EV 884 Two Questions by Charybdis

[DocHH]

Hello EV N&C Wine Clubbers,
Hope you have all been busy little ones doing this weeks EV. Hopefully not celebrating in the modern way indicated by 44 across, but rather by opening a bottle of something!

[devadolly]

Hello DocHH - no haven't opened it yet but am now intrigued by your reference to "the modern way"! Trying to get everything sorted for getting away on the hols. Having to write two pieces this month for next month and making them sound Novemberish and I have to admit, I am not in the mood - I don't seem to be able to summon the muse unless I have an irate editor threatening blood!
How is Herself's leg/ankle/foot?
Never did get your ref to a grumpy Himself cutting grass........................!
Busy day and sun definately over the yardarm so I think a Hendrick's is called for.
Does anyone have any knowledge of Physicsgirl & mini PG?

[DocHH]

Hello Devadolly
My reference was to that long grey haired man with a sickle over his shoulder, Grim Reaper!
Where and when are you going for holidays? Where-ever it is,.just have a super time. We are off on 17/11 for 2 weeks, so apologies for going AWOL then.
Herself is nearly back to normal, just the occasiomal day hobbling, seems to be weather related! That seems normal as it is the same for my bone/joint problems!
Have no idea where PG and miniPG have absconded to! Do you think we are npw less mimportant than family and work?!
Enjoy that rather superior G&T

[novalis]

Hi DocHH!

Have opened a bottle of something ( S. African red ) to compensate for only five hours sleep last night.
Have solved all the clues and have the unclued entries but can't for the life of me find which three cellls ( an appropriate word given the removed element ) to link or. indeed, decide on the definition of said word. Any pointers in the right direction would be more than welcome. I've looked at the "timely" possibillities but can't see anything.
Juist like last week's Scottish legal abbreviation the quote provided by the extraneous letters in the across definitions cropped up frequently in 15-to-1.

[turnerjmw]

Hi Novalis, you're looking in the right place. Look for the second (very short) definition in Chambers.

[DocHH]

Apologies for all the typos and misplaced punctuation marks!

[devadolly]

Good grief - have you all rattled it off that quickly? Well done (I think!)
Wrong crop for reaping I fear.
End of the month - up the Amazon, but definately not in a canoe, Himself is taking a couple of jungle excursions but I will confine myself to a trip to the opera house and other incredible rubber sourced buildings whilst in Manaus plus peering into the darker recesses with the binocs, an anaconda might drop on me!

[devadolly]

PS Where are you off to DocHH?

[DocHH]

Finished in time to cook lunch!
Nowhere as exotic as you Devadolly, just Egypt, but we are planning side trips to Petra and Jerusalem. The rest of the time will be spent by the pool of the Intercontinental.

[devadolly]

We went on a diahabaya (can't spell it) trip down the Nile last Nov, a bit of a thin wind in Cairo, much warmer in Luxor and positively roasting in Aswan - beautiful city, wonderful buildings, can't wait to go back.
Read EV preamble earlier and am greatly disheartened, I think my brain is liquidising, it means not a thing! Will have a look after the wooden hill climb tonight but expect am going to need some heafty hints from all the CC's.

[DocHH]

Stroke Gnger Mog for inspiration! However, 1ac) Latin word for here! 5ac) Anagram of IT HIT PAGE, minus A letter! Is that enough to get you started!

[ulysses100]

I was having the same problem as novalis, having got the poem fairly quickly and the missing word. I looked all over for the timely reference but it has now just clicked. The three squares to be joined are not adjoining but do give the correct time.

[Christiana]

Good afternoon. Have got on rather well with this one, so far, but now slowing. Have all the clued answers except for 2d, but am missing one or two of the quote letters, unfortunately in strategic places, particularly 33a and 39a For 39a I can't see a spare letter at all in the subsidiary indication which seems to make complete sense.

Not attempted 44 yet or looked for the three cells to join.

Devadolly - would love to go to Amazonia, and also fancied seeing Brasilia when it was first built. Doc H H, one of my sons visited Petra recently and just loved it. It's very high on my wish list. His advice is to go beyond where the guides take you as there is much more to see and well worth while too.

[turnerjmw]

Hi Christiana, in 39a the extra letter is the first one of a two letter word for like, the first letter of the wordplay that has to be reversed to give the water-wheels which are the answer.

In 33ac Qui va means that Qui must be removed from the previous phrase. Use a (very short) abbreviation for Roman.

[novalis]

Hi TurnerJMW and Ulysses 100!

It fell into place when I looked at it through wide-awake eyes this morning. Nonetheless many thanks for your always-helpful hints.
Christiana!
2d, think musical scale for the first part of the answer.
33a va = French for goes.

[Christiana]

Thanks TurnerJMW and Novalis. I thought I had both letters of 'like' in the 'water wheel' answer. Can see it now. Still looking at 2d - Had already seen the musical scale part but not got the rest yet - haven't really looked since my last posting, but will have another go later on this evening and apply the useful advice to 33a.

[Christiana]

Oh and in case you're wondering why I couldn't work it out even without those letters, it's because I had the wrong letter for 37a, but have rectified that now.

[DocHH]

Hello Everyone,
It was all there in the rubric, however I thought that the geometric relationship between the lines that joined the cells that needed connecting was ingenious.
Christiana, thank you for the advice, if we can escape the guides we will venture beyond the guided bits. It all depends on the length of the trips, no point in turning a holiday into a chore.
My vision of DevaDolly, one hand holding binoculars, and the other holding an umbrella up to fend off falling anacondas is vivid! I really cannot add anything to the hints that Turnerjrm and Novalis have already contributed. On the other hand how is the "sale" and move progressing?

[devadolly]

Hello everyone - did manage to get quite a few done last night and the grid looks a little less bare, the top half anyway. However, I am still totally confused by the preamble even though have managed a couple of the 'odd' ones cannot see any connection with anything - will plod on but feeling demoralised.
Trust me DocHH, will not be anywhere an anaconda will fall on me! The intention is that the other hand will occupied holding an appropriate tincture whilst I peruse the tree canopy from the safety of a fairly large ship! Himself however, has the closed toe shoes, thick socks, long trousers and rucksack all lined up ready for his trek.
Christina - just don't know what to expect as we are great Africa fans and have never ventured West before - a brochure just fell open at the page and we thought it would be good to do something completely different to celebrate too many years together to count, so off we are going!!!!!!!Bit I am looking forward to most is the landing at Devil's Island en route to the Amazon - will let you know how we fare.

[novalis]

Hi Christiana!
Re 2 down - Think of a woodwind instrument with a short ( 4 letter ) name.

[ringer]

HI All
Haven't had time to open Sunday's paper yet, though optimistic judging by the comments so far. Have been dragged into stage managing the local Gilbert & Sullivan Society's production.Set up and tech rehearsals all weekend, just back from dress rehearsal tonight and performances through to next Saturday. (Daughter and husband appearing on stage) Also feeling slightly under the weather as I went for a flu jab on Saturday and couldn't resist their BOGOF offer - so ended up with a pneumonia one as well. Might get a chance to look at EV tomorrow.