Skeleton Crossword

[mensamoo8]

Skeleton crossword. How is UNDERLING parsed for 7d please??

[1ozzy]

Yes, Jo, I'm quite the minion ;-/

I have no idea at all ;-(

[JJ109]

We are all assuming that "underling" is correct, as a minion is an underling, but nobody, including me, can parse it. What letters do you have for underling? Could it possibly be something else?

[JJ109]

Not = UN
Sugar = Darling
but 5 = E fifth letter

un + derling

[Oldred]

e is the fourth letter

[shoota]

abcd E

[Mamyalynne]

I have to say well done for a valiant effort in some unscrambling there...........

But am I also allowed to say , it's a lousy clue and reminds me why I packed the skeleton in years ago.

[Oldred]

appreciate that shoota but thought that JJ was suggesting e for the fourth letter in underling (a route I had already been down). Realise now suggestion is substitute for 'a'. Probably best solution but very obscure.

[JJ109]

Thanks Mamyalynne and Sorry Oldred I didn't explain very well first time.

In the clue 2 refers to 2d where the answer is "sugar". 5 refers to "E" the fifth letter of the alphabet.

Not = Un
2 = sugar = darling
5 = e
but = swap "E" for another letter, in this case the "A" of darling
therefore
un + derling = underling (minion)

[JJ109]

That last line should have read "but "5" for "A"

[1ozzy]

Well done JJ.

Along with Mamya I'm not overly impressed with the clue.

You have done well to make some sense out of it.

[JJ109]

I'm sorry - I like to be exact on these things and I still haven't expressed it correctly. Third attempt!

In the clue 2 refers to 2d where the answer is 'sugar" and 5 refers to the 5th letter of the alphabet = "E"

Therefore
Not = Un
2 = sugar = darling
5 = E
Therefore
But 5 for a = swap an "E for an "A"
Therefore darling becomes "derling"
un + derling = underling (minion)

[1ozzy]

I think you have explained it well 3 times now JJ.

Top effort!!!!

[mensamoo8]

Thanks for your answers. I finally parsed at 2am this morning. It remains however a bloody awful clue and most of us could do better.

[mensamoo8]

Mamya and Ozzy.... so true.

[dannyk13]

Typical Skeleton clue.You just have to get used to them.