Guardian Prize Crossword 29,213 Saturday October 28Th 2023

[MissSpell]

Note in hand: 5/9 of this?
 

Esoteric steel / sword

?l?i?e

TIA

 

[newmodarmy]

I don't understand the first clue. Is 5/9 part of the clue or is it the letter count?

[newmodarmy]

Glaive?

[dudgem]

GLAIVE (a blade on the end of a pole): LA (note) in GIVE (hand)......but can someone explain the '5/9 of this' bit, please!!

[MissSpell]

Thank you, both.

5/9 is 'esoteric steel'

and the theme is swords, so glaive and it's rationale are perfect!

much appreciated!

[newmodarmy]

That's why I couldn't see esoteric steel/ sword as a clue in the online version!

[JJ109]

This is a thematic crossword "5/9 of this" is in many clues and refers to "crossword" - 5/9 of "crossword" is .........

[dudgem]

Thanks JJ109....so obvious now!!

[TRIALNERROR1]

I'm still confused by the "5/9" business, tbh. I don't see anything especially esoteric about some of the weapons mentioned, and a good few of my favourites are not mentioned at all. Whatever, it alerted me to the overall theme and helped me complete it.

[JJ109]

"5/9 of this".

"This" is a "crossword", therefore 5/9 of "crossword" is (cros)SWORD

Therefore every time it says "5/9 of this", substitute the word "sword"