Re: From an old Telegraph book

"Robert Briggs" <[EMAIL PROTECTED]> wrote in message
news:[EMAIL PROTECTED]
> Brian Skinner wrote:
> > Paddy Grove wrote:
> > > Robert Briggs writes:
> > >
> > > > What does the panel make of this one?
> > > >
> > > >     The Hispano-French girl?  (4)
> > >
> > > Nothing I'd object too strongly to, assuming the answer is
> > > ELLE. Did you have an issue with it?
>
> The checked letters give E_L_, which allows your solution or Brian's.
>
> > I'd be happier with the clue if ELLA was the intended answer.
>
> According to the back of the book, that *is* the intended answer.
>
> However, I couldn't make up my mind as to which was preferable: I
> could see arguments for both, and sure as heck wouldn't like it if
> it was a Saturday crossword and the first one out of the hat was
> disallowed simply for choosing the "wrong" answer to this one.
>
> Now I'll make my original question explicit: which solution, ELLE
> or ELLA, is preferable, and why?

Hi Robert,

I think that I would have put ELLE as the answer to this clue. I have no
better reason other than the fact that in the majority of crosswords I have
attempted, 'the French' has been LE.  LA has come up several times, but not
as often as LE. So I'd just play it safe and go with LE - incorrectly, in
this case.

Perhaps if this were a prize puzzle, both answers would be accepted?

Mark.