I went in utterly unprepared, which I think probably helps. I only picked it up because I'd just read The Sisters Brothers and wanted more by him. Fair to say it was a bit of a shock. But what a book.

Despite number 6 I'm going in. Oh God I love this book! I keep recommending it, only to have people look up the synopsis and go 'nuh uh, not for me, thank you very much'. Sad times.

Yes. Would love to see announcements here

Did they have 24 bits all those years ago? 😉

My ears aren't that good anymore 🙂

Last week it was poundland ninja, this week incompetent pirate. He’s like a really shit Mr Ben.

I miss 30 Rock

It says they’ve told the author, but did they tell Walliams as well?

I mean. It's fascinating. But also... WTF?!

Private equity and the planning system. Fix them both and you've fixed Broken Britain.

That and an ancient copy of Bradford's. I think the 'sickly' would have defeated me though, regardless of the tools at my disposal.

I only took up cryptics a few years ago, and can usually complete a couple of Guardians a week now, so progress is being made, however slow :)

Aha! Azed is a bit above my pay grade still, sadly (as indeed FLACATE most definitely is. I guess if had all the crossers, maybe?)

I know, right?! And then the 3 of them standing there explaining in excruciating detail this amazing sequence of coincidences, that just *has* to be true, with all three "yes-anding" the hell out of each other. I was open mouthed, though not in the way the writers hoped, I would imagine 😂

Which crossword do you do? The clues you post are always a step above the Guardian (which, tbf, I often find challenging enough)

Ep7 of the current season is insane. Such an exposition dump. And such exposition!

Very much! I'm doing a remote MA and this was one of my residential weeks, so had a blast 🙂