That was the way I was thinking but the ‘lo’ for look is a new one on me. That must be the construction though.
Nice one on Helium, Stimpson. I was another of the poor unfortunates who was struggling with ‘helm’. Actually, I’m surprised the He=helium thing isn’t used more often. O=oxygen is a hardy perennial in the Irish Times but that’s the first time I’ve seen this. It’s much more subtle too.
I was thinking similar thoughts.
It’s amazing really. My very first thoughts on reading the clue were “helm” and “IU”. And yet in six hours I never thought to put them together.
Incredible.
Now to think about BO. So to speak.
::thinks… body odour, battery operated… ooh missus::
pan
I’m amazed no-one’s put in one of the classics :
S.G.E.G. (9,4)
Scrambled Eggs
Does anyone else here regularly do The Times’ crossword? If so, would you agree it is becoming impossible? Today’s happens to be easy, but usually it’s a complete nightmare… they must have some new compilers or something.
I only do the Times occassionally. I do the Express every day, 'cos it’s easy enough to do in an hour’s lunch and is kinda cute. I do the Observer Everyman on sundays. And I attempt the Guardian reasonably regularly, though if Auraucaria (or whatever the damn name is) has compiled it I;m lucky to get a single clue. Some compilers I get 3/4 of the way through on though. Oh - and I do the Telegraph on Wednesdays if someone has bought it for the fantasy football. It’s quite a nice one. I quite like the Independent but don’t try it very often.
Frankly the Times crossword intimidates me. Like you, I think it’s got harder.
That GEGS clue was in Drop the Dead Donkey a number of years ago. Do you remember?
pan
OK, as promised, here’s a few from today’s Irish Times. It wasn’t a classic and there was a lot clues referencing other clues so you’ll have to make do with the following.
[ol]
[li]Sounds as if it’s a baron to conclude that one is on the roof (9)[/li]
[li]How the fish brought the subject up in bed (8)[/li]
[li]It’s wrong to hurry back like this (4)[/li]
[li]How ruddy saucy this is thanks to the graduates & Co (7)[/li]
[li]All the females in the Old Testament? No, the alternate ones (5,5)[/li]
[li]It’s a bit of a fight to get both of them fired (3,7)[/li]
[li]Your two at least (4)[/li]
[li]The carp would, by the sound of it, work with this on the way in (5)[/li]
[li]How the broken spoons are shortly to be backing (7)[/li]
[li]The beast I make an appointment with in chemical fashion (7)[/li]
[li]That’s not your man in there stuffing himself (8)[/li]
[li]It’s open to one to leave and grant that place in Africa its independence (4,2,2)[/li]
[li]How I had the tent, perhaps - silly me! (5)[/li][/ol]
So, there’s the celtic challenge - knock yourselves out.
Woohoo! I think I got B-O (the clue, I mean)
Bottle-opener
GEGS reminds me of another classic:
E (13)
Since this is virtually impossible if you haven’t seen it before, here are some checking letters:
–N-E–S-N—
Well mine was a washout today. I did it in about 25 mins - most were fairly obvious. I quite liked this though:
Bias that usually follows pride (9)
manwithaplan - number 4 is TOBASCO.
Usram - I like the answer to B! Shall work on E. Try this one:
I (6,3)
pan
Usram, what I really want to put for that E clue is:
SENSELESSNESS (the -LESSNESS on the end seems a given)but there’s no reason for that to be “E” particularly.
Bah.
Kabbes - Bias=prejudice
I wouldn’t have got bottle opener in a million years - I suspect the same is true of E and I
Aha. manwithaplan: number 9 is SPONSOR
“I” is* a lot easier than B, which I too would never have got (at least without a lot more letters). In fact, if you think about typical crossword tricks, you might get “I” quicker than you think.
“E” is a right ol’ stumper I think.
pan
*I is? I am, shorely.
Kabbes, if I may be so bold as to jump in on Usram’s clue, you’re right about ‘E’. It’s SENSE without the NESS, leaving E.
Fair play to you.
Ahhh. So I got it without knowing how, just by knowing that L—N--- is normally -LESSNESS and trying to fill in the gap!
Clever clue though.
Now. Any guesses for my one-letter wonder?
Not much time to play today, guys 
Maybe I’ll get back later. But I did want to quickly respond to:
Originally posted by MWAP
“Lo, and behold!”
Is "Your two at least " SOME? As in “so, me” for “your” and meaning “two at least”?
Is it annoying, me doing these a post at a time? Let me know if so.
I think 12. is FREE TO GO
(Togo is in Africa, so a “free togo” would be one with independence)
No problem with the post-by-post approach. Unfortunately, SOME is wrong, but your other three answers are right.
Would your one be NUMBER ONE?
Remind me not to buy the Irish Times next time I fancy a crossword.
Getting nowhere with I, though.
Incidentally, my username is cryptic. You know how clues always use ‘point’ to mean N, S, E or W? Well Usram is supposed to be ‘pointless username’, geddit? Unfortunately, I realised too late that I had forgotten about the ‘S’ :D. Dickhead.
You may call me ‘Uram’.
Ding ding ding! We have a winner. Number one indeed. I rather like that.
and I also like Uram. Not that I would have got it without being told.
Now what the hell is “Your two at least”?
Any one familiar with the “Printer’s Devilry” type of clue?
It’s unchivalrous to make a woof your way. (9)