this week's EV (771)

[Physicsgirl]

Have hit a brick wall and have 14 cells to fill, mostly in top left corner of grid. Could anyone help?
1a R????A - have tried various combinations e.g.RAS+CIA, but to no avail
9a A????SE - toyed with ANALYSE but again, can only see a tenuous connection with the clue

Also, 31d - I have RAIRD but the indication says 6 letters. A mistake or part of the puzzle? RD+IRA, defintiion fits, but just wondered
Finally, 18d IN?EN? - have several possibilities, none of which I can reconcile with the cryptic definition.
Thanks

[Christiana]

I, too, struggled with it all day Monday and went through the same thing as you, Physicsgirl re. the tobogganing. I am beginning to learn to go the Chambers automatically - it can save a lot of time. Like others I started with carp and, with a little prompt from Crofter, ended with card. I still have one or two queries over definitions, despite having finished but think the answers are basically right and have dispatched it.

The Chambers really is a 'must' I won a Chambers 10th Edition a few weeks back and it's worth its (very heavy) weight in gold.

[Physicsgirl]

I won't be dispatching mine. Previously if I'd found one this hard I would have given up but managed to get finished at least, and didn't have to ask for a huge amount of help. The annoying thing is, I got the author on Monday but couldn't get the phrase until I'd completed the grid. It would have made it a lot easier if I'd twigged the link between clues sooner. Well, we live and learn.

[novalis]

It's not the first time that a Latin quote has been used -- and I'm fairly certain that it's the same compiler who makes use of them each time. Perhaps worth bearing in mind for future reference. Treat yourself to an early Christmas present of Chambers. As Christiana says, it's worth its weight in gold.
Best wishes and happy solving.

[crofter]

My first EV ever attempted was rated as a 9 or 10 in difficuty and I battled on to complete well AFTER the due date but BEFORE the solution was released. That was my target and I succeeded without standing on anyone's toes.

The fact that I wanted to complete without submitting attracted several favourable comments. Like you, my needs were mainly intellectual not mercenary!

I don't know how you get as far as you do without Chambers! On the "Gold" theme, did you notice that all the themed answers can be linked ith "Gold" ~ GOLD COAST, GOLD RUSH, etc. These EVs are quite ingenious!

[Physicsgirl]

I am still looking at last week's puzzle having spat my dummy out over it. I did notice tha the 13 clues were all linked by GOLD, but only after I'd worked out what they were. Had the author early on, but this did me no favours as his quotes were prolific. There is only one clue that really has me stumped still, so would be grateful if you could explain ....
22d Old guy's Catholic until after the queen goes

I have COVE but only because they're the letters I ended up with.
The V came from SHIV which I can connect with knife, but not its cryptic definition.
Don't like to leave it until I know why, so if you would be so kind?
I realised how complex EV was yesterday when trying to explain this latest one to a friend who is fantastic at cryptics but has never attempted EV. It took ages!

[crofter]

COVE is slang for man = C + OVE(R) ... R = Regina

SHIVE = bung (money) ... remove E(vidence)
E = prime piece (first letter) of Evidence

[Physicsgirl]

Thank you very much. Now I can look forwards to the next one.