EV 931 - Pondlife by Jaques

[kayakamina]

A pleasant Sunday morning puzzle; one I don't think will trouble our regulars too much.

The setter's advice on the use of a pencil for the first grid filling is superfluous to me
as I always do the EV in pencil!

[ringer]

ah ha - light has dawned. I was on the right tracks but should have been more ambitious!
Windy all day here, and now pouring down with rain. Dark at eight o'clock - very depressing. No marking yet from the little darlings, but lots of prep to do.

[zita-green]

Devadolly, everyone has to earn a crust in the best way they can: some by skill/natural talent if times are tough.

[devadolly]

Zita-green, have I offended in some way?

[zita-green]

Devadolly, what do you mean? I was trying to hint so as not to have opprobrium poured on me for being too explicit. I adore all of his films especially one from 1961, revisited later in 1986. I have completed the grid but have no idea where to go next.

[kayakamina]

Zita if you google 1a , 33a, a 3 letter word from 18 diagonally & the 8 letter word from the misprints you should find the fable.

The 8 letter word completely 'destroys' something hidden diagonally in the grid.
Unfortunately the word is not in Chambers.

Good luck

[zita-green]

Thank you, K

[serpentinew]

Not sure I agree with you K - I have an 11 letter word to destroy the 7 letter word. Any idea what the purpose of the missing letters in some clues was?

[AndrewG-S]

The missing letters gave a three letter word which was the first of the thematic offerings

[serpentinew]

Thanks Andrew - the one that is present in the grid

[zita-green]

I, too, have an 11-letter word.

[zita-green]

Many thanks, K. The pdm came at long last.

[kayakamina]

I agree 11 letters - I didn't explain myself very well!

[devadolly]

I think I know the film to which you refer Z-G, one of my favourites too.
I fear my (rather tenuous) 13a is wrong as my googling has produced zilch. Also my (supposed) 8 letters are not producing a word! I can feel boredon settling and it is quite likely to be flung over the shoulder before too long, just feel bogged down by everything!

[AndrewG-S]

DD, 13a has a (rather good) misprint in the first letter of the definiton. The answer is a well known word and use of the word

[zita-green]

DD, I sympathise. Was tearing my hair out over 13a. To be honest, I did not get it from the misprints. I had lots of help and then spent ages trying to locate the 8-letter word in the completed grid and got nowhere. I spotted a longer word eventually and googled it. I'll raise a glass of red to you with tonight's dinner.

[devadolly]

Thank you Z-G & Andrew G-S for the hints, not really supposed to be checking the Goss, have misread the date for a deadline and am in trouble with the Ed, so am supposed to be clattering the keys and not N & Cing, will try harder tomorrow.
What's up with DocHH, he's not nagging me? Would be settled in DC with a nice chilled SB but you are all so clevercloggsy it would be lonely!

[ringer]

Hi All
Was just wondering - does the Ginger Mog today DD?

[ringer]

Sorry - that should be "How is" the GM today

[zita-green]

DD, the fable you are looking for was new to me but easy to find on google. It put me in mind of one of the plagues of Egypt.

[DocHH]

Devadolly,
I have unfortunately had 2 days work this week, which I have had to prepare for since sunday, today and another tomorrow, but that's it until 23rd November. So have been rather preoccupied since sunday. These are the first workdays since middle of July. However I am off to a Talking Newspaper Conference on friday, so please accept my apologies for absence for next weekend, although I may catch up with you all later in the week.
So despite that here I am to goad you into action. I have to say that my pdm was not a fable, more a realisation of the genus of the 8 letter word of the spelling mistakes in the clues! I am quite disappointed that you have decided to go the "over the shoulder" route, not something I would expect of an Establishment graduate, let alone an Establishment PG! But then I always settle the account from my cobbler promptly!
Jogler(s), I wish my luck was as good as yours for my Premium Bonds! Congratulations!