ev763

[wantok]

Any suggestions as to what to do with the asterisked clues ? Drawn a blank

[Christiana]

Hi Wantok,
I haven't looked at EV yet, but I do have it here. As far as I can see there is a link word between the part of the clue that is the definition and the part that is the 'cryptic' bit. It is the link word you insert. If you have any letters in any of the asterisked clues let me know on this thread (if no-one else gives you any help) and I'll work on those first.

[crofter]

You need to take an "average" (mean).
Solving 1d for example you arrive at TACTIC and ZIGZAG. Midway between T and Z is W, A and I is E etc. The MEAN word ends up as WEEWEE, which is entered into the grid!

Question: Is 17 down RUKH?
Normal Clue: Bird missing parties at Princeton?
Starts RU and could end with H

[logophile]

I think 24a is MENSCH, so 17d must be RUKH, though I can't fathom the wordplay yet.

[crofter]

Same here! That's where I got the "H" from.

[logophile]

Sorry, it's actually (Th)RUSH

(I'd have thought it should be 'party', not 'parties', though)

Logophile

[wantok]

Thanks Crofter and Christiana, Gives me something to work on. These puzzles are getting more and more complicated.

[logophile]

....... on reflection, 'rush' seems to be a period of time (like fresher's week), so could encompass many parties.

[Christiana]

Thanks Crofter and Logophile - I hadn't started when I first posted. Must admit, though I hate to do so, that this is one I rarely finish