Guardian 23921

[Aperio]

Cornering movement catching no coppers at first (14)?

I cannot work out from the cryptic clue whether "s" or "z" should be used in the answer : mo (no poli s/z a) tion.

ie "motion" for movement around "no" and "polisa" or "poliza" for police.

Any thoughts? Aperio

[cucuhullan]

monopolisation

[snoozy]

I went for the "s" too.

[dzug]

The OED (the big one, 30 volumes) only gives the Z spelling, which surprises (-zes??!!) me, as I thought s would be the normal UK spelling.

Poliza is Spanish for police. I don't know of a language (though there could well be one) where polisa is police

4d also has a spelling ambiguity - haurient or hauriant? The former seems the most common, but I only half understand the cle

[kettledrum]

5d is haurient ...over the Channel - ie in France, so French words....haut (high) rien (nothing)

[kettledrum]

11a. I was inclined to go so 'z' !! But have quite an open mind about it . The 'a' may be 'at first', and poliz- rather than polis- seemed to be the start of police in other languages...I'm waiting to be further enlightened.

[Murielmci]

definately the s - pollis is scots and irish for the police.

[Murielmci]

definately the s - polis is scots and irish for the police.

[kettledrum]

Thanks for putting me straight Muriel

[Aperio]

Muriel, thanks for the clarification. Aperio

[triple h]

i think its "monopolisation" i.e cornering