To ask about this crossword clue?

[FlamedToACrisp]

In a novel by Colin Dexter, Inspector Morse solves a cryptic clue in the Times crossword:

Eyes had I - and saw not.

The answer, he realises, is WATSON.

Wtf? Can anyone explain how this is a fair clue?

As it's a day later The Times answers are online. I am correct with ALMOND. It should have read 6 letters not 7 which I did query yesterday😀

Well done Winnie. I wish I could solve these😕

@lidoshuffle

I'm sure I vaguely recognise the "Eyes had I and saw not". The Bible perhaps? Romeo and Juliet?

It's from Psalm 115. Not an exact quote but an allusion.

'Eyes have they,and see not' ...
Coverdale version of the psalms as used in the Book of Common Prayer.

And you have to know that and/or that Holmes uses it to disparage Watson (I think he uses versions it a few times) in order to make sense of the anagram.

Dexter was quite devilish in his crosswords.

www.theguardian.com/crosswords/crossword-blog/2017/mar/22/crossword-blog-colin-dexters-life-in-five-clues-inspector-morse

@Hollybutnoivy

Old man = the letters you need to use Cracked = tells you it's an anagram Nut = the clue

Thank you Why does 'cracked' tell you it's an anagram?

Cracked? It's just a word play thing that has become accepted. You crack open the words OLD MAN. Any word for break, fracture, mess up, disorientate can mean the same. You need a thesaurus to identify them all

Thanks @campion - it did ring a bell. With your username, I'd expect you to be well versed in biblical quotes!

@CuriousaboutSamphire

Cracked? It's just a word play thing that has become accepted. You crack open the words OLD MAN. Any word for break, fracture, mess up, disorientate can mean the same. You need a thesaurus to identify them all

Great thank you

I'm tempted to try the times cryptic and see how I get on.

Suspect I'll need a lot of help though

I haven't done one for years. Last time I did one regularly I was sucked in by an empty crossword, some puzzled faces and the realisation I could answer a question about breaking a single japanese vase.

Imari

I marr one

That crossword jag lasted about 4 years. Me and a group of much older men in a pub 😜

@Winniewonka

As it's a day later The Times answers are online. I am correct with ALMOND. It should have read 6 letters not 7 which I did query yesterday😀

There would only have been six squares in the grid though (unless they'd really screwed it up!).

@lidoshuffle

Thanks *@campion* - it did ring a bell. With your username, I'd expect you to be well versed in biblical quotes!

Ha ha I married someone who knows his Evensongs from a professional standpoint so it tends to rub off.

He supplied the psalm number since I'd already got him interested about the cryptic clue. He's an avid Times cryptic fan whereas I'm hopeless and still waiting for that to rub off on me. Not happening.