The Guardian is Sexist!

Utterly shocked

That's awful. I don't mind being a shrew but I'm not an old bag.

Is that the best they could come up with? "old bag". I thought The Guardian would have a better vocabulary than that. I am disappointed in them.

Unfortunately I am!

It's not even accurate - if someone's rude enough to refer to a woman as an 'old bag' it's not necessarily because of her ill-temper.

The answer to "ill tempered woman" is surely " harridan". If they wanted a clue for "old bag" they might have tried "used carrier"?

Obviously used the office junior to compile the crossword that day.

Reminds me of the Sainsburys "Take an old bag shopping" campaign.

That was as good a reason to boycott Sainsbury's as any! Bl***y cheek!

Yes. Pity we didn't have Gransnet at that time. We would have given them hell!

The crossword compiler is the usual bloke. There were objections in the comments section beneath the online version of the crossword.

I have to agree with Soutra. I am more offended by the paucity of the clue than the possible sexism

Sense of humour alert? If they`re going to post us as old bags lets really go for! Might as well be hung for a sheep as a lamb. I plan to be a really awkward old cow today. Will probably get away with it too. Advanced age has its benefits

The clue did not refer to an old ill-tempered woman, just itw.

Presumably a 30 year old could be called an old bag by this crossword compiler.

Okay, maybe I'm lacking a sense of humour but which of us would not feel annoyed if, say, someone said 'shut up you old bag' in response to a complaint or criticism?

How on earth would people know what 'itw' was?

Is it a common abbreviation?

Well said, jane10. Such a clue says more about the bloke who used it than about anyone else. He's obviously a twat. Signed thatoldbags.

Perhaps it meant 'in the wardrobe'?

That's where a lot of my old bags go to die...

Yes, go for it Jane10! Think I've already joined you. Had a bit of an argy-bargy the other day with a cafe owner who was downright rude to my DH.

Was kicking myself on Saturday though when a shop assistant managed to call me "dear", "darling", and "sweetheart", over the course of one single transaction!

(and I said nothing!)

The offending item is at :
www.theguardian.com/crosswords/quick/13850

It has the full clue in this online version.

Sorry! Itw was my abbreviation, not the Guardian's.

Oh dear jinglbellsfrocks you'd hate it where I live. Everyone is called 'love'. So you are greeted in shops by 'Yes love what can I get you?'

I think it's nice to use generic terms of endearment in general conversation. It makes everything friendlier.

I don't mind love and dear but I don't like old bag. I'd rather be called a bitch or hag.

Actually I am up North in Manchester visiting DD at the moment so I am expecting a few loves when I go out shopping later.

I do like Manchester.