearest could buy me the electronic version. Is it user friendly? Does it list certain categories in order of the number of letters as the printed version does? What do other EVers think?

[Christiana]

Good morning Ringer. The version I have (a gift) is a Franklin Collins Bradford's Crossword Solver. It has its good and bad points. The writing is small and difficult to read in some lights. It's organised differently from my Bradford's in that the words come up in order of the number of letters and within that alphabetical order. There is a separate section for word lists, such as wines (why did I think of that one!) and you get a Thesaurus, dictionary and encylopaedia for your money too.
I find it really useful when I travel, but I prefer the book version, which is easier to handle and you can add extra words in too. Do I take it you already have the book version? If so the electronic one will be useful if you travel a lot.

[Christiana]

Should have perhaps made it clearer that the categories/word lists are also done by numbers of letters. This is the same as in the book version, whereas the general entries, also done this way, differ from the format used in the book. I don't consider the electronic version an alternative to the book. If it was either/or I would always choose the book.

[devadolly]

Oh dr b, how do you manage without a C? You must be a super-clever clogs to do the EV without! I tend to buy every other edition (now have one version or another to hand in each bookcase) so am going to be at a disadvantage for a few years now. Dictionaries are wonderful books, so friendly and supportive, especially when they are well thumbed and so much more user-friendly than the electronic versions, though, I do agree Christina, they are essential for travel.
DocHH suave scientific air?? Who are you trying to kid? Don't forget, I was witness to all you sci/tech types trying to look suave! Usually after rather too many Newky Browns.
Copelander, cake-making classes always available.

[dr b]

This is not to say that I don't consult reference works when needed, just that, as a protest against the "Chambers hegemony," I make do with onelook and google. I don't feel this does me any harm. I mean, if you know all the answers are in this one book, it becomes more a game of hide-and-seek than puzzle solving, doesn't it?

[devadolly]

Hello dr b - no it is a dictionary, and Chambers is the prince of all reference works and like all good puzzles, one has to have an idea where one is going to have a chance of success, so one has to have had a brain-wave to begin with.

Regards

[copelander]

Whoopee. I'm a runner-up in Speccie 1906. Maybe I'll give up the day job!!!!!!!! Couldn't possibly have done it without the big red book.

[devadolly]

Great news Copelander - well done! You are obviously a fan of the BRB. What is the prize?
Is it the Spectator that appears on a Thursday? DocHH directed me to something on a Thursday.............but I didn't note it down and have forgotten.
You 'gang' of EVers is leading me astray because whenever I get a block I see if anything is happening here instead of doing one of the many other tasks I should be attending to. As I am so weak-willed should I have suggested N & C in the first place .................................?

[copelander]

A small fortune, Devadolly, well .....20pounds!

[novalis]

Hi Copelander!
Many congratulations on your success in the Speccie crossword.

[Christiana]

Congrats. Copelander on your 'Speccie' win - now don't go too mad with all that vast wealth. Yes, Devadolly, it's Thursdays when The Spectator appears. It's getting almost as hard as the EV these days, but the good news is that there is a long submission date on it. One or two of the compilers are familiar names from EV

[copelander]

Thank you for your kind congrats EVers.