...which is very timely, as there is yet another break in MFC's pretty successful 'On-And-On-It-Goes Year', which I take @Demonstone's lead in filling with a Demonstone-patented conundrum.

I'm surprised how many years Brian had to go back to fill the 23. Here it is:

B:        S. SMITH               A. TOMLINSON               T. RIVERS

HB:     D. TERLICH               J. RIVERS                 O. MCDONALD

C:        C. ELLIS                     C. OLIVER                A. MCDONALD

HF:      B. MCLEAN               T. SMITH                       B. VINCE 

F:         M. COLLINS          T. MCDONALD                 C. SYLVIA

R:        T.SIMMONDS         C. PETRACCA                  J. VINEY

IC:       M. CLISBY, M. COLLINS, N. SMITH, L.WILLIAMS

MS:     T. DAVIS

The common theme? PMs only, please

Stanley Bruce?

1 hour ago, Timothy Reddan-A'Blew said:

...which is very timely, as there is yet another break in MFC's pretty successful 'On-And-On-It-Goes Year', which I take @Demonstone's lead in filling with a Demonstone-patented conundrum.

I'm surprised how many years Brian had to go back to fill the 23. Here it is:

B:        S. SMITH               A. TOMLINSON               T. RIVERS

HB:     D. TERLICH               J. RIVERS                 O. MCDONALD

C:        C. ELLIS                     C. OLIVER                A. MCDONALD

HF:      B. MCLEAN               T. SMITH                       B. VINCE 

F:         M. COLLINS          T. MCDONALD                 C. SYLVIA

R:        T.SIMMONDS         C. PETRACCA                  J. VINEY

IC:       M. CLISBY, M. COLLINS, N. SMITH, L.WILLIAMS

MS:     T. DAVIS

The common theme? PMs only, please

What a side :( 

2 x M.Collins? 

 

Mc

i

Double letters 

love it 😊 

Norm Smith must be chuffed to be on the interchange with those champs!

Firstly, special prize to @darkhorse72 for picking up the (I would like to say deliberate but can't) error. J. MCDONALD should have got that forward pocket.

Secondly, Brian trawled the years working back from the present day, so the N. SMITH is 4-gamer Nick, @Jumping Jack Clennett. But for the years criterion, the Red Fox could have made the team (and would definitely have replaced T. SMITH at CHF on merit if so! And @spirit of norm smith, you would have been pleased?)

Finally (though I hope not!) PM-ers @daisycutter and @Rob Mac...... have had a go (good on you, folks, and thanks!) but unsuccessfully.

Anyway, the number of you interested (intrigued? frustrated? maddened?) is encouraging. Keep at it!

One 'hint' I must give you all, having just realised it, is there is a coincidence between one player's qualification for Brian's team and the grand final he played in!

@Lucifers Hero, claiming it to be a 'one in 10 million guess that it is right' IS right! I'm inclined to think you're a bit better than 'guess', Luci, or at least at significantly better odds! So, very well done, and - allow me this cross-cultural appropriation - the Triple Laurel Wreath is on its way to you.

Now, who will claim the Double and Single?

5 minutes ago, Timothy Reddan-A'Blew said:

@Lucifers Hero, claiming it to be a 'one in 10 million guess that it is right' IS right! I'm inclined to think you're a bit better than 'guess', Luci, or at least at significantly better odds! So, very well done, and - allow me this cross-cultural appropriation - the Triple Laurel Wreath is on its way to you.

Now, who will claim the Double and Single?

Thank you but I'm in shock!!

My 'guess' seemed so obscure I thought twice about sending it to avoid embarrassing myself, even in private!

3 minutes ago, Lucifers Hero said:

Thank you but I'm in shock!!

My 'guess' seemed so obscure I thought twice about sending it to avoid embarrassing myself, even in private!

Don't be put off, other Puzzlers; my inbox is a judgement-free safe place!

Just now, Timothy Reddan-A'Blew said:

Don't be put off, other Puzzlers; my inbox is a judgement-free safe place!

Yes, I encourage all to submit what may appear to be 'obscure guesses' because they may just be right.  And not so obscure once it is confirmed.

50 minutes ago, Timothy Reddan-A'Blew said:

Don't be put off, other Puzzlers; my inbox is a judgement-free safe place!

The whole of 'Land is a judgement free space :-)

18 hours ago, Nascent said:

Stanley Bruce?

Just got it.

😄

👏

Hey 'Tim', is it time to give a 'cryptic' clue?😉

7 minutes ago, Lucifers Hero said:

Hey 'Tim', is it time to give a 'cryptic' clue?😉

Thanks for saving me the embarrassment of a self bump, 'Luci' 😁

I'll see if Saturday night imbibing releases anyone from their inhibitions and, if not, unleash in the morning!

On 11/11/2022 at 6:25 PM, spirit of norm smith said:

Mc

i

Double letters 

love it 😊 

Just browsed this thread again,.  With the wisdom of knowing the answer believe it or not you are on the right track!!

@Timothy Reddan-A'Blewapologies if I have hijacked your Sunday morning clue 'unleashing'.

Edited November 12, 20222 yr by Lucifers Hero

55 minutes ago, Lucifers Hero said:

Just browsed this thread again, with the wisdom of knowing the answer and believe it or not you are on the right track!!

@Timothy Reddan-A'Blewapologies if I have hijacked your Sunday morning clue 'unleashing'.

(NO YOU HAVEN'T. 'LUCI'. INDEED, YOU'VE AGAIN SAVED ME FROM 'THAT' EMBARRASSMENT 😁)

YOU MIGHT BE RIGHT ABOUT @spirit of norm smith'S POST. I'LL HOLD THE SINGLE LAUREL WREATH FOR HIM FOR XX HOURS TO ALLOW HIM TIME TO PM ME WITH FURTHER 'EVIDENCE', TO 'CONVINCE' ME.

IVE ALSO JUST NOTICED, BY THE WAY, LUCI, YOUR QUALIFICATION FOR A BRIAN TEAM. IT'D BE AN AFLW TEAM, THEN, AND LILY MITHEN WOULD JUST HAVE TO BE CAPTAIN, BUT YOU COULD BE VICE!

IT SHOULD HAVE PAID ALREADY, MY SALTING OF CLUES THROUGH THE THREAD, PARTICULARLY THE ONE AT THE VERY START. IT SEEMS TO HAVE FALLEN ON DEAF EARS (NOT AS MANY CRYPTIC CROSSWORDERS ON HERE AS I THOUGHT, THEN...)

IVE MENTIONED HIM BEFORE, BUT i SHOULD HAVE GIVEN CREDIT TO THE YEAR ONE PLAYER IN PARTICULAR PUT IN. A TRUE MILLENIAL.

(APOLOGIES FOR THE CAPS. MIGHT HAVE TO FIX THAT...)

Edited November 12, 20222 yr by Timothy Reddan-A'Blew

3 hours ago, Timothy Reddan-A'Blew said:

(NO YOU HAVEN'T. 'LUCI'. INDEED, YOU'VE AGAIN SAVED ME FROM 'THAT' EMBARRASSMENT 😁)

YOU MIGHT BE RIGHT ABOUT @spirit of norm smith'S POST. I'LL HOLD THE SINGLE LAUREL WREATH FOR HIM FOR XX HOURS TO ALLOW HIM TIME TO PM ME WITH FURTHER 'EVIDENCE', TO 'CONVINCE' ME.

IVE ALSO JUST NOTICED, BY THE WAY, LUCI, YOUR QUALIFICATION FOR A BRIAN TEAM. IT'D BE AN AFLW TEAM, THEN, AND LILY MITHEN WOULD JUST HAVE TO BE CAPTAIN, BUT YOU COULD BE VICE!

IT SHOULD HAVE PAID ALREADY, MY SALTING OF CLUES THROUGH THE THREAD, PARTICULARLY THE ONE AT THE VERY START. IT SEEMS TO HAVE FALLEN ON DEAF EARS (NOT AS MANY CRYPTIC CROSSWORDERS ON HERE AS I THOUGHT, THEN...)

IVE MENTIONED HIM BEFORE, BUT i SHOULD HAVE GIVEN CREDIT TO THE YEAR ONE PLAYER IN PARTICULAR PUT IN. A TRUE MILLENIAL.

(APOLOGIES FOR THE CAPS. MIGHT HAVE TO FIX THAT...)

For sure, LILy would be Captain of his Roamin AFLW team.  I'LL settle for VIce!

I know of at least two CC (Cryptic Crossword) fans on DL  @Demonstone@WalkingCivilWarwho might like to find the code🙃

I'm sure there are others!

Edited November 13, 20222 yr by Lucifers Hero

PM sent.  It's taken me a number of tries to figure it out and, if my reasoning doesn't add up, I'll be LIVID.

2 hours ago, Demonstone said:

PM sent.  It's taken me a number of tries to figure it out and, if my reasoning doesn't add up, I'll be LIVID.

Per your PM, Mr Stone, you are correct, and the Double Laurel is yours to wear proudly.

As you pipped @Mazer Rackham by a couple of hours, the Single Laurel is yours, Mazer. And, yes, the McDonalds all qualify for their 'Mc' but not the 'D'; hence the need for CAPS in the original team, and my subsequent post was a roundabout hint in this regard.

(As @spirit of norm smith failed to respond in the allotted XX hours, his prize drops to being dropped from the gameday Colosseum team. So he gets to fight another day!)

And thank you both for your better-late-than-never involvement. I would have been very disappointed had either of you not been in the MIX.

Edited November 13, 20222 yr by Timothy Reddan-A'Blew

Ahhhhhhh.. took awhile but I just got it.

17 minutes ago, Timothy Reddan-A'Blew said:

And, yes, the McDonalds all qualify for their 'Mc' but not the 'D';

I can think of 500 reasons why the 'D' would indeed qualify.

Could somebody explain @Nascent's Stanley Bruce reference for dummies like me who still can't grasp the connection?

3 minutes ago, Demonstone said:

I can think of 500 reasons why the 'D' would indeed qualify.

Could somebody explain @Nascent's Stanley Bruce reference for dummies like me who still can't grasp the connection?

'PMs only'?!

😄 D does 'fit' but doesn't qualify: the link was correct numerals of 2 or more letters. MC (1100) is correct but MCD ain't.

Edited November 13, 20222 yr by Timothy Reddan-A'Blew

I have absolutely no idea what you guys are talking about. Would you please provide, for dummies like me, the solution to your conundrum Tim. (Maybe I’m the only one who cannot do it)

6 minutes ago, Neil Crompton said:

I have absolutely no idea what you guys are talking about. Would you please provide, for dummies like me, the solution to your conundrum Tim. (Maybe I’m the only one who cannot do it)

Here you go, Neil. And many thanks for taking an interest! 😊

B:        S. SMI(1001)TH               A. TOMLI(1051)NSON               T. RIV(4)ERS

HB:     D. TERLI(51)CH               J. RIV(4)ERS                 O. MC(1100)DONALD

C:        C. ELLI(51)S                     C. OLIV(54)ER                A. MC(1100)DONALD

HF:      B. MCL(1150)EAN               T. SMI(1001)TH                       B. VI(6)NCE 

F:         J. MC(1100)DONALD      T. MC(1100)DONALD                 C. SYLVI(56)A

R:        T.SIMM(2000)ONDS         C. PETRACC(200)A                  J. VI(6)NEY

IC:       M. CLI(51)SBY, M. COLLI(51)NS, N. SMI(1001)TH, L.WILLI(51)AMS

MS:     T. DAVI(6)S

...and, LI(51)LY MI(1001)THEN!