Lovatts December Big No.154- The Demon

137a MINUTIAE
63d HABITUE

Hi Carditel,
Thankyou so much for your help, much appreciated!

Regards, Butterfly

December Big 154 The Demon
Hi Butterfly

Big 154 hasn't reached my Newsagent yet!! Carditel submissions are correct as they are the only two words that can be made from the letters you have.

Regards Dutchy

Hi Dutchy,

Thought I'd get stuck into the 'Demon' straight away as soon as the book arrived, because as you will already know Dutchy, I have been cutting it close to the deadlines in recent times! . Also, with Christmas so close, I like to try and get all of my entries in early to bypass the public holidays!
Thankyou for your help! I have completed the Demon now, so if you get stuck just post and I'll help you- I'll keep checking this heading regularly.
Just finishing off the Cluewords no. 58 competitions to send them in this week, then its on to the Big 'Cashwords' and 'Goliathon' competitions.

Talk to you again soon.
Warm regards, Butterfly

Lovatts December Big No. 154 - The Demon
Hi Butterfly

Just to let you know, I have completed the entire December Big issue, if you're stuck with anything, I'll be pleased to help you.

Regards Dutchy

Hi Dutchy,

Thankyou for your offer of help with the 'Big' December issue, it's greatly appreciated! I'll post here if I get stuck!

Hope you have a nice weekend.
Talk to you soon.
Warm regards, Butterfly

Hi Butterfly

An urgent appeal. I'm doing a crossword in my local paper and am stuck on one word. The clue given is: taking initiative, and consists of 9 letters.
I have p?????i??

Can you help?

Kindest regards Dutchy

Hi Dutchy,

Hoping I can be of assistance!

Taking initiative (9)

Proactive- taking initiative
(taking the initiative by acting rather than reacting to events)

Post again if 'proactive' isn't the word you need and I'll try again for you.
Good luck Dutchy!
Warm regards, Butterfly

Hi Butterfly,

You made my day, "proactive" fits the bill perfectly. I had been looking for a word ending in "ing" on account of taking. Phew.......

Puzzle is a weekly one in our Sunday paper. Twenty five dollars is at the end of it, may have to share it with you if it comes our way.

Have a nice day,
Regards Dutchy

Hi Dutchy,
So glad I was able to help you!
I started by adding 'ing' to synonyms starting with 'p' too, and was about to post them to you, when I thought I would dig a bit deeper and see if anything else might fit the bill- luckily, 'proactive' seemed to fit your clue perfectly! Tricky, tricky!
I am definitely going to file that one away for future reference!
I wish you the very best of luck in the competition and will keep my fingers crossed for you, :wink:

Talk to you soon Dutchy.
Warm regards, Butterfly

Hi Dutchy,

Cluewords no.59, Mega no.44, and Findaword no.46 just arrived in the mail- should keep me flat out for a while! I'm in Lovatts heaven, although I don't know where to start!

Get ready for the madness dutchy!
Talk to you soon.
Warm regards, Butterfly

Hi Butterfly

Here I am twiddling my thumbs, no Lovatts until next Thursday

Have just been to my newsagent and purchased the Puzzle Wizard's World of Crosswords and People magazine, that gives me four puzzles to tie me over for the next few days.

Have entered all the magazines you mentioned previously, is my name amongst the winners?

Use this medium when you're stuck so I know where to look.

Kindest regards Dutchy

Hi Dutchy,
I've got a feeling you'll fly through your 4 new puzzles in no time flat! Are they competition crosswords?

Sorry Dutchy, I checked through all the Prize Winners lists for you in the new books, but didn't find you there. . However, while looking for your name I found mine- I think I may have won $50 in the Cluewords no. 57 Baffler competition, (unless there is another 'Butterfly' living in the near vicinity ), will have to wait and see if anything arrives in the mail!

I've decided to start working on the new Cluewords 'Baffler' first. Wish me luck!
Talk to you soon.
Warm regards, Butterfly

Hi Dutchy,

Have just finished the new Cluewords Baffler, but want to double check an answer with you to make sure it's right- I'm having trouble clearly defining the answer with the clue.

'Starting prices' (4)
od?s
I have 'odds', is this correct?

Your help will be greatly appreciated as always!
Talk to you soon.
Regards, Butterfly

Hi Butterfly

So pleased to hear your name was amongst the winners for Cluewords no.57, a just reward for your enthusiasm, may there be many more! I wish you all the luck.

The four crosswords I'm doing right now are all prizepuzzles, been doing the People magazine ones for years with a little bit of luck a few years ago.

Now as far as "starting prices" is concerned, "odds" is the correct answer. My Encarta Concise English Dictionary states: "Starting price", the ODDS being offered by a bookmaker on a particular horse just before the start of the race.

Trust this helps. Good puzzling.

Talk to you soon.
Regards Dutchy.

Good evening Dutchy,
Thankyou for your kind words, and for your quick response to my query!
I feel reassured now!

Good luck with your 4 competitions! Post if you get stuck.
Talk to you soon.
Warm regards, Butterfly

Hi Butterfly

Good morning, how you're battling with the Lovatts latest posers?

Butterfly, would you be so kind to have a look at a submission by Verso in "able2know" re Colossus Cryptic 168. I'd be pleased if you could confirm the answers I have given him/her regarding our Colossus Cryptic No.101?

Many thanks. Talk to you again soon.
Warmest regards Dutchy.

Hi Dutchy,

Good morning to you too!

For Colossus 101 Cryptic I have the same answers as all of yours given to Verso, except for

26A. 'gets tired' = 'wearies'
ram = Aries
ewe mostly = most of the word 'ewe', which is 'ew' or 'we'
WE+ ARIES = wearies

I'm about halfway through the 'Mega Stinker'. Don't go far away Dutchy- sure I will have to call on you for help soon!
Warm regards, Butterfly

Hi Dutchy,

I knew I would need your help!

In Mega Stinker no.44

26D. From end to end (5)
I have A?O?G
I thought 'along' might be correct, but I can't find a reference to that particular definition.

108D. Major-domo (6)
I have ?U?LER
The Oxford Dictionary Of English definition is:
'the chief steward of a large household'
Could the answer be 'BUTLER'?

Any help will be greatly appreciated!

How are your 4 other prize puzzles coming along?

Talk to you soon.
Warm regards, Butterfly