Colossus xwords 281 UK

Hi Margsy
171a AFRO
262a could be TOTO
239a could be PANACEA
259d could be TROPE
Only got back to this comp today, and only three quarter way done. Hope you are well
james

Thank you for your help, they all seem to fit nicely, only have to find the answer to 217d exteriror (S?R?A?|E). l myself have been having bother with this stinker, maybe its my brain not functioning properly, but it is a real stinker, on the odd occasion the stinkers recently have been difficult. How are things with you, hows the weather, here these last few days the sun has been out but with a chill wind, we have had to put on the heating to warm the house up a bit. Mind you the cat is spending all day asleep on the saddle of my sons moped, if she decided to stay indoors then we know it is cold outside. Forsythia is still blooming and a lot of our other stuff is leafing up very nicely, the pear tree has it seems got some buds on it,and our hanging carnations are budding a little,but at moment the plants are small, James said they will need a dose of miracle grow, which we use and it is very good. ttfn

Hi margsy
exterior is SURFACE. Have been back to the Stinker this morning, just about finished. Some of the clueing, at times strange. I have sent a letter about the grey squares in some of the small puzzles in BIG, hardly visible at times, and the print is starting to smear. Things here are fine, daffs are just about over, weather where we are is very dry, but it does get gusty. Take care
James

l had come up with surface late yesterday. Thank you for doing a job that l had been contemplating to do about the squares not being dark enough, my lad who works in printing said it is because the paper is of such poor quality and the squares are not set right to be made darker. l am having great difficulty with The Knowledge, squares not dark enough, it looks a daft answer with what l come up with,hardly any vowels, the first letter in the answer ; have got is a V, have you got any better letters, Todays weather is sort of funny, sun/wind/cloudy. Will soldier on and go to my xword puzzle number 98, and then go back to the knowledge later,or just send it in without finishing the knowledge. All the best ttfn.

Hi Margsy,
That knowledge was a headache, the second word is PUTIN, so you will be able to work it out. Received Big 271 this morning, and the shading is much better. Been a very sunny day here and warmish, just started to cloud over.
James

Thank you, being that the first letter is V, then the answer has to be his Christian name, now l have to work how to spell it correctly. Thank you.ttfn