Yep, that's it. Even when I wrote it I knew it was lame -- prong creator ??? [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] Ah well.

Give us a better one, Squatter.

Perhaps 'better' is pushing it, but here's another clue all the same:

Ancient order is present with sacred word as celestial bodies align over point

Heren Istarion?

Present = Here
Sacred word = Ni (held sacred by the Knights who say it [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img] )
Heavenly bodies = Star and Io
Point = N(orth)

The whole being an Ancient Order.

Praise him with great praise, for using "Ni" as a clue. [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

That's the one, Saucepan. The floor is yours.

I thought you fellows might appreciate that clue. Sadly there was no room for 'peng' and 'nee-wom', but I see this as an opportunity for the future.

Give that man a shrubbery! [img]smilies/biggrin.gif[/img]

Thank you, Squatter. The next one should be fairly straightforward:

Ancient city seen by girl running back to port.

Why, thank you. It is a good shrubbery.

Swaying uncertainly towards the subject at hand, Rome is an ancient city, once again our retiring girl is Ann and the port in question is the Númenórean city of Rómenna.

Precisely, my dear Spectre of Decay. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] Would you be good enough to furnish us with the next clue?

It would be my pleasure.

Pale tower abandoned by monarch is home to many a lost love

Ok, I'm 99,9% sure that the answer is Wandlimb, the entwife Treebeard is so fond of, but someone has to clarify a thing or two for me... I see:

*pale=wan
*tower=(c)limb,

and the 'lost love' part is clear but that -D- in the middle gives me a headache (or it would if I had the time to really start pondering it).

~Annun

Oh, all right. Galling though it is to have my fiendishly complicated clue guessed, I can't in all conscience withhold the laurels. Wandlimb it is.

You're right about 'wan', and the 'lost love', but 'tower' can't be 'climb' and there's nothing to suggest the removal of a 'c'. My clue works like this:

'Pale' = wan
'Tower' = limber (a vehicle used for towing artillery pieces), with a monarch (E[lizabeth] R[egina]) removed.
'Is home to many', in other words 'houses many'. In this case, 'many' is five-hundred, represented by the Roman numeral D.

Ah, as always after the residue of my stupidity is removed, the answer appears crystal clear. Thanks for the clarification, Squatter.

Before thief turns his head kingdom is reached.

~Annun

You can say that again, Squatter. [img]smilies/eek.gif[/img] Well done indeed on getting that one, Annun. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img] As for yours, is it Erebor?

Before = Ere
Thief with his head turned = Bor (Rob reversed)

The whole being a Kingdom.

Thanks, Saucy! [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

Luckily I didn't err to call my clue fiendish or complicated, not to mention fiendishly complicated... [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img] Yes, 'tis Erebor!

And that was my part; may Mister Saucepan take the lead. *Annun bows and retreats back to the shadows from whence she came*

Well, this one is neither fiendish nor complicated.

After dark this part of the Shire becomes terrifying.

Sorry, it's late. [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img]

Marish

When placed after dark (night) it becomes more than frightening.

Quite right.

I'll have to try to think up something a little more fiendish next time. Actually, I have a whole stack of cryptic clues for the Cryptic Crossword that I'm putting together for the main site, but I'm resisitng the temptation of resorting to those.

Anyway, the thread is yours, Squatter. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

By no means are you to spoil your crossword for us: I'd rather have easy clues. Here's one to mull over while I'm away this weekend.

Too bright, that fellow, for irregular feast.

I got Galadriel.
Galad means 'radience', gal means 'celebration', and lad is another word for fellow.

Sorry. I'm afraid that's not the one.

Surely this can't have you all stumped. You're clearly not trying hard enough.

A hint, Sir Squatter?

Right you are.

Ask yourself what something is when it's too bright. And think of all the high days you know of in Middle-earth.

Is the answer to the first half of the clue, "blinding"?

I'm afraid not.

Overlithe ? (Over-lit, he)

Spot on, Turambar. I was beginning to despair of that one ever being answered.

The foreign father's smile captured the young hobbit.

Peregrin Took

pere=father (Spanish?)
grin=smile
took=captured

http://forum.barrowdowns.com/ubb/icons/icon14.gif

29 minutes!

My next one will be much harder.

[ October 06, 2003: Message edited by: Turambar ]

No, no, that was a good one, Turambar (and I'm not saying this only because I knew the right answer, you know... [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img] ).

Gods, that is a returning girl - with Nazgûl's head, to begin with!

Well, imagine that... [img]smilies/rolleyes.gif[/img]

~Annun

Is the answer Nienna, Annun?

Nazgul's head placed at the beginning = N
That is = ie
Returning girl = Ann backwards

Nienna is a God of sorts, being one of the Valar.

Perfect, Saucy; simply perfect! [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

~Annun

Well I try my best, Annun. [img]smilies/wink.gif[/img]

Orc and queen seen together after fellow embarrassed by anger returned for one who remained behind.

[ October 07, 2003: Message edited by: The Saucepan Man ]

Turin? Nellas?

I'm quite bewildered here. A clue would be rather nice.

Surely you can't mean that.

'Fellow' is F
'Embarrassed' is red
'Anger returned' is 'rage' backwards: egar

'Orc' is Bolg
'Queen' is either of two queens of England: ER

All of which adds up to Fredegar Bolger, one who remained behind.

Geez, Squatter, since you solved that conundrum, you probably could make short work of the Password.

Word perfect as always, Squatter. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

The thread is yours ...

Thanks, Saucepan. Here's another for your delectation.

Mordorian communiqué is fastest

Aha, got it. [img]smilies/smile.gif[/img]

Mordorian = Shadow
communiqué = fax

The answer being Shadowfax, who was the fastest.