Ev 1086Sunday Telegraph Enigmatic Variations - Dance With Two Cheats By Shark

[Twit-Who]

Hello EVers,

My thanks go to Shark for an admirable puzzle which in my humble opinion just missed perfection with 31a as all the other words were real even taking into account the empty cells. I am forever in awe of the setters and their efforts give us much pleasure and I would like to stress that this is not a criticism just an observation.

[DocHH]

Hello Twit-Who,
I quite agree with you about the elegance of this weeks EV. Only one criticism, I think 24 down should be inductance not conductance.

[jim360]

My 31a after all the changes is a real word, but I do agree with DocHH's comment about 24d. Apart from that, another impressive offering by Shark. He doesn't half do grid changes well! Not sure I understand where the extra letter for 32d comes from though...

[Twit-Who]

One of the definitions in BRB under 'wet' is the word need for 32d, Jim360.
My 31a is not a word - now I'm thinking I've done something wrong... oh well, I've already submitted.

Agree re 24d, DocHH.

[jim360]

Oh, of course. I'd lazily seen an alternative wordplay that gives the wrong extra letter (P), confused me for a while.

[slaney]

Agree with everyone - an excellent crossword.
A bit of a Shark-fest this weekend, the Inquisitor is also by Shark, and very good it is too.

[devadolly]

Hello Everyone, not even started yet but comments sound good, even tho' it will probably take me ages to get started. Just seem to be swimming in bean/courgettes/toms and James Grieve apples, no doubt Christina is swamped as well. Have notices out but the locals seem to prefer to buy elderly produce from Tesco/Sainsburys/Asda et al rather than just picked that morning, so the freezers are groaning with ratoutille(?) beans & apple juice. Whe I swim out from the next batch will have a strong coffee + a G & T and half an hour's EVing.....here's hoping the muse is with me.

[DocHH]

Devadolly,
My first pass through the clues looking for gifts wasn't very rewarding! However your post did lead me to reflect about today's Oliver Pritchett's article in the LIFE section!
I'm just enjoying a glass or two of a Stamford Brook Merlot. On offer at Sainsbury's, £7.99, but 2 bottles for £9.00. I'm drinking the bottle that cost £1.01! Is that a Bendicks and Tea Tree G&T you are slurping?

[devadolly]

Hello DocHH it was a Berry Bros & Rudd No 3 with Fever Tree! Am about 1/2 way thro' Shark's contribution and am enjoying it greatly. Feel I might just get there sometime. Aahh well, back to the juicer after the emails!

[maryf]

The best EV for a long time. Thanks Shark.

[Christiana]

Agree with everything said (including your comments of apples etc. DD) - a very enjoyable offering. Like Jim I was looking at a P for 32d and like DD drowning in fruit and beans at the same time!

[Shoni70]

Completed grid quite easily and realised the quote needed. After thatm wxcept for spotting two relevant words in grid, I have no idea how to proceed, and got more confused when "ignore empty cells " are mentioned Strong hints would be much appreciated. Thank you. Enjoyed the relevant title " Dance with a couple of cheats".

[Shoni70]

Please ignore previous submission. Everything has now fallen into place after I corrected my answer to 39 across. I had made a stupid error here since I had never heard at all of the correct answer. Best wishes to everyone and good solving.

[dr b]

Very late to the game on this one as I was in Washington DC over the Labor Day weekend. I was able to work this on a plane so it could not have been too bad. I somehow missed any potential controversy with 31a or an extra P, so was either lucky or (more likely) oblivious to any such issues.

Very hot in DC (and back in St Louis too). Somehow I had never managed to get to DC as a tourist, so it was remarkable to see all the monuments on the Mall. The Vietnam War Memorial was particularly striking.