Herculis

[jwlswann]

27a Help please Rope used to raise and lower a ship's sails ?
I thought it was a halyard but I have L-n-a-d

[HARPY]

Lanyard

[jwlswann]

Thankyou I was unsure about the two definitions

[Aquagility]

If your L is correct, Kate is in error! A lanyard is not, ever, used to raise or lower a ship's sails.

[DrFilth]

my oxford pocket electronc dictionary

1, a rope used to secure or raise and lower something such as a ship's sails

[jwlswann]

Thankyou Aquagility
I am satisfied the the L is correct as I believe is the N. That is why is questioned it

[Aquagility]

jwlswann, I must now confirm that Lanyard is the required solution. And Dr Filth, I can assure you that the definition you quote in incorrect! I assume that this was the source of the clue.

[DrFilth]

take a look

http://s655.photobuck...urrent=lanyard001.jpg

the question i did not like was
17d plant with a flavour similar to liquorice and fennel (7)
a?i?e?d aniseed fits but i think the answer is anise

[foxwall]

Hope anyone can join in here! I've always understood Chambers was the dictioary of choice for crossworders and it's quite clear that lanyard is a rope round the neck or shoulder attached to items such as whistle, key etc., whereas halyard is for raising and lowering sails. Lanyard is required because of camisole and penguins, but Kate's clue is plain and simple wrong.

Chambers agrees with Dr Filth about aniseed, which is not a plant but the seed of a plant, namely anise. Kate Mepham gives 1 flawed clue virtually every weekend and either can't be bothered or doesn't know any better.

[DrFilth]

i agree with you foxwall

[Strix]

Just to add a bit more to the Lanyard/Halyard thing.

As the oxford pocket electronc dictionary was quoted I thought I would have a look in my complete (the huge multi volume) Oxford English Dictionary and that does NOT have that quoted definition of lanyard in it.

However the online one does, see this cut and paste!
lanyard(lan|yard)
a rope used to secure or raise and lower something such as the shrouds and sails of a sailing ship or a flag on a flagpole
a cord passed round the neck, shoulder , or wrist for holding a knife, whistle, or similar object.

TOTALLY INACCURATE but makes we wonder if this is KM's source for definitions and then the clues?

[Aquagility]

It gets worse!
Even if lanyards could be used to raise and lower sails (they can't), shrouds cannot be raised or lowered by any means - they comprise the standing (fixed) rigging of a ship or yacht. They hold the masts up.
We're often reminded that Google's definitions should not be relied on, but The Oxford, in any edition, I've always thought of as 100% reliable. Wrong!