Kayakamina

[Ont-ice]

If you are still on line.
Everyman. 10 across has me puzzled. I have Grace but don't understand why. What has Grace to do with the clue? Also please confirm if 2D is Crack.
Thanks.

[kayakamina]

Hi o-ice Grace (W.G) is a famous English cricketer. Grace is arrived at by taking G (first to Get) and Race ( run)

Cheers K

[kayakamina]

And 2d is crack....Double meaning- solve/work out and Expert

[Aquagility]

I can only compare this level of cryptic-ing to learning to write poetry in Arabic script! For myself, I'm very happy to have finished both the Saturday DT's, both Sun.Tele's, the Herculis and The Week.

But while I have you both on, a question.
I have to get a new Thesaurus, mine being the 1966 Penguin Roget's. What do you recommend, please?

[Ont-ice]

Thank you Kayakamina.
When I worked out my answer for 2D (same as yours) I was thrown by the A which gave me G?a?e. I got as far as the Race but couldn't figure out why Grace. I know abosulutely nothing about cricket and was thinking of other types of grace - kindness etc.
Thanks for the explanation.
O-ice

[Ont-ice]

Aquagility. I have a 1977 Roget's Thesaurus which I find very helpful. I take it to mean there it is a Penquin edition of same (different year) that you have?
I wouldn't be without mine and not only for crossword puzzles.
Of course mine is also a Canadian Edition so I don't know if it differs from the UK one, but wouldn't think so as we don't use American spelling in literature etc.

[kayakamina]

AQ If you do not already have one I strongly urge the purchase of Bradford's (crossword solver) Dictionary.

It is used not only by the solver but I'm told no respecting setter is without one! Thesaurus and Encyclopedia
in one.

O-Ice I'm not surprised you do not know W.G.Grace over there but ,although he died nearly 100 years ago ,he is still revered as the 'Babe Ruth' of our sport.

Regards to you both K

[sarumite]

Hi all ... I also have Roget's Thesaurus but have to admit to using an on-line package more often nowadays ...

http://thesaurus.reference.com/

[sarumite]

..... and agree with K, my Bradford's is always close at hand.

[Aquagility]

Thanks to you both. I have a birthday coming up and I shall adjust my "wish list" accordingly.

Aye, Aq.

[Aquagility]

Belay that. Thanks to you all.

[Ont-ice]

Kayakamina. I think you mean 'He is still revered as the Wayne Gretzky(/b> of our sport.' :-)

[kayakamina]

Of course !! Ice hockey -silly me I forgot you were Canadian!

[kettledrum]

Aquagility - I have a Chambers Thesaurus - published 1986, but I imagine they've brought out a newer edition since then, which I find very useful

[Magyar]

Aquagility - I have the same edition of Chambers thesaurus as kettledrum and wouldn't be without it.

[jodder]

Hope you dont mind a newcomer butting in! I love my Roget's and swear by my Anne Bradford but I can also recommend The new Oxford Thesaurus of English. Its only fault is its weight!

[Aquagility]

Weighty = wordy, and there's nothing wrong with being wordy if you're a thesaurus.

Thanks to all of you. Aq.