Guardian Genius 59

[ramilahs]

Last two - I am a bit uncertain as I cannot justify fully the following. May be I am wrong on some neighbouring words. Your input will be appreciated.

4d -- Sodium
7a ---Galosh

[squarebear]

You haven't said how many letters.

4d could be metal, alkali or something to do with Na (it's symbol)
7a could be shoe?

[SpiderPig]

I've only just looked at this crossword.

But 4d looks like

NA = not applicable and symbol for Sodium

Lavatch is the setter - so the bend = U around I'm

The sod bit must be to do with the theme.

[SpiderPig]

Oh! therefore = so

which only leaves D to be found.

[ramilahs]

Thank you -- Spiderpig -- you are absolutely right and it was the "not applicable" bit which worried me. So Sodium is the right answer for 4d.

you will soon find out that 'd' is the unclued bit.

similarly in galosh 'g' is the unclued bit

[SpiderPig]

Ahh...........d=4 g=7 etc

[squarebear]

My apologies, I thought Sodium and Galoshes were the clues.

[ramilahs]

Hello SpiderPig

G a losh

After cracking my head over all reference books I think I need not have bothered. The explanation is simple.

For a drunkard, a deprivation, ie "a loss" is spoken in his slurred speech as "a losh".

I can put my mind at rest now.

Are you a regular at the Genius Crossword? It will be nice to know. I started four months back.

[SpiderPig]

I've done it since it started - which must be 59 months ago, I guess. Although i've never won.

It's the reason I discovered this site. I had problems finishing it a couple of months in sucession, and went trawling the net to see if anyone else posted any discussions.

I've been busy finished last weeks Spectator - but now i've finished I can get cracking properly on the Genius.

I've just done 7 answers so far !

[ramilahs]

Thanks for your message, SpiderPig

I also came upon this site by accident -- while googling for some solution.

I won a couple of times on the FT weekend which made me move on to the Guardian Prize but in four years I have not had any success. My daughter encouraged me to subscribe to the Guardian website and now I do not spend any money on the newspaper ! From what you say even the Genius is not easy on the lucky draw !!

I am a poor reader so the Spectator is beyond me.

[SpiderPig]

All finished now ! The double Ys Hs and Js threw me a little bit.

If you can do The Genius, I'm sure you can manage The Spectator - and there's always plenty of solvers here to help.

If you're not a subscriber to the Times Crossword Club, I can heartily recommend it. There's lots of prize crosswords as well as a monthly club crossword worth �100 - which I HAVE won.

I'm afraid the Guardian/Observer crosswords go to the bottom of the pile - as I've got plenty of dictionaries - it's just the cash I'm after now !

[ramilahs]

Hello SpiderPig

Been out till now.

Thanks for your suggestion. Presume Times Club is also an internet site.

My best win was a Pelican Pen worth �300 from the FT. That was nearly 15 years ago.

Nice to know you and will look out for you in future

[SpiderPig]

See you next month !