Sunday Times 4718

[Neily]

Very grateful for any help with this clue please.
18ac: "Moderately rich - like Elsie, Lacie and Tillie? (4-8)." I have W-L-, S-T-A-E-.

[Lie-in King]

Well-situated - 3 sisters who live in a well, in the Dormouse's tale in "Alice in Wonderland"

[Togo]

Nice one Lie In. Had the answer but parse was elusive. Never heard of them.

[Lie-in King]

Glad to help, Togo - I'm sure I've answered (or at least seen) this before on AB but can't find it. In case anyone's interested -

"Once upon a time there were three little sisters," the Dormouse began in a great hurry; "and their names were Elsie, Lacie, and Tillie; and they lived at the bottom of a well–"

The names of the three sisters in the Treacle Well (Elsie, Lacie and Tillie) refer to the names of the three Liddell sisters: Elsie originated from the initials of Lorina Charlotte, Lacie is an anagram of Alice, and Tillie was short for Matilda, a name given to Edith by her sisters.

[Togo]

And now they have a big supermarket. Just like McDonald who started with 1 cow, 1 sheep, and 1 goat. :))

[Neily]

Many thanks - for the answer and the explanation!