Inquisitor

[saladdodger]

There may be an extra word in the clue...

10d Provided and contracted returns accepted by companion formerly burning natural gas (7)
??N???E
11d Licence charge covering business, ultimately per head (8) ??E???S?

[ProfessorMaisie]

11d looks like FREENESS with 'business' extra.

When did this puzzle appear, saladdodger?

[JJ109]

10d xenates ??
set (provided) an(d)"contracted" ex (companion formerly), all reversed
Burning surplus
natural gas =xenates

Not sure if this is correct though

[saladdodger]

Thank you both.

It came out last sat by accident, professor ....i have a friend who's a subscriber and they sent her that one as well as the correct one for that day! Blunder!

[roslyn251254]

xenates looked good ...but ..letters are now F?N???E

[ProfessorMaisie]

Thank you saladdodger (something to look forward to).

[roslyn251254]

would you like an early copy professormaisie?

[ProfessorMaisie]

Yes please roslyn!

[roslyn251254]

i'll need an email address...

[roslyn251254]

or this might work...
file:///C:/Users/User/Downloads/IQ1628%20Ifor.pdf

[ProfessorMaisie]

Thanks roslyn - but I think I'll wait a bit longer for it.

The other one is FENFIRE
IF+N inside FERE

[roslyn251254]

10d looks like fen-fire.
Did the link work professormaisie?

[roslyn251254]

...sorry ..posts crossed

[ProfessorMaisie]

...I don't think there's anything surplus in that one (if I've understood will-o-the wisp correctly.

[ProfessorMaisie]

I didn't try it, roslyn - it looked so complicated (and with my hopeless keyboard skills I'm bound to mess it up somewhere along the line).
But thanks again for the very kind offer.

[roslyn251254]

Just "copy and paste" the link prof

[ProfessorMaisie]

That worked (I didn't know I could do that!) but the link is now locked - looks like they've spotted the error.

Thanks for giving me a technology boost, roslyn.

[ProfessorMaisie]

...mind you, I'll be much happier when the physical newspaper pops through the letterbox on Saturday, and I get my physical pen out - I know my limits!