EV 864 Undercover Agents

[DocHH]

Hello N&Cing EVers,
Found the quote quite quickly, but it took a while to realise how to apply it. Have yet to relate that to the title! Thoughts?!?
Was it significant that the 2 surnames in EV 862 and EV 863 could be linked to reveal a famous fictional lawyer? About to decamp to the sunshine with a cold beer.

[novalis]

Hi DocHH!
I'd prefer Alan Shearer to stay and Mike Ashley to go, as would the majority on Tyneside.
A few weeks ago I mentioned that some friends and I had, just for a laugh, got an application form for "Eggheads". We have an audition on Thursday! That could be fun. We have to nominate six and, if we get on, five will compete.
I hope that Ringer has taken advantage of half-term to have a well-earned break.
Arundel Castle is well worth a visit, but it's a long time since I was there.

[Christiana]

I concur with Novalis - Arundel castle is worth visiting and they have now opened up the bedrooms which were occupied until fairly recently. I found myself enjoying the way some had been adapted to provide en suite facilities. One stand-alone bath tub was so deep I feared for the safety of anyone who attempted to sit in it.
Glad MiniPG is on the mend.
Novalis, do keep us informed of your progress re. the Eggheads.

[DocHH]

Novalis, I'm afraid your previous mention of "Eggheads" would have gone over my head as there is not a TV chez moi and hasn't been for nearly 20 years. However last thursday I stayed in London with Herself at the flat, and there is one there, (she refuses to miss the soaps during the week), so saw the programme you mentioned. Hope your audition, or is it an entrance exam, is successful! If you keep this thread informed perhaps those with TV will cheer you on
Christiana, you have reinforced the opinion novalis has expressed, so will take Herself there, earning well needed brownie points!

[ringer]

Hi All
Yes I did manage to escape for a couple of days to Worcester and tried the latest EV with the help of my new electronic Bradfords. (The unsubtle hints worked and I was given it for my birthday) Must admit though that I'm not getting very far but will persevere
PG - good to know mini is OK. You visiting Mousey Thompson's brought back happy memories of me going there as a kid and spending ages looking for all the mice.
Novalis - good luck with Eggheads

[novalis]

Hi Ringer!
Glad you managed a break. There are are enough hints above to help you on your way with this EV. The second part of the first word of its title should point you in the right direction before you joust with it further.

[novalis]

Hi DocHH!

After suitably christening The Speccie yesterday evening I gave some "thought" to the title of this EV. If you read the title as four words rather than two it gives "under cover a gent", i.e a gent under cover. Perhaps that is too tenuous!

[DocHH]

Hello Novalis
That certainly tenuous. I'd been thinking along the lines that hidden in the title was another thematic item, which was protecting an item which when reinstated made sense of the title. All that resulted was a futile search through Chambers.

[dr b]

As there seem to be one or two soccer (or "football", although it's not like the game has anything to do with a foot or a ball...... wait a minute......!!) fans among the N&Cers I thought I would post this link to a Wall St Journal article that discusses the current economic state of the Premier League:

http://online.wsj.com/article/SB12434676252286 0417.html

[ringer]

Hi All
Have finally finished this week's EV though I confess I was trying at one stage to "protect" the first part of 17D instead of the last - very canny!!!
Hope everyone is enjoying the sunshine. Lovely here - finished the hanging baskets today. Now going out for a meal to celebrate the sun!! I wonder what alcohol I should indulge in tonight - suggestions welcome!

[DocHH]

Hello ringer
Well done, I went straight for the lower half of 17d, as the top half was too obvious. A Kir Royale as an aperitif, then a nice Muscadet, and a Cointreau digestif. All fruity and light and summery!
Having said that we are having Spag Bol, washed down with a Tempranillo, I'll probably have a single malt as my aperitif and digestif, Herself will not have either A or D though.
I'm going to be absent on sunday until 21.00 or so. Hopefully I'll find you all though.

[novalis]

Hi dr b!

Very sobering ( an appropriate word given our collective liking for a fine tipple or three ) thoughts indeed in the article. Newcastle United, now relegated, will have to offload several of their high-earning players and the cost of relegation could be as high as �40 million. The figures really are eye-watering and I wouldn't be surprised to see one or two ( or even more ) clubs go to the wall.

Glad you finished it, Ringer. No doubt you have decided on your pre- and post-prandial refreshment now.

DocHH, Am still trying to decode the title.