The official bored-at-work cryptic crossword pass it on thread.

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Okay yeah! Solve the current one, post your answer and new one.

Alan, in the afternoon, is a tree (4)

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 8 December 2005 16:50 (nineteen years ago)

Palm

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Thursday, 8 December 2005 16:52 (nineteen years ago)

palm

xpost

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Thursday, 8 December 2005 16:52 (nineteen years ago)

yew

― jel -- (jel), Thursday, 8 December 2005 16:53 (nineteen years ago)

Okay Huk and Onimo new clue please!

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 8 December 2005 16:54 (nineteen years ago)

Almost create a fib, perhaps, or tell one (9)

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Thursday, 8 December 2005 16:55 (nineteen years ago)

fabricate

― k/l (Ken L), Thursday, 8 December 2005 16:56 (nineteen years ago)

Yes, your turn!

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Thursday, 8 December 2005 16:56 (nineteen years ago)

Maybe we should have some sort of rule whereby if someone gets one and then doesn't put up a new clue after ten minutes, it defaults to whoever wants it?

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 8 December 2005 17:08 (nineteen years ago)

(if only because I am here until bloody seven today)

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 8 December 2005 17:08 (nineteen years ago)

OK, here's a classic

City stylish in the past (7)

― k/l (Ken L), Thursday, 8 December 2005 17:09 (nineteen years ago)

Chicago! Nice.

Ok here's one: Unsuccessful rock promoter (8)

― ledge (ledge), Thursday, 8 December 2005 17:11 (nineteen years ago)

Thread of my dreams :)

Can't do the one above though :(

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 8 December 2005 17:26 (nineteen years ago)

Oh well - I'm off now, feel free to post a new one if no-one gets it.

― ledge (ledge), Thursday, 8 December 2005 17:27 (nineteen years ago)

It's a hard one!

Later TL!

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 8 December 2005 17:29 (nineteen years ago)

I don't know what this is- poorterm? That's not a word.

The Chicago clue is not original- I've seen it and its variants in puzzles many times.

― k/l (Ken L), Thursday, 8 December 2005 17:31 (nineteen years ago)

Damn, I have to go now too. Later!

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 8 December 2005 17:32 (nineteen years ago)

This is just the thread I need to get me through the day - and I killed it!

S_S_P_U_

― ledge (ledge), Friday, 9 December 2005 08:52 (nineteen years ago)

Aw, man, that is the greatest clue EVER (once I'd worked out the answer, which took about 2 seconds once you'd put the letters in!)

― ailsa (ailsa), Friday, 9 December 2005 08:55 (nineteen years ago)

Answer being Sisyphus, btw.

― ailsa (ailsa), Friday, 9 December 2005 09:06 (nineteen years ago)

Correctamundo - and thanks! - your turn then.

― ledge (ledge), Friday, 9 December 2005 09:09 (nineteen years ago)

Wow, that's genius.

New clue! Ailsa you there?

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Friday, 9 December 2005 09:13 (nineteen years ago)

Okay, well, I'll post an easy one to get us rolling again:

Heats sacks (5)

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Friday, 9 December 2005 09:24 (nineteen years ago)

Fires.

Id's involved in painful, er, mistake. (8, 4)

― The Vintner's Lipogram (OleM), Friday, 9 December 2005 09:34 (nineteen years ago)

Freudian Slip!

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Friday, 9 December 2005 09:36 (nineteen years ago)

Even my hired lady must submit (5)

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Friday, 9 December 2005 09:37 (nineteen years ago)

Well done!

― The Vintner's Lipogram (OleM), Friday, 9 December 2005 09:42 (nineteen years ago)

Yield

― Sam (chirombo), Friday, 9 December 2005 09:45 (nineteen years ago)

Oh, sorry, went off to have some breakfast. New clue:

Country with its capital in Czechoslovakia (6)

― ailsa (ailsa), Friday, 9 December 2005 09:47 (nineteen years ago)

I don't have a paper on me, so here's a classic:
GSEG (9, 4)

― Sam (chirombo), Friday, 9 December 2005 09:48 (nineteen years ago)

sorry, xpost

― Sam (chirombo), Friday, 9 December 2005 09:49 (nineteen years ago)

Norway

― Sam (chirombo), Friday, 9 December 2005 09:50 (nineteen years ago)

Scrambled eggs!

(xpost, yes correct)

― ailsa (ailsa), Friday, 9 December 2005 09:50 (nineteen years ago)

Not posting the answer to ailsa's but it's my favourite clue ever :)

x-post :)

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Friday, 9 December 2005 09:51 (nineteen years ago)

Haha I meant's Sam's! Ailsa's is good too though obv.

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Friday, 9 December 2005 09:54 (nineteen years ago)

Gambler mixes rent up (6)

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Friday, 9 December 2005 10:03 (nineteen years ago)

(I know I didn't win the last one but I thought of that on the train this morning and didn't want to forget)

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Friday, 9 December 2005 10:03 (nineteen years ago)

punter!

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Friday, 9 December 2005 10:06 (nineteen years ago)

Punter. (xpost, bah)

I can't think of any more just now - will go trawling through my newspaper recycling box and come back later.

― ailsa (ailsa), Friday, 9 December 2005 10:07 (nineteen years ago)

S is very hush hush (3,9)

― Tag (Tag), Friday, 9 December 2005 10:09 (nineteen years ago)

(3,6) I mean. Spanner.

― Tag (Tag), Friday, 9 December 2005 10:09 (nineteen years ago)

(ailsa or sam do you want this one, or shall I pick one?)

(this thread has saved work)

x-post okay: 'I have recognized my son!' he said proudly (5,2,3)

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Friday, 9 December 2005 10:11 (nineteen years ago)

Tag's is top secret, this one has me stumped...

― ledge (ledge), Friday, 9 December 2005 10:14 (nineteen years ago)

I can't work out top secret! :(

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Friday, 9 December 2005 10:20 (nineteen years ago)

"s" is the first (top) letter of secret, innit?

― ailsa (ailsa), Friday, 9 December 2005 10:20 (nineteen years ago)

Harsh!

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Friday, 9 December 2005 10:21 (nineteen years ago)

What's harsh is not having any other letters to at least get a starting point for these...

― ailsa (ailsa), Friday, 9 December 2005 10:22 (nineteen years ago)

I might need to check the 'quickie' clue for that last one :-(

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Friday, 9 December 2005 10:31 (nineteen years ago)

That's my boy!

― Sam (chirombo), Friday, 9 December 2005 10:32 (nineteen years ago)

That's my boy.
xpost

― Casuistry (Chris P), Friday, 9 December 2005 10:32 (nineteen years ago)

Here's one I made up.

For a cooking pot brandname, the French put America in a mixed up Greek island. (2, 7)

― Sam (chirombo), Friday, 9 December 2005 10:36 (nineteen years ago)

La Creuset.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Friday, 9 December 2005 10:37 (nineteen years ago)

Le, rather.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Friday, 9 December 2005 10:37 (nineteen years ago)

Too easy!

― Sam (chirombo), Friday, 9 December 2005 10:38 (nineteen years ago)

Too middle-class!

― Sam (chirombo), Friday, 9 December 2005 10:39 (nineteen years ago)

Italy's the spot for a bunch of mentalists. (3)

― Casuistry (Chris P), Friday, 9 December 2005 10:39 (nineteen years ago)

Are cryptics more of a working class thing?

― Casuistry (Chris P), Friday, 9 December 2005 10:40 (nineteen years ago)

haha

― Sam (chirombo), Friday, 9 December 2005 10:40 (nineteen years ago)

xpost

― Sam (chirombo), Friday, 9 December 2005 10:40 (nineteen years ago)

ILX

― beanz (beanz), Friday, 9 December 2005 10:42 (nineteen years ago)

haha

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Friday, 9 December 2005 10:49 (nineteen years ago)

Chris, is it not three in the morning over there?

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Friday, 9 December 2005 10:52 (nineteen years ago)

Madchen's "overworked postman" joke to thread!

― ailsa (ailsa), Friday, 9 December 2005 10:53 (nineteen years ago)

beanz new clue! (I thinka ailsa and Sam still have one saved up too)

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Friday, 9 December 2005 10:54 (nineteen years ago)

Put back strength about advance (8)

Warning: I read this the other day and thought it was a crap clue, but it lodged itself in my head which is why I'm reproducing it now.

― beanz (beanz), Friday, 9 December 2005 11:01 (nineteen years ago)

Do they have cryptic crosswords (in this sense) in America?

― Sam (chirombo), Friday, 9 December 2005 11:05 (nineteen years ago)

Put back? Advance? Too generic! Millions of synonyms! Letters please...

― ledge (ledge), Friday, 9 December 2005 11:50 (nineteen years ago)

R _ _ H _ _ _ E

― beanz (beanz), Friday, 9 December 2005 11:54 (nineteen years ago)

recharge

― Ste (Fuzzy), Friday, 9 December 2005 11:57 (nineteen years ago)

bingo

― beanz (beanz), Friday, 9 December 2005 11:58 (nineteen years ago)

sorry i've got to go for dinner now and don't have any new clues, someone will have to take my go

― Ste (Fuzzy), Friday, 9 December 2005 11:59 (nineteen years ago)

Aw crap, I thought about = re, then discarded it.

― ledge (ledge), Friday, 9 December 2005 11:59 (nineteen years ago)

Oh, I don't have any old guardians lying about any more = no decent crossword clues to dispense to you. I'll just keep reading and solving if that's alright with you lot.

― ailsa (ailsa), Friday, 9 December 2005 12:01 (nineteen years ago)

I discarded re too :(

Okay supereasy one but I really like the clue: French boulevards of broken dreams (4)

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Friday, 9 December 2005 12:05 (nineteen years ago)

Rues

(too easy, I know)

― ailsa (ailsa), Friday, 9 December 2005 12:06 (nineteen years ago)

I'm gonna jump in with an old fave:
Love will tear us apart, causing grief (3)

― ledge (ledge), Friday, 9 December 2005 12:08 (nineteen years ago)

woe! NICE

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Friday, 9 December 2005 12:09 (nineteen years ago)

Gonna get lunch, I'll try and think of one while I'm out. Feel free to post any you think of...

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Friday, 9 December 2005 12:12 (nineteen years ago)

OK, another old classic:

H.I.J.K.L.M.N.O (5)

― ailsa (ailsa), Friday, 9 December 2005 12:30 (nineteen years ago)

Water

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Friday, 9 December 2005 12:32 (nineteen years ago)

A ship that nobody caes about (7)

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Friday, 9 December 2005 12:32 (nineteen years ago)

cares about

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Friday, 9 December 2005 12:33 (nineteen years ago)

(to be honest, I stole this one from I'm Sorry I Havn't a Clue, so it's less of a strong cryptic clue, more of a weak pun)

― Come Back Johnny B (Johnney B), Friday, 9 December 2005 12:35 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah, I was going to say that's "frigate" - I read it in one of those made-up-definitions-for-words things in the newspaper not that long ago.

― ailsa (ailsa), Friday, 9 December 2005 12:37 (nineteen years ago)

Back from LUNCH mm sandwich. Quite proud of this one:

Point at vase, a codename for orgies (11)

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Friday, 9 December 2005 12:39 (nineteen years ago)

I'm pretty sure that's going to be "bacchanalia" due to alias and and the orgy thing, but I can't quite work out why.

― ailsa (ailsa), Friday, 9 December 2005 12:46 (nineteen years ago)

not quite!

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Friday, 9 December 2005 12:59 (nineteen years ago)

Do people want some letters?

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Friday, 9 December 2005 14:28 (nineteen years ago)

Ooh, yes please.

― ailsa (ailsa), Friday, 9 December 2005 14:30 (nineteen years ago)

S------L--S

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Friday, 9 December 2005 14:32 (nineteen years ago)

saturnalias

― beanz (beanz), Friday, 9 December 2005 14:34 (nineteen years ago)

doh

― beanz (beanz), Friday, 9 December 2005 14:34 (nineteen years ago)

New clue!

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Friday, 9 December 2005 14:37 (nineteen years ago)

Rat you hit corrupted power (9)

Too easy for letter hints

― beanz (beanz), Friday, 9 December 2005 14:44 (nineteen years ago)

Authority

― ailsa (ailsa), Friday, 9 December 2005 14:46 (nineteen years ago)

Authority - xposted AGAIN!!! goddamnit!

― ledge (ledge), Friday, 9 December 2005 14:47 (nineteen years ago)

Next!

― beanz (beanz), Friday, 9 December 2005 14:47 (nineteen years ago)

Flaky apple crisp holders (5,5)

― Ste (Fuzzy), Friday, 9 December 2005 15:03 (nineteen years ago)

not tarte tatin is it?

― beanz (beanz), Friday, 9 December 2005 15:19 (nineteen years ago)

Nah, it's paper clips. (anagram)

― Amity Wong (noodle vague), Friday, 9 December 2005 15:20 (nineteen years ago)

Paper clips!
xpost!

― Casuistry (Chris P), Friday, 9 December 2005 15:21 (nineteen years ago)

And I was gonna say
caper pails

― k/l (Ken L), Friday, 9 December 2005 15:21 (nineteen years ago)

I was gazing at 'space plirp' thinking 'hmm, maybe not anagram after all...'

― beanz (beanz), Friday, 9 December 2005 15:22 (nineteen years ago)

And yes, they have cryptics in the US, but they're rarer and you have to know where to look for them. And yes, it was probably 3 in the morning. I have been weirdly sick and my sleep schedule is totally kerscrewed.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Friday, 9 December 2005 15:22 (nineteen years ago)

Noodle! Entertain us!
(that's an exhortation not a clue)

― beanz (beanz), Friday, 9 December 2005 15:34 (nineteen years ago)

Bugger, I didn't realise it was my turn. Do I have to provide a clue now?

― Amity Wong (noodle vague), Friday, 9 December 2005 15:38 (nineteen years ago)

Show us whatcha got, NV.

― k/l (Ken L), Friday, 9 December 2005 15:40 (nineteen years ago)

Noodle! Write one, skip none! (5)

― Casuistry (Chris P), Friday, 9 December 2005 15:40 (nineteen years ago)

Penne!

― ledge (ledge), Friday, 9 December 2005 15:43 (nineteen years ago)

(Very good)

― ledge (ledge), Friday, 9 December 2005 15:43 (nineteen years ago)

NICE!

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Friday, 9 December 2005 15:44 (nineteen years ago)

Stupid - having none of these? (8)

― Sam (chirombo), Friday, 9 December 2005 15:47 (nineteen years ago)

(Yeah NV it's basically pass-it-on but if there hasn't been an unsolved clue for a while anyone can post one. I don't think anyone is too fussy about any of it unless we have to do some work or something) (I have spent the last six hours entering printed-out spreadsheets back into excel in a different format, any requests for the actual original spreadsheets has been greeted with blank incomprehension)

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Friday, 9 December 2005 15:48 (nineteen years ago)

clueless!

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Friday, 9 December 2005 15:49 (nineteen years ago)

When to eat out after the end of the world (4)

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Friday, 9 December 2005 15:49 (nineteen years ago)

date?

― k/l (Ken L), Friday, 9 December 2005 15:50 (nineteen years ago)

Coyote's Peak? (4)

― Amity Wong (noodle vague), Friday, 9 December 2005 15:51 (nineteen years ago)

yup k/l! sorry, that's probably not a very good one.

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Friday, 9 December 2005 15:53 (nineteen years ago)

I have the death lurgey flu brought on by people manfully struggling into work all full of germs all week, and I don't feel well, and we are watching the world's worst TV movie ("Supernova" starring Luke Perry as an astrophysicist who accidentally predicts that the sun will go supernova by putting a minus sign rather than a plus sign in one of his calculations, whilst rushing to save his wife from a serial killer), so the distraction of crossword clues is excellent.

― ailsa (ailsa), Friday, 9 December 2005 15:53 (nineteen years ago)

Errrm, I'm buggering off to play Total War in a minute, I'll post a answer later if you need one.

― Amity Wong (noodle vague), Friday, 9 December 2005 16:08 (nineteen years ago)

Nah, you're OK. Acme, innit?

― ailsa (ailsa), Friday, 9 December 2005 16:11 (nineteen years ago)

Lol. Yep.

― Amity Wong (noodle vague), Friday, 9 December 2005 16:12 (nineteen years ago)

Ho ho! Very lateral, nice.

― ledge (ledge), Friday, 9 December 2005 16:14 (nineteen years ago)

OK, I just cooked this up for you:

Woman's notes stuck to hair (8)

― k/l (Ken L), Friday, 9 December 2005 16:15 (nineteen years ago)

Mind if I do one out of turn?

Transmitters in rhymed iambics (5)

oh xpost... come back to it

― beanz (beanz), Friday, 9 December 2005 16:16 (nineteen years ago)

media

― k/l (Ken L), Friday, 9 December 2005 16:17 (nineteen years ago)

Ok do it now then!

― beanz (beanz), Friday, 9 December 2005 16:17 (nineteen years ago)

I don't get the Coyote's Peak one.

― Sam (chirombo), Friday, 9 December 2005 16:26 (nineteen years ago)

[Insert picture of Roadrunner here]

― k/l (Ken L), Friday, 9 December 2005 16:27 (nineteen years ago)

― Sam (chirombo), Friday, 9 December 2005 16:28 (nineteen years ago)

Doesn't fit but: Actresses

― Sam (chirombo), Friday, 9 December 2005 16:41 (nineteen years ago)

Mistress?

― ailsa (ailsa), Friday, 9 December 2005 16:44 (nineteen years ago)

yup. your turn

― k/l (Ken L), Friday, 9 December 2005 16:46 (nineteen years ago)

someone want to explain that last one to me ?

― Ste (Fuzzy), Friday, 9 December 2005 16:46 (nineteen years ago)

of of of of of of of of of of (10)

― ailsa (ailsa), Friday, 9 December 2005 16:48 (nineteen years ago)

oftentimes

― Sam (chirombo), Friday, 9 December 2005 16:50 (nineteen years ago)

Frequently

― beanz (beanz), Friday, 9 December 2005 16:50 (nineteen years ago)

um yes

― beanz (beanz), Friday, 9 December 2005 16:51 (nineteen years ago)

What beanz said, but probably the other answer is correct.

― k/l (Ken L), Friday, 9 December 2005 16:51 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah, frequently.

― ailsa (ailsa), Friday, 9 December 2005 16:52 (nineteen years ago)

Ste:
Mi's + tress

You don't like it, you get what you pay for.

― k/l (Ken L), Friday, 9 December 2005 16:53 (nineteen years ago)

Is oftentimes a word?

Lover asks non-commissioned officer to a dance (8)

― Sam (chirombo), Friday, 9 December 2005 16:53 (nineteen years ago)

haha oftentimes is awesome!

I think the explanation is notes = (mi)s, hair=tresses, woman could be mistress, Ste? So stuck to would just be "next to".

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Friday, 9 December 2005 16:54 (nineteen years ago)

yes oftentimes is a word, and would make more sense to me

― Ste (Fuzzy), Friday, 9 December 2005 16:55 (nineteen years ago)

FOUR MINUTES TILL FREEDOM

I don't even get "frequently"!

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Friday, 9 December 2005 16:56 (nineteen years ago)

me neither

― Sam (chirombo), Friday, 9 December 2005 16:57 (nineteen years ago)

I just got carried away with of-ten

― beanz (beanz), Friday, 9 December 2005 17:02 (nineteen years ago)

The clue is of x 10 = often = frequently. According to the place where I saw it before.

― ailsa (ailsa), Friday, 9 December 2005 17:03 (nineteen years ago)

oh right, i'm dumb, i couldn't see the hair/tress part. i was looking for musical note references for some stupid stupid reason.

― Ste (Fuzzy), Friday, 9 December 2005 17:04 (nineteen years ago)

and great thread, but gotta go home. g'night!

― Ste (Fuzzy), Friday, 9 December 2005 17:05 (nineteen years ago)

Though oftentimes will do, since no letters were specified. Fight amongst yourselves.

(night)

― ailsa (ailsa), Friday, 9 December 2005 17:05 (nineteen years ago)

Oftentimes is clearly awesomer.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Friday, 9 December 2005 17:18 (nineteen years ago)

Yes, it is. I liked that it went a stage further, as oftentimes is a bit too literal for my liking, but it's still a great word.

― ailsa (ailsa), Friday, 9 December 2005 17:28 (nineteen years ago)

A great cryptic clue should make it hard for you to see the word again without thinking of the clue, which that clue very much does for "oftentimes" but not so much for "frequently".

I wish I could remember exactly how my favorite clue goes, but I think I mentioned it the last time we did this thread anyway.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Friday, 9 December 2005 17:55 (nineteen years ago)

I can ship from Spain. (8)

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Friday, 9 December 2005 17:56 (nineteen years ago)

Hispanic.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Friday, 9 December 2005 17:59 (nineteen years ago)

Though shouldn't there be a word telling you it's an anagram clue?

― Casuistry (Chris P), Friday, 9 December 2005 17:59 (nineteen years ago)

That was in my National Post cryptic today. Possibly "I can ship OUT OF Spain"

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Friday, 9 December 2005 18:00 (nineteen years ago)

Hispanic (gah, xpost, casuistry OTM though)

― ailsa (ailsa), Friday, 9 December 2005 18:00 (nineteen years ago)

I'm the crossword police.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Friday, 9 December 2005 18:01 (nineteen years ago)

I'm with Chris - I reckon one of the real strengths of cryptics is that when you get it, you *know* you can fill it in because there's only one word that could be right (mostly because you've gotten the same answer twice). It's no good doing all the fancy stuff and still having to guess at a normal clue and worry about same-lettered synonyms!

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Friday, 9 December 2005 18:02 (nineteen years ago)

Useless gasps. (5)

― Casuistry (Chris P), Friday, 9 December 2005 18:09 (nineteen years ago)

Nobody bored yet this week then?

Um, pants?

― Archel (Archel), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 13:34 (nineteen years ago)

I will doubtless continue to be bored all this week. Only here today for another hour though.

― ledge (ledge), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 15:03 (nineteen years ago)

Well, I don't think 'pants' can be right but here's a new clue anyway:

Couple to hire band (8)

― Archel (Archel), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 15:06 (nineteen years ago)

Hmm. It's not a musical band is it?

― ledge (ledge), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 15:38 (nineteen years ago)

No, think other sense of band.

― Archel (Archel), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 15:38 (nineteen years ago)

Ring, hoop... today I am stupid.

― ledge (ledge), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 15:40 (nineteen years ago)

Bracelet!

― k/l (Ken L), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 15:41 (nineteen years ago)

Oh Gooooooodddd...

― ledge (ledge), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 15:42 (nineteen years ago)

Yup! It took me ages too (and I needed the l and t filled in first, doh).

― Archel (Archel), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 15:44 (nineteen years ago)

Get a seat on a plane with diddley? You can! (4)

― k/l (Ken L), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 15:48 (nineteen years ago)

Book?

― Archel (Archel), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 16:17 (nineteen years ago)

Yup. I just made that clue up, so I'm glad you were able to get it.

― k/l (Ken L), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 16:19 (nineteen years ago)

Here's an easy one from today's Independent: Get off vehicle on fire (6)

― Archel (Archel), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 16:23 (nineteen years ago)

alight

― k/l (Ken L), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 16:24 (nineteen years ago)

alight

xpost

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 16:24 (nineteen years ago)

You're on, Huk.

― k/l (Ken L), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 16:25 (nineteen years ago)

Pay no more attention when apathetic (8)

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 16:28 (nineteen years ago)

Couple to hire band (8)

ha, that was out of theguardian today, and I didn't get it at all. D'oh! (and thanks)

― ailsa (ailsa), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 18:16 (nineteen years ago)

(It was pants. I didn't think it would take so long for people to get, though.)

― Casuistry (Chris P), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 21:18 (nineteen years ago)

I thought I'd said "pants" before I went off to get my tea that night, but apparently I didn't. Oh well.

― ailsa (ailsa), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 21:20 (nineteen years ago)

I'm stumped on Huk's.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 21:57 (nineteen years ago)

And we were counting on you, Chris.

― k/l (Ken L), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 21:59 (nineteen years ago)

And we were counting on you, Chris.

― k/l (Ken L), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 22:01 (nineteen years ago)

Counting up to 2, even.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Tuesday, 13 December 2005 22:59 (nineteen years ago)

Is it listless? Only that's not a usage of 'list' I'm familiar with.

― ledge (ledge), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 09:44 (nineteen years ago)

Oh no that's rubbish, forget I spoke...

― ledge (ledge), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 10:44 (nineteen years ago)

Wait a minute is it careless?

― ledge (ledge), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 10:45 (nineteen years ago)

Or mindless... I'll shutup now.

― ledge (ledge), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 10:46 (nineteen years ago)

Somethingless anyway!

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 14:27 (nineteen years ago)

I think we should have a new clue until Huk can give us a hint.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 14:40 (nineteen years ago)

LISTLESS IT IS!

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 14:45 (nineteen years ago)

Explain the list bit?

― ledge (ledge), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 14:48 (nineteen years ago)

Pay no more attention = keep no more lists!

I'm sorry, I stole it from yesterday's Nat'l Post.

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 14:51 (nineteen years ago)

HMMMMM...

New clue then, this was in the Times today and it tickled my fancy:
Setting for end of term production (9,4)

I can supply the letters we had in it before we got it...

― ledge (ledge), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 14:53 (nineteen years ago)

Oh dear, letters please! I'm thinking it doesn't mean school term?

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 14:58 (nineteen years ago)

M-------Y ----

― ledge (ledge), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 15:02 (nineteen years ago)

okay, I was offtrack.

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 15:02 (nineteen years ago)

Maternity Ward?

― Sam (chirombo), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 15:04 (nineteen years ago)

Bingo!

― ledge (ledge), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 15:05 (nineteen years ago)

Maternity Ward?

(Xpost)

― k/l (Ken L), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 15:05 (nineteen years ago)

Ooh I like it.

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 15:06 (nineteen years ago)

One from Private Eye (the only one I can do this week):

Taken by piss-artist to be how to position two entries in a sudoku grid? (3,4,3,5)

― Sam (chirombo), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 15:16 (nineteen years ago)

One over the eight!

― ledge (ledge), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 15:37 (nineteen years ago)

Curses, I've been staring at that for half an hour!

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 15:41 (nineteen years ago)

Ok this one should be easy:
Dairy product made by EEC she-goat etc curdled (7,6)

― ledge (ledge), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 15:42 (nineteen years ago)

cottage cheese

― k/l (Ken L), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 15:43 (nineteen years ago)

(But I still don't get the sudoku one)

― k/l (Ken L), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 15:43 (nineteen years ago)

Recieved lush wisdom: Eight drinks is okay, any more makes you drunk.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 15:45 (nineteen years ago)

So if you've had "one over the eight" you're a piss-artist.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 15:46 (nineteen years ago)

Pay no more attention = keep no more lists!

Is that some weird Canuck slang?

― Casuistry (Chris P), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 17:35 (nineteen years ago)

Awfully sad picture of slapstick (7, 3)

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 17:36 (nineteen years ago)

Custard pie.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 17:44 (nineteen years ago)

But, um, someone else can feel free to post a new clue, I got nothing right now.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 17:45 (nineteen years ago)

(I made this up, it's shit, but...)

Fred's lead in race is an absurdity (5)

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 19:27 (nineteen years ago)

FARCE

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 19:33 (nineteen years ago)

correct

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 19:39 (nineteen years ago)

Cross hog ill, disturbed by these female students (11)

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 19:45 (nineteen years ago)

You need something in the clue to indicate that "race" is an anagram, also the f's not "in", it's "at the start of".

(xpost) schoolgirls

― crossword pedant (ailsa), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 19:48 (nineteen years ago)

easiest one from today's guardian: MP teased about mad rush (8)

― ailsa (ailsa), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 19:54 (nineteen years ago)

(my clues are all shitty anagrams--FEEL MY CRYPTIC SHAME!)

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 19:55 (nineteen years ago)

stampede

― k/l (Ken L), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 19:56 (nineteen years ago)

You need something in the clue to indicate that "race" is an anagram, also the f's not "in", it's "at the start of".

Did you see where I said "it's shit"?

Oh and I'm assuming you don't have an 'a' in your name...

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 19:59 (nineteen years ago)

He'd be incredible if he weren't so fucked up. (3-1)

― Casuistry (Chris P), Wednesday, 14 December 2005 22:55 (nineteen years ago)

Huk-L (excellent clue, Casuistry)

Onimo, I was being helpful, or so I thought. I have never made a crossword clue up in my life, and wouldn't even attempt to due to my woeful lack of imagination - I'm just jealous of those who can do so and put me to shame, and doing my usual crappy thing of pointing out the speck of dust in another's eye before removing the plank in my own :)

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 15 December 2005 00:28 (nineteen years ago)

A cryptic pedant is snaking through Alabama. (5)

― Casuistry (Chris P), Thursday, 15 December 2005 00:38 (nineteen years ago)

hahaha :)

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 15 December 2005 00:39 (nineteen years ago)

I don't know why I can only come up with clues for people (or the board at large).

― Casuistry (Chris P), Thursday, 15 December 2005 00:43 (nineteen years ago)

Shrink turns wife into mountain (8)

― k/l (Ken L), Thursday, 15 December 2005 02:16 (nineteen years ago)

Please explain the huk-l clue to my tired and rusty brain.

― ledge (ledge), Thursday, 15 December 2005 09:39 (nineteen years ago)

Anagram of 'hulk'. Who is incredible.

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 15 December 2005 09:45 (nineteen years ago)

Sweet.

― ledge (ledge), Thursday, 15 December 2005 10:13 (nineteen years ago)

Jungfrau?

― ledge (ledge), Thursday, 15 December 2005 10:21 (nineteen years ago)

Oh my god. Is it Jungfrau?

― Casuistry (Chris P), Thursday, 15 December 2005 11:10 (nineteen years ago)

Pending that adjudication:
Blair goes around and about in church, that is, for festive treat (5,3)

― ledge (ledge), Thursday, 15 December 2005 11:23 (nineteen years ago)

Mince pie!

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 15 December 2005 11:26 (nineteen years ago)

Yup!

― ledge (ledge), Thursday, 15 December 2005 11:30 (nineteen years ago)

Can this be a joint effort, because I haven't worked it out either yet:

Erif (8)

(From today's Araucaria)

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 15 December 2005 12:01 (nineteen years ago)

Ok I know it now. Carry on!

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 15 December 2005 12:09 (nineteen years ago)

Surely backfire or fireback or something - at least one of those may be a word. xpost obv.

― ledge (ledge), Thursday, 15 December 2005 12:10 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah I thought fireback. Though it could equally be backfire. Shit.

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 15 December 2005 12:12 (nineteen years ago)

Reminds me of a variation on an old chestnut that was posted earlier:
ONMLKJIH (9)

― ledge (ledge), Thursday, 15 December 2005 12:13 (nineteen years ago)

backwater

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Thursday, 15 December 2005 12:14 (nineteen years ago)

Ok, I don't get that and I didn't get HIJKLMNO either :(

Oh wait yes I do. H to O. H2O. Right.

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 15 December 2005 12:19 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah, it was Jungfrau. That was a homebrew clue.

― k/l (Ken L), Thursday, 15 December 2005 13:01 (nineteen years ago)

Why the "turns"?

― Casuistry (Chris P), Thursday, 15 December 2005 14:09 (nineteen years ago)

So... who's up? Onimo?

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 15 December 2005 15:39 (nineteen years ago)

Messed up time for the short generation to get together (7)

(man that's bad, sorry again ailsa)

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Thursday, 15 December 2005 15:47 (nineteen years ago)

meeting?

― k/l (Ken L), Thursday, 15 December 2005 15:48 (nineteen years ago)

I GOT IT. but I don't have the brain power to come up with a clue. So I'll keep quiet.

xpost

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Thursday, 15 December 2005 15:49 (nineteen years ago)

meeting, yes.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Thursday, 15 December 2005 15:50 (nineteen years ago)

I can't come up with my own clues either. But if Huk doesn't want to go I'll just keeping ripping off Araucaria. Is there copyright on clues? Oh well:

Appeal to teacher as to existence of deity? (6)

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 15 December 2005 16:03 (nineteen years ago)

I think it is Osiris...

― ledge (ledge), Thursday, 15 December 2005 16:52 (nineteen years ago)

Yep :)

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 15 December 2005 16:55 (nineteen years ago)

Not bad, although O for out for appeal is a bit of a stretch. As is this:

(His) specious argument for confused, pointless cause is trouble (9)

― ledge (ledge), Thursday, 15 December 2005 17:00 (nineteen years ago)

I was more bothered by the "sir" part, of course.

If that clue is for what I think it is, then it might be a stretch, because I can't quite put it together. An "e" too many, maybe?

― Casuistry (Chris P), Thursday, 15 December 2005 17:52 (nineteen years ago)

My addled brain can't work that out at all, but would "pointless" mean that a compass point i.e. "E" isn't there, solving the mystery of Casuistry's extra "e"? Apologies if this is way off the mark.

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 15 December 2005 18:38 (nineteen years ago)

Then where does the Y come in?

― Casuistry (Chris P), Thursday, 15 December 2005 19:03 (nineteen years ago)

I don't even know what the answer is! I was just randomly dissecting bits of clue.

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 15 December 2005 19:04 (nineteen years ago)

I just worked it out! Can't quite do why either though :(

NO HINT PLZ

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 15 December 2005 19:06 (nineteen years ago)

That's about as far is I got, too.

― k/l (Ken L), Thursday, 15 December 2005 19:06 (nineteen years ago)

could trouble just mean "try"?

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 15 December 2005 19:07 (nineteen years ago)

My last was an xpost, I get it now. I think the clue is fine, except for the "(His)" maybe.

― k/l (Ken L), Thursday, 15 December 2005 19:12 (nineteen years ago)

God, I am teh dumb. Yes, clue seems OK to me as well (now that brain has caught up with normality after being stuck at work all day)

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 15 December 2005 19:14 (nineteen years ago)

Oh ah, "try". Like "trying times". Ah!

― Casuistry (Chris P), Thursday, 15 December 2005 23:00 (nineteen years ago)

Does this mean I get the next clue? Sweet.

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 15 December 2005 23:12 (nineteen years ago)

Lack a swarthy heart, sticking with Windows (4)

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 15 December 2005 23:20 (nineteen years ago)

(also how do I explain cryptic crosswords in a letter to an american school I am recommending a kid to? "british-style cryptic riddles" sounds daft.)

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Friday, 16 December 2005 00:01 (nineteen years ago)

They're called "cryptic crosswords" here. If the person doesn't know what that term means, however, good luck trying to explain it to them!

― Casuistry (Chris P), Friday, 16 December 2005 00:06 (nineteen years ago)

"Cryptic crosswords" doesn't mean like Will Shortz right?

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Friday, 16 December 2005 00:26 (nineteen years ago)

No.

― k/l (Ken L), Friday, 16 December 2005 03:48 (nineteen years ago)

Except when the Times runs them, of course. Just, you know, to be pedantic.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Friday, 16 December 2005 07:46 (nineteen years ago)

Have I killed this thread? :(

--N-

― Gravel Worklesworth, Tuesday, 20 December 2005 13:40 (nineteen years ago)

Not a scooby.

― ledge (ledge), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 14:11 (nineteen years ago)

I'm baffled.

― Archel (Archel), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 14:53 (nineteen years ago)

I'm baffled too. Want to give one more letter, with the proviso that whoever gets it has to explain HOW the clue works?

― ailsa (ailsa), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 14:54 (nineteen years ago)

Sure! -AN-

― Gravel Worklesworth, Tuesday, 20 December 2005 14:55 (nineteen years ago)

Is it pane?

― Archel (Archel), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 14:59 (nineteen years ago)

See I thought pane, just because of the window thing, but I have NO IDEA WHY!!! Please help us in the right direction, GP...

― ailsa (ailsa), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 15:01 (nineteen years ago)

You're at the wrong end!

"Windows" is maybe not very good :(

― Gravel Worklesworth, Tuesday, 20 December 2005 15:04 (nineteen years ago)

Ooh, I get it!!

WANT (wa = heart of swarthy, NT = Windows!) = lack

― ailsa (ailsa), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 15:18 (nineteen years ago)

Shit, I have to think of a new one now. Bear with me a minute...

― ailsa (ailsa), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 15:19 (nineteen years ago)

I always think "heart" (or similar) should mean the middle letters precisely...

― ledge (ledge), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 15:22 (nineteen years ago)

So do I, but I am a pedant, and anyway I got it right and you're just jealous *thumbs nose*

― ailsa (ailsa), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 15:23 (nineteen years ago)

YES IT SHOULD. Pah.

― Archel (Archel), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 15:23 (nineteen years ago)

Did anyone get the Grauniad today with the answers to the clues from Colin Dexter's column yesterday?

― ledge (ledge), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 15:29 (nineteen years ago)

No, as I haven't actually been out of the house for two days (hurrah for days off!)

― ailsa (ailsa), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 15:29 (nineteen years ago)

Anyway, from a Guardian last week

Short ball dismissing opener, South American caught at close of play (7,4)

― ailsa (ailsa), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 15:34 (nineteen years ago)

Curtain call! That's a gorgeous clue.

― ledge (ledge), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 16:03 (nineteen years ago)

I always think "heart" (or similar) should mean the middle letters precisely...

I always thought it was exactly the middle OR slightly on the left because it's a left do you see? You're probably right though :(

― Gravel Worklesworth, Tuesday, 20 December 2005 16:04 (nineteen years ago)

waitwait "because it's a heart" obv

― GW, Tuesday, 20 December 2005 16:05 (nineteen years ago)

Yes, ledge, it's a brilliant clue isn't it?

― ailsa (ailsa), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 16:12 (nineteen years ago)

This might be my favourite clue ever, from The Times:

An unusual ring, essentially of light, encircling heads (7)

― ledge (ledge), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 16:14 (nineteen years ago)

Aureole!

― GW, Tuesday, 20 December 2005 16:34 (nineteen years ago)

So gorgeous!

In that curtain call clue, why is ainc a south american?

― GW, Tuesday, 20 December 2005 16:35 (nineteen years ago)

it isn't, it's Inca.

― ailsa (ailsa), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 16:36 (nineteen years ago)

inca

xpost

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 16:38 (nineteen years ago)

Short = curt. ball dismissing opener = all. therefore that is curtall, and you can put (catch) "inca" in the middle of that.

― ailsa (ailsa), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 16:39 (nineteen years ago)

Ohhh, *a* South American! I totally missed that ever though I did it in my own one with a swarthy.

Wait a minute, I am accompanied by Pooh (4,4,2)

― Gravel Worklesworth, Tuesday, 20 December 2005 16:42 (nineteen years ago)

Bear with me (cute, I like it)

― ailsa (ailsa), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 16:43 (nineteen years ago)

Wouldn't curtall catching "a inca" be "curtain caall"?

(also if this thread ever gets to a second edition we are so calling it 'HOW DO MARKET FORCES AFFECT OUR INDUSTRY' or something, open plan office + facing the wall = teh fear)

― Gravel Worklesworth, Tuesday, 20 December 2005 16:49 (nineteen years ago)

It's just Inca, no indefinite article.

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 16:51 (nineteen years ago)

the A in Curtain is from the headless Ball.

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 16:57 (nineteen years ago)

Ohhhhhh, I'm dense today! Thanks Huck.

― GW, Tuesday, 20 December 2005 17:05 (nineteen years ago)

Hey, I explained it already :(

From same crossword as it's the only one I have handy just now:

Loosened shoe - and clue too? (7)

― ailsa (ailsa), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 17:25 (nineteen years ago)

Extremely cold place in which a Christian has a spasm. (6)

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 17:43 (nineteen years ago)

Can this be a joint effort, because I haven't worked it out either yet:

Erif (8)

This is the ONLY one I've got straight away in the whole thread. But it's fascinating watching all your thought processes!

So here's one from me:

Risking a punt might result in this good fortune (4,2,3,5)

― Markelby (Mark C), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 17:43 (nineteen years ago)

Kick in the pants?

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 17:46 (nineteen years ago)

Huk's is Arctic.

― ailsa (ailsa), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 17:58 (nineteen years ago)

Ooh, Markelby, is it "luck of the Irish"? That's great!

― ailsa (ailsa), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 17:59 (nineteen years ago)

Haha excellent!

― The Vintner's Lipogram (OleM), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 18:01 (nineteen years ago)

I have to say that mine's not an original - it's an award-winning crossword clue I found on the information superhighway. But it is good :)

― Markelby (Mark C), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 18:11 (nineteen years ago)

It's also out of date, due to the introduction of the Euro, but hey, it's still good :)

― ailsa (ailsa), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 18:12 (nineteen years ago)

I like easy ones. Like this:

Ape can hide this nut (5)

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 23:49 (nineteen years ago)

pecan! go to bed man.

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Tuesday, 20 December 2005 23:58 (nineteen years ago)

another easy one: sheep with wonky nose, the first punk band (3-7)

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 00:03 (nineteen years ago)

Ailsa's one above is unlaced. And the punk one - sex pistols? I have no idea why.

― ledge (ledge), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 08:31 (nineteen years ago)

The Ramones

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 09:55 (nineteen years ago)

Gah, I just got it!

― ledge (ledge), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 09:55 (nineteen years ago)

Surely that's "(3, 7)", not "(3-7)".

― Casuistry (Chris P), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 09:57 (nineteen years ago)

yeah :(

could someone explain 'unlaced'? I get the shoe bit obv.

new clue!

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 11:45 (nineteen years ago)

Anag of "and clue", "loosened" is the anag indicator.

― ledge (ledge), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 11:47 (nineteen years ago)

Far from perfect but the best I could manage:

Guess ABBA will break up now they've lost a member? (9)

― ledge (ledge), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 12:15 (nineteen years ago)

doh! cheers for the explanation.

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 12:17 (nineteen years ago)

i'm stumped.

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 16:58 (nineteen years ago)

Well it is kinda lacking a definition - it only works 'cause it's topical (or popical, hint hint).

― ledge (ledge), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 17:09 (nineteen years ago)

sugababes!

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 17:11 (nineteen years ago)

that's really nice actually.

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 17:12 (nineteen years ago)

writer of novels, essay and verse (6)

(not mine for once)

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 17:14 (nineteen years ago)

poetry

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 17:21 (nineteen years ago)

new blood!

new clue!

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 17:40 (nineteen years ago)

Meet the new blood, same as the old blood.

Here's a clue I just made up:

Jerry-built, backwards, note: in hell, almost. (8)

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Wednesday, 21 December 2005 23:05 (nineteen years ago)

Here's another one I made up:

Call them for replacing a doorknob and piercing a veil! (8)

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 22 December 2005 02:04 (nineteen years ago)

Please have a go at my crummily crafted clues when you wake up, cryptic AU/UK peeps.

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 22 December 2005 07:43 (nineteen years ago)

Of course, Chris can try too if he comes home late.

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 22 December 2005 07:45 (nineteen years ago)

I have stared at them with little to no comprehension.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Thursday, 22 December 2005 08:59 (nineteen years ago)

Sorry. You know the "turns" I put in the other clue a while back? That was there as a false reversal indicator, to throw you off the trail and to make the surface reading seem more like a dream, which I hope I can get to sleep and get to have one of.

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 22 December 2005 09:04 (nineteen years ago)

A false reversal indicator? That's hardly fair!

― ledge (ledge), Thursday, 22 December 2005 09:08 (nineteen years ago)

Homemade

― ledge (ledge), Thursday, 22 December 2005 10:25 (nineteen years ago)

Bloody hell ledge! I don't think I could have got that in a month.

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 22 December 2005 10:43 (nineteen years ago)

Argh, I even got as far as thinking h----ade, but nothing came to mind after. Doh.

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 22 December 2005 10:47 (nineteen years ago)

I thought it had to be h---made, then I just needed to get a four letter word for note beginning with m. Am stumped by the other one though.

― ledge (ledge), Thursday, 22 December 2005 10:50 (nineteen years ago)

I sort of want it to be 'handlers' but why?

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 22 December 2005 10:55 (nineteen years ago)

Oh well, here's an article to read while we try to figure it out:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,3604,1672293,00.html

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 22 December 2005 11:58 (nineteen years ago)

Girrus letters Ken!

― ledge (ledge), Thursday, 22 December 2005 12:19 (nineteen years ago)

H------n

A false reversal indicator?
This was perhaps an exaggeration. You want I should have said "shrink wife mountain"? What am I, Tarzan?

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 22 December 2005 12:53 (nineteen years ago)

Here's another one

My bird for a kingdom! (3)

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 22 December 2005 12:54 (nineteen years ago)

handymen?

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Thursday, 22 December 2005 13:07 (nineteen years ago)

DING DING DING!

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 22 December 2005 13:27 (nineteen years ago)

oh! BRILLIANT

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 22 December 2005 13:38 (nineteen years ago)

Shrink leads wife into mountain maybe?

― ledge (ledge), Thursday, 22 December 2005 14:06 (nineteen years ago)

This bird clue is hard!

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 22 December 2005 15:10 (nineteen years ago)

Wait, no it isn't. Auk!

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 22 December 2005 15:11 (nineteen years ago)

Is it my clue now or onimo's or ledge's or all three?

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 22 December 2005 15:11 (nineteen years ago)

Auk! D'oh.

Well, whoever comes up with one first I guess.

― ledge (ledge), Thursday, 22 December 2005 15:19 (nineteen years ago)

ok, my brain is dead so newspaper one:

pub arranged to have meals in every bar (6)

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 22 December 2005 16:43 (nineteen years ago)

upbeat

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 22 December 2005 18:30 (nineteen years ago)

While I was away, I came up with this

Mad scientist's fearless leader worked to recognize his large mug (12)

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 22 December 2005 18:32 (nineteen years ago)

frankenstein, but still working on why...

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 22 December 2005 18:34 (nineteen years ago)

oh, recognise is ken? right, gotcha.

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 22 December 2005 18:36 (nineteen years ago)

Cry of a cockney bird (3)

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 22 December 2005 18:43 (nineteen years ago)

(I kept thinking it was going to be H----eck, with possibly a -bn- in the middle, and was trying to see if there were any famous Jerry H--bnecks or something.)

― Casuistry (Chris P), Thursday, 22 December 2005 20:15 (nineteen years ago)

owl.

― isadora (isadora), Thursday, 22 December 2005 20:33 (nineteen years ago)

new blood!

new clue!

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 22 December 2005 23:14 (nineteen years ago)

While we're waiting for isadora, here's some more:

Push back pariah in disgust (5)

Savage morning in New York (6)

Ego-less holding back holding Aussie eatery (10)

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Friday, 23 December 2005 00:14 (nineteen years ago)

Virgin to provide experience to freshmen (3,5)

― The Vintner's Lipogram (OleM), Friday, 23 December 2005 00:20 (nineteen years ago)

Restaurant.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Friday, 23 December 2005 08:02 (nineteen years ago)

Repel.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Friday, 23 December 2005 08:09 (nineteen years ago)

What's still unsolved? Savage morning?

(VL's is new blood right?)

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Friday, 23 December 2005 11:06 (nineteen years ago)

Right.

― The Vintner's Lipogram (OleM), Friday, 23 December 2005 11:11 (nineteen years ago)

(I feel a bit daft calling everyone by screennames on a thread like this - should we do some introducing while we're waiting for Ndawny to mean savage? I'm Greg)

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Friday, 23 December 2005 11:16 (nineteen years ago)

Hi dere I'm Ole!

Mocking God's mother and ourselves (5)

(if it proves too hard, substitute FPBGGVFUNEGVFG for ZBPXVATTBQ (encoded in ROT13)

― The Vintner's Lipogram (OleM), Friday, 23 December 2005 14:11 (nineteen years ago)

Momus!

― ailsa (ailsa), Friday, 23 December 2005 14:23 (nineteen years ago)

Indeed! Did you get it without applying the hint? (It does involve some semi-obscure mythology...)

― The Vintner's Lipogram (OleM), Friday, 23 December 2005 14:51 (nineteen years ago)

The original pass-it-on rules seem to be ignored; fine by me.

Request the first of the fold (5)

― The Vintner's Lipogram (OleM), Friday, 23 December 2005 14:59 (nineteen years ago)

(BTW that was *not* directed towards ailsa for not immediately coming up with another clue)

― The Vintner's Lipogram (OleM), Friday, 23 December 2005 15:14 (nineteen years ago)

Sorry, I am rubbish at making up clues, have none to hand and had buggered off to the shops to collect my turkey. No offence taken :)

― ailsa (ailsa), Friday, 23 December 2005 16:21 (nineteen years ago)

pleat

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Friday, 23 December 2005 17:07 (nineteen years ago)

Pigged out in NYC (6)

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Friday, 23 December 2005 18:38 (nineteen years ago)

Hint: it has the same answer as the other one you haven't solved.

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Friday, 23 December 2005 19:11 (nineteen years ago)

Gotham.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Friday, 23 December 2005 19:35 (nineteen years ago)

I don't see how "blood" works in "new blood", which is what I otherwise thought that clue was.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Friday, 23 December 2005 19:36 (nineteen years ago)

The "to provide experience" is a clue for "to blood" - football managers often talk of blooding young players into a team, as in giving them a game to get them more experienced (is that the bit you didn't get?).

― ailsa (ailsa), Friday, 23 December 2005 19:40 (nineteen years ago)

This one is too easy:

Santa saw "Heck on drugs!" in part of Canada. (11)

(xpost, oh, I've never heard that term.)

― Casuistry (Chris P), Friday, 23 December 2005 19:49 (nineteen years ago)

The "to provide experience" is a clue for "to blood"

Correct in essence, though the equation "provide experience to" = "blood" was the precise intention. Transitive verb and all that.

Redd H's "pleat" is right, as if s/he or anyone else needed telling.

This one is not mine; I proposed the answer @ web somewhere and person came up with a stroke of at least near genius going something like

Starting in one country, Roman spouse replaces myself, changes, and ends up in a neighbouring country (10)

Argh now I feel I cannot do any justice bcz cannot remember properly...

― The Vintner's Lipogram (OleM), Saturday, 24 December 2005 01:13 (nineteen years ago)

(It's a bit unfair due to my misremembering; please do not let it hold up flow of thread bcz I = drunqX0r)

― The Vintner's Lipogram (OleM), Saturday, 24 December 2005 01:22 (nineteen years ago)

It sounds perhaps clever but I can't get a toe in.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Saturday, 24 December 2005 01:47 (nineteen years ago)

Azerbadjian?

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Saturday, 24 December 2005 02:25 (nineteen years ago)

Saskatchewan!

― reclusive hero (reclusive hero), Saturday, 24 December 2005 04:15 (nineteen years ago)

But of course. Your turn!

― Casuistry (Chris P), Saturday, 24 December 2005 07:33 (nineteen years ago)

(The near-impossible country one was yhkrzobhet (rot13) by the way.

Orytvhz -> "V" ercynprq ol "hkbe" ("jvsr" va Yngva) -> orythkbehz -> punatrq -> yhkrzobhet)

― The Vintner's Lipogram (OleM), Saturday, 24 December 2005 10:56 (nineteen years ago)

Yowza.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Saturday, 24 December 2005 11:14 (nineteen years ago)

Mixed-up muppet sauce (4)

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Saturday, 24 December 2005 15:07 (nineteen years ago)

I think, in a crossword, that would be gettable, in that you would have some letters and you'd get the answer and then slowly work out exactly where it came from with regard to the clue. But as a standalone, yikes, it's nasty!

(xpost - mole?)

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 24 December 2005 15:09 (nineteen years ago)

(Yup)

I almost wish I hadn't read/decoded the clue, as I think it is almost gettable in that the two countries ARE usually mentioned in the same breath.

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Saturday, 24 December 2005 15:11 (nineteen years ago)

by the clue I meant the hint

State nothing country (6)

French peak chills famous lover's family (8)

Superman's booty? (4-2-5)

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Saturday, 24 December 2005 15:53 (nineteen years ago)

Estimate sounds like somebody telling you a sob story (7)

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Saturday, 24 December 2005 16:10 (nineteen years ago)

Superman's booty? (4-2-5)

Buns of steel?

― gypsy mothra (gypsy mothra), Saturday, 24 December 2005 16:30 (nineteen years ago)

French peak chills famous lover's family

Montague

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 24 December 2005 16:31 (nineteen years ago)

Yes and yes!

It's smelly around labor leader's stooge (6)

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Saturday, 24 December 2005 16:35 (nineteen years ago)

In translation, German song sounds like it's about Louisiana musician (4-4)

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Saturday, 24 December 2005 16:49 (nineteen years ago)

And:

The sound of top German songs (6)

Hillbilly leader and first knight (4)

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Saturday, 24 December 2005 17:33 (nineteen years ago)

(4-4) means it's hyphenated, (4, 4) means separate words.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Saturday, 24 December 2005 18:45 (nineteen years ago)

Lieder.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Saturday, 24 December 2005 18:46 (nineteen years ago)

State nothing country (6)

State no country without me. (6)

― Casuistry (Chris P), Saturday, 24 December 2005 18:50 (nineteen years ago)

OK, then (4,4)

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Saturday, 24 December 2005 19:27 (nineteen years ago)

Narnia?

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Saturday, 24 December 2005 19:28 (nineteen years ago)

No.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Saturday, 24 December 2005 19:53 (nineteen years ago)

Dang! I was thinking N+Ar(me)nia

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Saturday, 24 December 2005 20:00 (nineteen years ago)

Hm. OK, I'll allow it, but it wasn't what I was thinking of.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Saturday, 24 December 2005 20:11 (nineteen years ago)

Oregon

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Sunday, 25 December 2005 09:02 (nineteen years ago)

No trains for Christmas? (4)

Trap drum (5)

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Sunday, 25 December 2005 15:40 (nineteen years ago)

That's the one.

Noel. Snare.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Sunday, 25 December 2005 18:20 (nineteen years ago)

Nobody here but us chickens, Chris.

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Sunday, 25 December 2005 20:56 (nineteen years ago)

Someone has to leave a light on.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Sunday, 25 December 2005 22:25 (nineteen years ago)

I wanted you "state nothing country" to be "Borneo" but I don't think it is.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Sunday, 25 December 2005 22:32 (nineteen years ago)

No, but there does seem to be a good clue to be made there.

Royal drink: bottom's up! (5)

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Sunday, 25 December 2005 23:09 (nineteen years ago)

You calling me a muppet, Redd?

(kidding)

― OleM aka The Vintner's Lipogram (OleM), Sunday, 25 December 2005 23:26 (nineteen years ago)

Regal! Good one.

― The Vintner's Lipogram (OleM), Sunday, 25 December 2005 23:27 (nineteen years ago)

French-German dance? (9)

― The Vintner's Lipogram (OleM), Sunday, 25 December 2005 23:34 (nineteen years ago)

Give gin up on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. (4-4)

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Monday, 26 December 2005 03:23 (nineteen years ago)

Song sounds like it's about Ukranian waterway? (3,2,1,5)

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Monday, 26 December 2005 13:18 (nineteen years ago)

Fleece artist hides out during five straight months, tops. (5)

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Monday, 26 December 2005 13:28 (nineteen years ago)

Almost a king among gods at home is manipulator of drones. (9)

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Monday, 26 December 2005 18:06 (nineteen years ago)

The fleece artist is Jason.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Monday, 26 December 2005 18:48 (nineteen years ago)

Yes.

OleM's is allemande.

Look both ways. (4)

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Monday, 26 December 2005 21:01 (nineteen years ago)

Look both ways = peep?

Can somehow fit a bottomless hole that may cover a madman's scalp(7,3)

― The Vintner's Lipogram (OleM), Tuesday, 27 December 2005 11:34 (nineteen years ago)

Yup.

A little backwards information (4)

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Wednesday, 28 December 2005 18:17 (nineteen years ago)

data

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Wednesday, 28 December 2005 18:23 (nineteen years ago)

Uncertain value of small stones (6,11)

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Wednesday, 28 December 2005 18:25 (nineteen years ago)

No idea about that one... give us some letters? While I'm here:

Spooner's arctic spirits indicate the target (4,5)

― ledge (ledge), Thursday, 29 December 2005 13:54 (nineteen years ago)

Goal posts!

Mini-hint on my "can somehow fit" one: (3-4,3) is also a frequently used spelling (and possibly even (3,4,3)?).

― The Vintner's Lipogram (OleM), Thursday, 29 December 2005 14:32 (nineteen years ago)

Drawing a blank...

This from today's Araucaria, didn't get it but thought "wow" when I found out the answer.

A "Y" is one also (4)

― ledge (ledge), Thursday, 29 December 2005 15:57 (nineteen years ago)

Letters for "can somehow fit...":

Letter no 3 of the answer is the first letter in the title of this thread.
Letter no 5 is the first letter in the title of this thread.
Letter no 10 (ie the last one) is the first letter in the title of this thread.

― The Vintner's Lipogram (OleM), Thursday, 29 December 2005 20:58 (nineteen years ago)

Uncertain value of small stones (6,11)

g----l p---------h

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Thursday, 29 December 2005 21:20 (nineteen years ago)

Haha I get it now! (The definition part is kinda missing, though.)

― The Vintner's Lipogram (OleM), Thursday, 29 December 2005 21:28 (nineteen years ago)

Can somehow fit a bottomless hole that may cover a madman's scalp(7,3)

OK, after much struggling, and thanks to the letters, this is "tinfoil hat".

― ailsa (ailsa), Friday, 30 December 2005 10:14 (nineteen years ago)

Well done! Sorry about your struggle.

― The Vintner's Lipogram (OleM), Friday, 30 December 2005 10:20 (nineteen years ago)

Tin? TIN?!? I was trying to make an anagram out of CANfiol! Damn you all to hell!

The Araucaria one: A "Y" is one also (4)
A-I-

― ledge (ledge), Friday, 30 December 2005 10:21 (nineteen years ago)

Oh my God, that's BRILLIANT!! (I'll not spoil it for anyone else, but, really, that is BRILLIANT!!!!)

― ailsa (ailsa), Friday, 30 December 2005 10:33 (nineteen years ago)

OK. This is one of these British ones, right? Involving names of UK rivers, right? So it's Aire, right?

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Friday, 30 December 2005 14:32 (nineteen years ago)

Nope (and Aire wouldn't fit anyway)

― ailsa (ailsa), Friday, 30 December 2005 14:33 (nineteen years ago)

OK, I see what it is.

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Friday, 30 December 2005 14:44 (nineteen years ago)

It's good, isn't it?

― ailsa (ailsa), Friday, 30 December 2005 15:01 (nineteen years ago)

For the new year, here's some letters for various unsolved ones:

State nothing country (6)
-a-----

It's smelly around labor leader's stooge (6)
f-----

In translation, German song sounds like it's about Louisiana musician (4,4)

-a-- -i--

Give gin up on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. (4-4)

-a-- t---

Hillbilly leader and first knight (4)
-e--

And a new one:

Unstable, new, sexy, around the bend! (8)

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Friday, 30 December 2005 18:56 (nineteen years ago)

One more:

Supple iron wire (6)

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Friday, 30 December 2005 19:10 (nineteen years ago)

I am happy to contribute to the long slow death of this thread.

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Friday, 30 December 2005 20:31 (nineteen years ago)

What is the "Y" one? I give up.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Friday, 30 December 2005 23:59 (nineteen years ago)

Ayin

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Saturday, 31 December 2005 00:42 (nineteen years ago)

the "y" one is axis. i don't think i'm in a fit state to look at all these new ones.

― ledge (ledge), Saturday, 31 December 2005 00:43 (nineteen years ago)

Oh. I even thought of that. But it's "an x", so... bleh!

― Casuistry (Chris P), Saturday, 31 December 2005 01:32 (nineteen years ago)

In in bed with the French sauce (8)

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 16:16 (nineteen years ago)

Woah there! Although I've pretty much given up on your earlier ones. Flunky? And even more uncertainly, feline?

― ledge (ledge), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 16:33 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah, those are right.

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 16:34 (nineteen years ago)

Can we slow down a bit? I find all the outstanding clues a bit demoralizing.

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 16:41 (nineteen years ago)

I think most of them are from me (as a way of dealing with holiday stress!). But I don't think anybody's going to get around to solving them, so I think you all should feel free to contribute clues while I lay off.

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 16:44 (nineteen years ago)

Shall we call year zero (or year 2006), and go back to solver-setting with your 'In in bed with the French sauce (8)' as the current one? Do people like this idea?

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 16:52 (nineteen years ago)

That sounds good, but if we give up on them please can the original posters give the answers? (I've been lurking here; it's good practice, thanks! I can do easier cryptics but rarely a full newspaper crossword, so I'm in awe of you guys on this thread.)

Oh yeah,
Give gin up on Mondays, Wednesdays and Fridays. (4-4)
must be "part time" (= "emit trap", upwards). But that's my lot, from the ones left. And you will get no fresh clue-blood out of this stone, I'm afraid.

― Rebecca (reb), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 17:04 (nineteen years ago)

Yup.

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Tuesday, 3 January 2006 21:55 (nineteen years ago)

I've thought of all the sauces I can and am getting nowhere. Letters please...

― ledge (ledge), Wednesday, 4 January 2006 10:43 (nineteen years ago)

This thread is beginning to give me the fear! But not as much as my Ximenes 'On The Art of the Crossword' book which I got for Christmas. Hard core.

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 4 January 2006 11:06 (nineteen years ago)

I didn't know that was in print - superb! Will have to get meself a copy.

― ledge (ledge), Wednesday, 4 January 2006 11:14 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah Chambers just reisssued it with a new intro by Colin Dexter :)

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 4 January 2006 11:24 (nineteen years ago)

That looks good. Of course it's not in print in the US yet, but perhaps a few copies will be smuggled over...

― Casuistry (Chris P), Wednesday, 4 January 2006 12:10 (nineteen years ago)

-h--o---

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Wednesday, 4 January 2006 14:51 (nineteen years ago)

Here's some more letters:

State nothing country (6)
-a---a

Hillbilly leader and first knight (4)
-ed-

Unstable, new, sexy, around the bend! (8)
N---o---

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Wednesday, 4 January 2006 15:20 (nineteen years ago)

Unstable, new, sexy, around the bend! (8)
Neurotic?

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Wednesday, 4 January 2006 15:29 (nineteen years ago)

First one is Canada.

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 4 January 2006 15:35 (nineteen years ago)

Yup and yup.

Here's some more letters:

In translation, German song sounds like it's about Louisiana musician (4,4)

-a-- -i-g

I think maybe it would have been better if I had made the answer

(3-4)

--- -i-g

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Wednesday, 4 January 2006 15:38 (nineteen years ago)

E(a)rl King, but I've never heard of either.

― ledge (ledge), Wednesday, 4 January 2006 15:46 (nineteen years ago)

Even Ximenes is easier than those!

Passing round the low-down (not compromising). (12)

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 4 January 2006 16:01 (nineteen years ago)

Intransigent

― ledge (ledge), Wednesday, 4 January 2006 16:12 (nineteen years ago)

Fine.

More letters:

Almost a king among gods at home is manipulator of drones. (9)

-o-e----e

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Wednesday, 4 January 2006 16:20 (nineteen years ago)

(Again probably harder then Ximenes if not Torquemada)

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Wednesday, 4 January 2006 16:22 (nineteen years ago)

Correct, ledge.

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 4 January 2006 16:25 (nineteen years ago)

(I'm hoping Gerry Nemo will come through for me again)

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Wednesday, 4 January 2006 16:34 (nineteen years ago)

I'm manipulating 'drones' here and the only thing I can come up with that fits with the letters you've given is 'modernise' but I'm not even sure I'm looking at the clue the right way round. So if I'm right you'll have to explain it to me :-P

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Wednesday, 4 January 2006 16:38 (nineteen years ago)

It's not honey- something, is it?

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 4 January 2006 16:40 (nineteen years ago)

No and no. This one is really kind of hard. Maybe I should have put a question mark at the end.

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Wednesday, 4 January 2006 17:05 (nineteen years ago)

YES I got Canada!

― Markelby (Mark C), Wednesday, 4 January 2006 17:18 (nineteen years ago)

In in bed with the French sauce (8)

chipotle! What do I win? ("hip" in "cot" with "le" on the end)

― ailsa (ailsa), Wednesday, 4 January 2006 18:38 (nineteen years ago)

You win my undying admiration and, perhaps more importantly, the chance to give us a new clue.

More letters:

Almost a king among gods at home is manipulator of drones. (9)

-o-e-o--e

Maybe I should have said "Northern gods"

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Wednesday, 4 January 2006 18:54 (nineteen years ago)

I don't have any clues handy, and I certainly don't have the skills necessary to make one up. Sorry!

― ailsa (ailsa), Wednesday, 4 January 2006 19:01 (nineteen years ago)

Maybe I should have said "manager of drones club"

Another hint:

Hillbilly leader and first knight (4)
-ed-

The missing letters are one apart alphabetically.

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Wednesday, 4 January 2006 19:44 (nineteen years ago)

Answer to one in title of this thread

Answer to other in title of this one

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Wednesday, 4 January 2006 20:29 (nineteen years ago)

Finally, The Erl-King is a very scary poem by Goethe about a child riding with his father while being pursued by a bogeyman called the Erl-King, visible only to the child. It was turned into a Lied by Schubert. Earl King was a guitar player known for his song "Trick Bag" and another song "Come On" aka "Let The Good Times Roll," which was covered by Jimi Hendrix. Yeah, I know it was a stretch.

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Wednesday, 4 January 2006 20:43 (nineteen years ago)

I can't believe I couldn't get Wodehouse :(

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 5 January 2006 09:02 (nineteen years ago)

Finally, The Erl-King is a very scary poem by Goethe

Well, Die Erlkönig [if I did that right] is, which can either be translated as Elf King or Alder King (although I was able to google up some Erl Kings, even though I'd never come across that half-translation before).

― Casuistry (Chris P), Thursday, 5 January 2006 09:32 (nineteen years ago)

Also, those grapes were assuredly sour.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Thursday, 5 January 2006 09:33 (nineteen years ago)

I'd come across it as Erl-King but I'd never heard of Earl King, so I was still scuppered.

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 5 January 2006 09:37 (nineteen years ago)

is there a current (possible) clue? 10.42 work despair :(

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 5 January 2006 10:48 (nineteen years ago)

Since no-one else is:

My real life leader is female (4)

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Thursday, 5 January 2006 10:52 (nineteen years ago)

There's still the French sauce one, or much easier:

Dead tired? (3,2,6)

xpost, sorry

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 5 January 2006 10:57 (nineteen years ago)

Ailsa got "chipotle" for the French sauce one.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Thursday, 5 January 2006 10:57 (nineteen years ago)

‘girl’? (your real life leader being g for gerry and irl = in real life?)

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 5 January 2006 10:58 (nineteen years ago)

Oh yes, sorry ailsa.

Girl!

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 5 January 2006 10:59 (nineteen years ago)

Yes :-)

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Thursday, 5 January 2006 11:04 (nineteen years ago)

I like making clues up but they're always easy ones.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Thursday, 5 January 2006 11:05 (nineteen years ago)

I like easy ones!

Still working on archel's...

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 5 January 2006 11:08 (nineteen years ago)

I'm out of turn now, but it's actually one of my own this time:

Twisted tighter South-East, and untwisted (12)

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 5 January 2006 11:30 (nineteen years ago)

Archel's isn't "out of breath", is it?

― Markelby (Mark C), Thursday, 5 January 2006 11:35 (nineteen years ago)

nice mark!

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 5 January 2006 11:36 (nineteen years ago)

Yep. (I think it was from the Times, that one.)

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 5 January 2006 11:37 (nineteen years ago)

disentangled? but why?

(I can't make the anagram work grr)

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 5 January 2006 11:54 (nineteen years ago)

Nope.

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 5 January 2006 11:56 (nineteen years ago)

Straightened...

― ledge (ledge), Thursday, 5 January 2006 12:03 (nineteen years ago)

Composed in a hurry:

Airborne vermin? This will never fly before a long time (6)

― ledge (ledge), Thursday, 5 January 2006 12:07 (nineteen years ago)

pigeon :)

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 5 January 2006 12:09 (nineteen years ago)

fiddle with crop grower before gym class (5)

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 5 January 2006 12:10 (nineteen years ago)

Grope. You perv.

― ledge (ledge), Thursday, 5 January 2006 12:11 (nineteen years ago)

Anyone feel free to jump in with another clue...

― ledge (ledge), Thursday, 5 January 2006 12:23 (nineteen years ago)

For every green there's a deviant (7)

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Thursday, 5 January 2006 12:54 (nineteen years ago)

Heh, pervert...

Morning measure in a small amount is encompassing (7)

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 5 January 2006 13:20 (nineteen years ago)

Minimal?

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Thursday, 5 January 2006 14:39 (nineteen years ago)

No. Some letters:

_ _ _ i _ n _

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 5 January 2006 15:16 (nineteen years ago)

ambient?

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 5 January 2006 15:21 (nineteen years ago)

Yes.

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 5 January 2006 15:24 (nineteen years ago)

OK.

Cleaned up messed up dude on the street (6)

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 5 January 2006 15:31 (nineteen years ago)

I don't really understand ambient as encompassing?

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 5 January 2006 15:34 (nineteen years ago)

Really, Greg? It's the, um, dictionary definition.

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 5 January 2006 15:36 (nineteen years ago)

am·bi·ent
adj.

Surrounding; encircling: ambient sound; ambient air.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Thursday, 5 January 2006 15:39 (nineteen years ago)

For Ken's: dusted? If so, I think "on the" is a bit misleading.

― ledge (ledge), Thursday, 5 January 2006 15:41 (nineteen years ago)

I know what you mean though Greg, it's hardly the most common usage any more - ideal for clue composers then really bwahaha :)

Yeah it's not 'on the' it's 'around', surely? But I'm no expert.

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 5 January 2006 15:45 (nineteen years ago)

It's a good surface reading though... I'd maybe have clued it

Cleaned up messed up dude found hanging around the street

although even then I've stuck in an arguably redundant "hanging" to make it read better.

― ledge (ledge), Thursday, 5 January 2006 15:58 (nineteen years ago)

From the Shorter OED

adj. 1 Surrounding, encircling, encompassing; enveloping.

From Merriam Webster's Tenth:
existing or present on all sides: ENCOMPASSING

But yeah, I know what you mean: encompassing seems to imply it's in the foreground, ambient the background.

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 5 January 2006 16:05 (nineteen years ago)

All right, Tom, give us a clue.

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 5 January 2006 16:06 (nineteen years ago)

Exhausted, Ailsa crosses teh finish line (4)

― The Vintner's Lipogram (OleM), Thursday, 5 January 2006 16:07 (nineteen years ago)

Shot?

(What are you saying about Ailsa, Ole?)

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 5 January 2006 16:11 (nineteen years ago)

Drinking with fellow ILXers (note: quietly, gin-addled) (7)

― ledge (ledge), Thursday, 5 January 2006 16:19 (nineteen years ago)

Er, should be "very quietly"...

― ledge (ledge), Thursday, 5 January 2006 16:20 (nineteen years ago)

fapping

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 5 January 2006 16:21 (nineteen years ago)

Not shot.

― The Vintner's Lipogram (OleM), Thursday, 5 January 2006 16:24 (nineteen years ago)

Beat? Is it "teh" or "the"?

I need to make my clues harder...

― ledge (ledge), Thursday, 5 January 2006 16:26 (nineteen years ago)

Not beat.

Is it "teh" or "the"?

;)

― The Vintner's Lipogram (OleM), Thursday, 5 January 2006 16:26 (nineteen years ago)

Needle singer around club (7)

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 5 January 2006 16:30 (nineteen years ago)

Last?

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Thursday, 5 January 2006 16:36 (nineteen years ago)

Not last. (It'll probably be obviously correct when you get it.)

― The Vintner's Lipogram (OleM), Thursday, 5 January 2006 17:07 (nineteen years ago)

dash

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 5 January 2006 19:37 (nineteen years ago)

Oh, I would have got that, had I seen it! Kudos for clever use of "teh" as well.

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 5 January 2006 20:22 (nineteen years ago)

He eats, shoots and leaves and is found in Pennsylvania! (5)

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Friday, 6 January 2006 01:02 (nineteen years ago)

ailsa: Kudos for clever use of "teh" as well.

Haha, more "WTF ENDS WITH A H?" desperate than clever actually.

Redd: Shot? (What are you saying about Ailsa, Ole?)

Still not sure whether you thought I was calling her a st. or a ho :)

― The Vintner's Lipogram (OleM), Friday, 6 January 2006 01:10 (nineteen years ago)

AMISH ? though I am not sure why. Sorry I cannot remember any great clues and making them up seems impossible. There is one something like: heart racing for a gamble (7)

― isadora (isadora), Friday, 6 January 2006 01:16 (nineteen years ago)

Fuck I am a complete looney obviously panda. how embarassing.

― isadora (isadora), Friday, 6 January 2006 01:20 (nineteen years ago)

Ponder Alien Fish

― AJ Gerritson, Saturday, 7 January 2006 16:50 (nineteen years ago)

Check out my dad's book of cryptics..self published.. http://www.norwayhillbooks.com

― AJ Gerritson, Saturday, 7 January 2006 16:53 (nineteen years ago)

Mullet

Beers in ears cause damage (6)

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Saturday, 7 January 2006 19:10 (nineteen years ago)

A certain poster is in the doghouse, I hear. (3 1)

― Casuistry (Chris P), Saturday, 7 January 2006 19:50 (nineteen years ago)

That'll be "Ken L" then.

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 7 January 2006 20:03 (nineteen years ago)

B-b-but Chris, where's the wordplay?

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Saturday, 7 January 2006 21:44 (nineteen years ago)

Chris and Huk,
I just bought a book of cryptics that originally appeared in the Canadian National Post. First clue of second puzzle contains the word Saskachewan.

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Tuesday, 10 January 2006 05:32 (nineteen years ago)

hint!

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 12 January 2006 13:56 (nineteen years ago)

-r----

And for an old one:
Song sounds like it's about Ukranian waterway? (3,2,1,5)
-r- -- - ----r

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 12 January 2006 14:46 (nineteen years ago)

cry me a river!

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 12 January 2006 14:53 (nineteen years ago)

Cry Me A River!

shit xpost greg you jammy thing

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 12 January 2006 14:53 (nineteen years ago)

Well I'm going to pretend I got that first...

Unusual marriage of witch and a twitch (10)

(Either really difficult/badly clued or really easy, I can't tell any more.)

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 12 January 2006 15:35 (nineteen years ago)

Morganatic!

And one more letter for the other one
-r---e

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 12 January 2006 15:41 (nineteen years ago)

Lax tool forged salamander (7)

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 12 January 2006 15:43 (nineteen years ago)

Is special Canadian knowledge needed for this one? xpost

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 12 January 2006 15:45 (nineteen years ago)

That would be axolotl.

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 12 January 2006 15:46 (nineteen years ago)

Where is everyone?

OK:
Driver has almost all of tablet, then occupational therapy (5)

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 12 January 2006 15:53 (nineteen years ago)

Pilot

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 12 January 2006 15:54 (nineteen years ago)

I think you are too good at this to remain on the thread, ken.

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 12 January 2006 16:01 (nineteen years ago)

OK. Sorry, Archel. Before I go, in answer to your last question I will say: no it is not from the Canadian puzzle book and was not intentionally Canadian, but thinking about the Mackenzie Brothers will not hurt you in solving it.

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 12 January 2006 16:05 (nineteen years ago)

No idea. Oh well. (Don't really go, by the way!)

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 12 January 2006 16:19 (nineteen years ago)

Can I do one while I think over the beer ear one? (bruise? crease?)

Apologies in advance, as this is as bad as my other efforts.

Going past Oor Wullie's seat sounds unacceptable (6,3,4)

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Thursday, 12 January 2006 16:26 (nineteen years ago)

Beyond the pale?

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 12 January 2006 16:46 (nineteen years ago)

Yes :-)

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Thursday, 12 January 2006 16:49 (nineteen years ago)

Hehe. No more from me today I don't think - I'm burned out!

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 12 January 2006 16:51 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah, it was BRUISE (="brews"). Looks like you got the thread to yourself, Gerry.

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 12 January 2006 17:25 (nineteen years ago)

(not sure if this quite works)

Victoria leads you all around the ravine (6)

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Thursday, 12 January 2006 17:34 (nineteen years ago)

Valley

Writer monkeys with simian tram (6,4)

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 12 January 2006 18:02 (nineteen years ago)

martin amis!

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Thursday, 12 January 2006 18:08 (nineteen years ago)

I got that as I stepped off the train but I knew someone would answer it before I got online again.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Thursday, 12 January 2006 20:07 (nineteen years ago)

I don't think it's my turn but it's dead so

Gel the wrong way for Indian pattern (4)

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 12 January 2006 22:11 (nineteen years ago)

Here's one more, then I'm out:
Quickly taking turn to get to German doctor (5)

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 12 January 2006 22:41 (nineteen years ago)

Oh yeah, nobody tried this one
Needle singer around club (7)
S------

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 12 January 2006 22:48 (nineteen years ago)

I'm thinking syringe, but I don't get the "y" thing?

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 12 January 2006 22:50 (nineteen years ago)

Y, like the YMCA. I've seen it in puzzles before.

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 12 January 2006 22:52 (nineteen years ago)

Quickly taking turn to get to German doctor (5) = FAUST?

I cant think of a clue sorry. But there are some unsolved ones still above.

― isadora (isadora), Thursday, 12 January 2006 22:52 (nineteen years ago)

Oh, I think "Y" as "YMCA" is an American thing, I've seen it used on ILX now you mention it, but it's never really registered with me.

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 12 January 2006 22:55 (nineteen years ago)

Gel the wrong way for Indian pattern (4)
---a

And try this one too:

Achy breaky hearth? (6)

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Saturday, 14 January 2006 23:43 (nineteen years ago)

-a-a

-a----

It breathes, inhaling oxygen and energy to relax (6)

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 19:26 (nineteen years ago)

lounge?
I did a crossowrd the other night and thought "I must remember that clue" now I can remember the damn answer but not the clue. Sorry. Back to the indian pattern. Which might be like agar backwards. Is Raga a word?

― isadora (isadora), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 20:48 (nineteen years ago)

raja

― crossy, Tuesday, 17 January 2006 20:57 (nineteen years ago)

unwind?

― crossy, Tuesday, 17 January 2006 20:57 (nineteen years ago)

LOUNGE = l(o)ung+e
and
RAGA = agar backwards
are correct

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Tuesday, 17 January 2006 21:03 (nineteen years ago)

I should work on this one a bit more:

80s film's unstable drip. (5, 2)

― Casuistry (Chris P), Wednesday, 18 January 2006 01:58 (nineteen years ago)

No idea about achy breaky hearth - and 80s film? Talk about a vague definition!

― ledge (ledge), Thursday, 19 January 2006 09:38 (nineteen years ago)

haha

Rocky IV!

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Thursday, 19 January 2006 10:18 (nineteen years ago)

IV! Jesus, I'd even recently been thinking about using IV for drip in a clue of my own :-(

― ledge (ledge), Thursday, 19 January 2006 10:24 (nineteen years ago)

Haha nice.

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 19 January 2006 10:26 (nineteen years ago)

Noo cloo!

― ledge (ledge), Thursday, 19 January 2006 10:54 (nineteen years ago)

Oh alright then, even if I haven't answered any recently... here's a cumbersome monstrosity of my own.

"Clown to the left of me, joker to the right, here I am, stuck in the the middle", says Spooner, "being neither one nor the other" (7,7,3,6)

― ledge (ledge), Thursday, 19 January 2006 11:09 (nineteen years ago)

-a---y

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 19 January 2006 12:14 (nineteen years ago)

-a-e-y

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 19 January 2006 14:14 (nineteen years ago)

Bakery?

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Thursday, 19 January 2006 14:20 (nineteen years ago)

Yup.

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 19 January 2006 14:22 (nineteen years ago)

Two in a day, I'm on a roll, and I only needed half of the letters :-)

I'll go make a clue up.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Thursday, 19 January 2006 14:24 (nineteen years ago)

Chaotic sex recoils without end, you think that's funny? (9)

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Thursday, 19 January 2006 14:34 (nineteen years ago)

Excelsior.

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 19 January 2006 14:35 (nineteen years ago)

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Thursday, 19 January 2006 14:37 (nineteen years ago)

I just wanted someone to say it to one of my posts.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Thursday, 19 January 2006 14:37 (nineteen years ago)

― RoxyMuzak½ (roxymuzak), Thursday, 19 January 2006 14:41 (nineteen years ago)

I am intrigued by ledge's but no joy yet...

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 19 January 2006 15:13 (nineteen years ago)

Falling between two stools?

― Sam (chirombo), Thursday, 19 January 2006 15:19 (nineteen years ago)

Or stalling between two fools?

― Sam (chirombo), Thursday, 19 January 2006 15:20 (nineteen years ago)

oh sorry, must be the first one.

― Sam (chirombo), Thursday, 19 January 2006 15:21 (nineteen years ago)

Yep indeed. Maybe should have lost the quotes from the 2nd bit of the clue.

― ledge (ledge), Thursday, 19 January 2006 15:22 (nineteen years ago)

I have nothing to contribute. Sorry. That last one was excellent, by the way.

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 19 January 2006 15:22 (nineteen years ago)

Just missed out on a Cuban (5,3,2,5)

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Thursday, 19 January 2006 15:38 (nineteen years ago)

Close but no cigar

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 19 January 2006 15:40 (nineteen years ago)

I need to make these harder don't I?

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Thursday, 19 January 2006 15:40 (nineteen years ago)

No. That one was nice.

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 19 January 2006 15:41 (nineteen years ago)

More loopy than variable bit rate (7)

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 19 January 2006 15:43 (nineteen years ago)

Battier.

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 19 January 2006 15:44 (nineteen years ago)

This may be my worst yet. I think they may be more fun to put together than to solve.

Sung? Lean lady remixed the song of the year (4,4,4)

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Thursday, 19 January 2006 15:57 (nineteen years ago)

Auld Lang Syne

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 19 January 2006 16:00 (nineteen years ago)

Auld lang syne.

Did we have another clue for that upthread, or was that in an actual crossword I did recently?

Dent setter's iron (7)

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 19 January 2006 16:00 (nineteen years ago)

This may be my worst yet. I think they may be more fun to put together than to solve.
This is certainly my approach to clue construction

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 19 January 2006 16:01 (nineteen years ago)

Want to say "impress," but don't know how the IM works.

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 19 January 2006 16:05 (nineteen years ago)

Yes. Setter's = setter is = I am = im

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 19 January 2006 16:08 (nineteen years ago)

IM = I'm = the setter (of the clue)

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 19 January 2006 16:09 (nineteen years ago)

Fix broken plates (6)

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 19 January 2006 18:20 (nineteen years ago)

Here's another:

Closet saint or leave in a vat (7)

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 19 January 2006 18:31 (nineteen years ago)

First one is staple

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 19 January 2006 18:41 (nineteen years ago)

Yup. Other is
--o----

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 19 January 2006 21:46 (nineteen years ago)

Storage?

― Markelby (Mark C), Friday, 20 January 2006 00:16 (nineteen years ago)

Yup.

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Friday, 20 January 2006 02:33 (nineteen years ago)

Elvis didn't want to go to this church beside the Spanish Main (7)

― ledge (ledge), Friday, 20 January 2006 09:35 (nineteen years ago)

Aaargh - you know when you get an answer in yourhead which you don't think is right but every time you look at the clue it's there in your head?

Seville, for no other reason than it has Elvis in it and is Spanish.

― Markelby (Mark C), Friday, 20 January 2006 10:58 (nineteen years ago)

I'm a frayed knot.

― ledge (ledge), Friday, 20 January 2006 11:03 (nineteen years ago)

how many letters?

― Markelby (Mark C), Friday, 20 January 2006 11:16 (nineteen years ago)

I kill myself,, I really do.

― Markelby (Mark C), Friday, 20 January 2006 11:16 (nineteen years ago)

Anyway, I got storage, so here's one I just amde up!

Something mystifying's going down at church, I see. (7)

― Markelby (Mark C), Friday, 20 January 2006 11:19 (nineteen years ago)

You've heard the overworked postman gag I trust...

― ledge (ledge), Friday, 20 January 2006 11:29 (nineteen years ago)

Yes, yes I have :)

― Markelby (Mark C), Friday, 20 January 2006 11:38 (nineteen years ago)

Cryptic...

― ledge (ledge), Friday, 20 January 2006 12:14 (nineteen years ago)

That wasn't too hard I guess.

― Markelby (Mark C), Friday, 20 January 2006 12:29 (nineteen years ago)

I see = IC though? Bit cheeky!

The Elvis one: c------

― ledge (ledge), Friday, 20 January 2006 12:31 (nineteen years ago)

costello?

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Friday, 20 January 2006 12:36 (nineteen years ago)

no too many letters

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Friday, 20 January 2006 12:37 (nineteen years ago)

Cheeky? I thought it was quite clever, a nod to the "I hear" convention but actually forming part of the word!

TELL ME IT WAS A GOOD CLUE DAMMIT I NEED REASSURANCE

― Markelby (Mark C), Friday, 20 January 2006 12:38 (nineteen years ago)

IT WAS A GOOD CLUE DAMMIT

(but then I'm no judge, look at the crap I've posted)

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Friday, 20 January 2006 12:42 (nineteen years ago)

It was good, kid; keep it up, you'll go far [Tousles Markelby's hair in patronising fashion]

― ledge (ledge), Friday, 20 January 2006 12:43 (nineteen years ago)

Mark's head in a mixed short blade (4)

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Friday, 20 January 2006 12:44 (nineteen years ago)

(sorry, couldn't resist)

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Friday, 20 January 2006 12:45 (nineteen years ago)

Chelsea!

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Friday, 20 January 2006 12:46 (nineteen years ago)

Nice one.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Friday, 20 January 2006 12:48 (nineteen years ago)

BALD

― Markelby (Mark C), Friday, 20 January 2006 12:50 (nineteen years ago)

:-)

Just to even it up:

Gerry's belly makes Welshman go back (3)

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Friday, 20 January 2006 13:12 (nineteen years ago)

Here's another one for Mark:

Shook up Elvis gets the French a Cadillac (7)

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Friday, 20 January 2006 14:18 (nineteen years ago)

FAT xpost

― ledge (ledge), Friday, 20 January 2006 14:32 (nineteen years ago)

(Please explain the Welshman part)

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Friday, 20 January 2006 14:36 (nineteen years ago)

Taf/Taff/Taffy - stereotypical Welsh name, cf. Jock, Paddy, etc.

― ledge (ledge), Friday, 20 January 2006 14:38 (nineteen years ago)

Seville.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Friday, 20 January 2006 23:21 (nineteen years ago)

Aerial mix-up victim's harem at aerial mix-up. (6, 7)

― Casuistry (Chris P), Saturday, 21 January 2006 04:32 (nineteen years ago)

It's not that hard!

― Casuistry (Chris P), Sunday, 22 January 2006 00:17 (nineteen years ago)

Amelia Earhart!

― ledge (ledge), Monday, 23 January 2006 09:44 (nineteen years ago)

Old King tried to hold back the tide - he was a confused cunt (4)

Sorry - came up with the idea of filthy x-word clues at the w/end. I was pissed though. And Private Eye pretty much do it already.

― ledge (ledge), Monday, 23 January 2006 11:16 (nineteen years ago)

I don't think PE have ever used cunt or fuck though, sadly.

Cnut.

Do I have to make up a dirty one now? I will have a think...

― Archel (Archel), Monday, 23 January 2006 11:19 (nineteen years ago)

Fuck art: international relations reformed merry man (5,4)

― Archel (Archel), Monday, 23 January 2006 11:30 (nineteen years ago)

Friar Tuck. Continuing with the theme:

Cockney chum takes other key, the cad (12)

― ledge (ledge), Monday, 23 January 2006 12:19 (nineteen years ago)

motherfucker! nice!

― Sam (chirombo), Monday, 23 January 2006 13:00 (nineteen years ago)

This may be a bit tenuous:

Synagogue confused with learner wearing bit -- nonsense! (8)

― Sam (chirombo), Monday, 23 January 2006 13:06 (nineteen years ago)

bullshit.

― MrArchel (Archel), Monday, 23 January 2006 16:02 (nineteen years ago)

Easy tiger.

What's the synagogue bit about?

― ledge (ledge), Monday, 23 January 2006 16:22 (nineteen years ago)

shul is yiddish for synagogue (from the same root as school). anagrammed along with 'bit' and 'l' for learner.

― MrArchel (Archel), Monday, 23 January 2006 16:25 (nineteen years ago)

Blimey. I'm going to get shown up by my own husband aren't I (if that's really you).

Your turn then!

― Archel (Archel), Monday, 23 January 2006 16:43 (nineteen years ago)

problem at start getting milk jug, cups and pot to balance on tray, i hear. (8,7)

― MrArchel (Archel), Monday, 23 January 2006 16:45 (nineteen years ago)

i'm stumped :(

― Archel (Archel), Monday, 23 January 2006 17:08 (nineteen years ago)

It must be teething something... but teething trouble doesn't seem to work.

― ledge (ledge), Monday, 23 January 2006 17:19 (nineteen years ago)

no it is teething trouble
at least it was supposed to be!

― MrArchel (Archel), Monday, 23 January 2006 17:21 (nineteen years ago)

as in sounds like (i hear) 'tea thing' trouble.

― MrArchel (Archel), Monday, 23 January 2006 17:22 (nineteen years ago)

I thought it had something to do with wobbly service.

Amelia Earhart!
And I was trying to Saint-Exupery work!

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Monday, 23 January 2006 17:23 (nineteen years ago)

Is the tray just one of the tea things then?

― ledge (ledge), Monday, 23 January 2006 17:23 (nineteen years ago)

yes

― MrArchel (Archel), Monday, 23 January 2006 17:24 (nineteen years ago)

Righty-ho. Good clue, I like!

― ledge (ledge), Monday, 23 January 2006 17:25 (nineteen years ago)

ta. your go

― MrArchel (what?), Monday, 23 January 2006 17:27 (nineteen years ago)

Writer Roland Barthes inspired sound adjustment of scrotum. (6)

― Casuistry (Chris P), Monday, 23 January 2006 19:16 (nineteen years ago)

(Just wanted to get a dirty one in before that fad was forgotten.)

― Casuistry (Chris P), Monday, 23 January 2006 19:17 (nineteen years ago)

Even when I wake up early, it's after the British kids are tuckered out.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Monday, 23 January 2006 20:18 (nineteen years ago)

The Cherwell crossword used to be like 80% dirty clues at one point - "X taken from behind", "X gives head to", "X slips into"...

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Monday, 23 January 2006 21:26 (nineteen years ago)

Like garlic (or verse), it's taken internally (5)

― lurker #2421, Monday, 23 January 2006 21:58 (nineteen years ago)

(Oh, and the one before is "Balzac", isn't it?)

― lurker #2421, Tuesday, 24 January 2006 03:33 (nineteen years ago)

Mais oui.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Tuesday, 24 January 2006 06:11 (nineteen years ago)

hmmm... well, i don't know. any chance of a little clue? maybe a letter?
i thought it might be 'stake' as it's like garlic in that it kills vampires and it's in the clue (it'*s take*n), but i don't think that's right as i can't work out the 'verse' bit. any other ideas anyone?

― art vandelay (what?), Wednesday, 25 January 2006 19:06 (nineteen years ago)

maybe its like a vampire-ish accent "I vant to suck your blood" "its even verse than I feared"?

I am now going to shamelessly gatecrash with my first even clue I thought up. A nail tangled up in the jungle (5)

― isadora (isadora), Wednesday, 25 January 2006 20:21 (nineteen years ago)

maybe its like a vampire-ish accent "I vant to suck your blood" "its even verse than I feared"?

Right, you've got it: a stake is "verse" than garlic, because it kills 'em, natch.

Isadora's is "liana".

― lurker #2421, Thursday, 26 January 2006 00:48 (nineteen years ago)

How about:

I am not a headless pterodactyl. (4)

― lurker #2421, Thursday, 26 January 2006 00:50 (nineteen years ago)

Ever since I came down with this cold I haven't gotten a single one!

― Casuistry (Chris P), Thursday, 26 January 2006 02:06 (nineteen years ago)

Ever since I thought up some clues to try out I havent gotten a single one. What's a letter in the headless pterodactyl?

― isadora (isadora), Thursday, 26 January 2006 02:36 (nineteen years ago)

Hmmm, that'd give it away, I think...

Let's say it starts with a vowel. And that the word has no letters from the second half of the alphabet.

― lurker #2421, Thursday, 26 January 2006 02:52 (nineteen years ago)

Tell me it's not iamb.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Thursday, 26 January 2006 07:47 (nineteen years ago)

That's like, triple riddle, no clue!

― Casuistry (Chris P), Thursday, 26 January 2006 07:49 (nineteen years ago)

I like it.

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 26 January 2006 11:28 (nineteen years ago)

Ajax isn't cross with infernal writer. Here be penguins! (3,5)

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Thursday, 26 January 2006 11:31 (nineteen years ago)

Aja/Dante.

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 26 January 2006 11:33 (nineteen years ago)

Not that that means much to me...

Two blokes and a dead python (7)

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 26 January 2006 11:35 (nineteen years ago)

... (8)

― ledge (ledge), Thursday, 26 January 2006 12:48 (nineteen years ago)

Ellipsis?

Incidentally, I couldn't get ONE SINGLE CLUE in the Graun today :(

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 26 January 2006 13:03 (nineteen years ago)

That'd be straight! Nah, it's clueless - with ref. to yours...

Was it Araucaria?

― ledge (ledge), Thursday, 26 January 2006 13:58 (nineteen years ago)

chapman!

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 26 January 2006 14:13 (nineteen years ago)

Haha, that's great.

― ledge (ledge), Thursday, 26 January 2006 14:19 (nineteen years ago)

Thanks :)

Um, the Gaurdian one was Auster today I think.

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 26 January 2006 14:20 (nineteen years ago)

From abroad I'm the opposite of too much (8)

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 26 January 2006 14:28 (nineteen years ago)

Imported! ("I'm" + "de trop") Wow, that's a nasty one.

How about:

Missing digits? Some folks can't tolerate it. (7)

― lurker #2421, Thursday, 26 January 2006 16:21 (nineteen years ago)

lactose

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 26 January 2006 16:25 (nineteen years ago)

haha.

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 26 January 2006 16:28 (nineteen years ago)

nice!

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 26 January 2006 16:31 (nineteen years ago)

I really like this one from the times:

"What a young man wears in clubs, perhaps" (5,4)

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 26 January 2006 16:31 (nineteen years ago)

I don't understand ledge's :(

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 26 January 2006 16:32 (nineteen years ago)

Black suit? Something suit.

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 26 January 2006 16:34 (nineteen years ago)

Which one of ledge's?

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 26 January 2006 16:34 (nineteen years ago)

The "..." one!

(nearly there chel)

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 26 January 2006 16:36 (nineteen years ago)

Short suit?

... (8)
That one? I thought it might be Anaconda, but I can't put it all together.

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 26 January 2006 16:37 (nineteen years ago)

Sin safari group? (5)

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 26 January 2006 16:38 (nineteen years ago)

I thought he said it was 'clueless'?

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 26 January 2006 16:38 (nineteen years ago)

Oh yeah? When he said in reference to yours, I thought he meant a different answer for your clue, with one more letter. Never mind.

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 26 January 2006 16:40 (nineteen years ago)

Pride, that one is.

(I've got another one, but should I post it with two open clues?)

― lurker #2421, Thursday, 26 January 2006 16:40 (nineteen years ago)

Which clues are open right now?

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 26 January 2006 16:41 (nineteen years ago)

(though I think it is "black suit", so I guess just one)

xpost: isn't "..." open? Because if not:

Look at the meter, glance it over, then avoid it, I'd say. (8)

― lurker #2421, Thursday, 26 January 2006 16:42 (nineteen years ago)

scansion!

U a poet,#2421?

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 26 January 2006 16:47 (nineteen years ago)

Oh dear, I hope not!

Here's one more, then I should adjourn for a while:

"Flipped over!", the boy cries, but it's a false alarm: some would say it's a nice delivery! (4)

― lurker #2421, Thursday, 26 January 2006 16:51 (nineteen years ago)

Blood type I gave halfway to the end (5)

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 26 January 2006 16:52 (nineteen years ago)

Flow

― ledge (ledge), Thursday, 26 January 2006 16:53 (nineteen years ago)

Excellent.

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 26 January 2006 16:54 (nineteen years ago)

Oh dear, I hope not!
Good, there's already too many on this thread ;)

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 26 January 2006 16:55 (nineteen years ago)

Someone should research the phenomenon.

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 26 January 2006 17:03 (nineteen years ago)

Er that's not a clue by the way, just a remark.

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 26 January 2006 17:03 (nineteen years ago)

A poet, a rainbow- almost hell! (6)

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 26 January 2006 17:05 (nineteen years ago)

me :)

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 26 January 2006 17:14 (nineteen years ago)

(short suit and black suit are both nearly but not quite right)

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 26 January 2006 19:12 (nineteen years ago)

minor suit?

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 26 January 2006 19:14 (nineteen years ago)

That's gotta be it. Thanks, ailsa.

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 26 January 2006 19:26 (nineteen years ago)

Nicked from yesterday's Guardian:

What's offered with litre in hacienda, possibly? (9)

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 26 January 2006 19:34 (nineteen years ago)

OK I know what that is, but I cheated a little bit

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 26 January 2006 19:59 (nineteen years ago)

Yup ailsa!

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 26 January 2006 20:05 (nineteen years ago)

I have been trying to make anagrams out of Hacienda+l for the last hour with no success.

― ledge (ledge), Friday, 27 January 2006 12:02 (nineteen years ago)

Haha I used the anagram server in desperation when doing that crossword. And as is always the way when you cheat, the anagram immediately looked like the most obvious one ever...

― Archel (Archel), Friday, 27 January 2006 13:12 (nineteen years ago)

Ok I cheated too... I dunno, I don't feel so bad for not getting it, it's not a word which is at the forefront of my vocabulary (oh if only there were more good Mexican restaurants in London).

― ledge (ledge), Friday, 27 January 2006 13:53 (nineteen years ago)

Haha Archel, that is exactly right.

Blood type I gave halfway to the end (5)
--e--

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Friday, 27 January 2006 14:35 (nineteen years ago)

omega

― Archel (Archel), Friday, 27 January 2006 14:37 (nineteen years ago)

Mongrels upset over small examination (8)

― Archel (Archel), Friday, 27 January 2006 14:57 (nineteen years ago)

cursoral

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Friday, 27 January 2006 15:00 (nineteen years ago)

No, there's no such word

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Friday, 27 January 2006 15:01 (nineteen years ago)

-c------

― Archel (Archel), Friday, 27 January 2006 15:25 (nineteen years ago)

scrutiny

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Friday, 27 January 2006 15:38 (nineteen years ago)

Beer acidity causes kind of infinity (5)

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Friday, 27 January 2006 15:39 (nineteen years ago)

Aleph

― ledge (ledge), Friday, 27 January 2006 15:48 (nineteen years ago)

Musical I am in, a heavyweight work (9)

― ledge (ledge), Friday, 27 January 2006 16:46 (nineteen years ago)

Ledge, I'm ... (8). In the meantime,

Loser among posers doesn't show up (6)

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Friday, 27 January 2006 21:28 (nineteen years ago)

Is ledge's "animation"?

― Casuistry (Chris P), Saturday, 28 January 2006 00:53 (nineteen years ago)

Probably

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Saturday, 28 January 2006 01:21 (nineteen years ago)

Is yours "flakes", for pete's sake?

― Casuistry (Chris P), Saturday, 28 January 2006 08:57 (nineteen years ago)

Not animation, but you're close. Ish. Begins with O.

― ledge (ledge), Saturday, 28 January 2006 10:18 (nineteen years ago)

Operation.

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 28 January 2006 10:22 (nineteen years ago)

nice

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Saturday, 28 January 2006 13:02 (nineteen years ago)

Sorry, Chris.

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Saturday, 28 January 2006 16:11 (nineteen years ago)

Sorry, but you are correct.

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Saturday, 28 January 2006 16:12 (nineteen years ago)

Oh, OK, that answer is much better, ledge.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Saturday, 28 January 2006 17:09 (nineteen years ago)

Holds liscence for upside-down sumo? (4)

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Tuesday, 31 January 2006 10:17 (nineteen years ago)

er, licence.

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Tuesday, 31 January 2006 10:25 (nineteen years ago)

owns

― Ross G. (scatter), Tuesday, 31 January 2006 10:40 (nineteen years ago)

Upside down! That's a nice, er, twist.

― ledge (ledge), Tuesday, 31 January 2006 10:56 (nineteen years ago)

I should have used "dominates" for the standard clue actually! I forgot I was on ilx.

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Tuesday, 31 January 2006 11:05 (nineteen years ago)

New clue!

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Tuesday, 31 January 2006 11:06 (nineteen years ago)

I should have used "dominates" for the standard clue actually! I forgot I was on ilx.

You'd have had to change sumo to sumd.

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Tuesday, 31 January 2006 11:11 (nineteen years ago)

horny setter gets mixed up in porno - it makes no logical sense! (8,8)

― MrArchel (Archel), Tuesday, 31 January 2006 22:14 (nineteen years ago)

and if anyone gets that one without recourse to at least a dictionary I will crown you the official winner of this thread in perpetuity...

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 1 February 2006 16:35 (nineteen years ago)

Ooh now there's a challenge.

― ledge (ledge), Wednesday, 1 February 2006 16:43 (nineteen years ago)

I needed help.

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Wednesday, 1 February 2006 17:09 (nineteen years ago)

Help is what I needed.

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Wednesday, 1 February 2006 17:14 (nineteen years ago)

Yep, I think it's a challenge I'm not up to.

― ledge (ledge), Wednesday, 1 February 2006 17:17 (nineteen years ago)

I'll urge M to provide some letters.

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 1 February 2006 17:23 (nineteen years ago)

-y------- p-------

― MrArchel, Wednesday, 1 February 2006 18:20 (nineteen years ago)

sorry that didn't work quite as i expected. try this -

.y...... p.......

this is one for all you latin lovers out there...

― mrArchel, Wednesday, 1 February 2006 18:23 (nineteen years ago)

Hydrogen peroxide?

No wait, I already cheated and it wasn't that.

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Wednesday, 1 February 2006 19:10 (nineteen years ago)

Oh I know this! It's Hyperton Something, hang on.

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 2 February 2006 10:30 (nineteen years ago)

I can't remember :( I USED TO KNOW THIS

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 2 February 2006 10:32 (nineteen years ago)

How did you cheat, Ken?

― ledge (ledge), Thursday, 2 February 2006 11:09 (nineteen years ago)

Anagrammer.

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 2 February 2006 14:38 (nineteen years ago)

Quite a handy site, I normally use Chambers word wizards.

Anyway I've tried anagarms of hornysetterporno and hornyarchelporno with no luck. I GIVE UP.

― ledge (ledge), Thursday, 2 February 2006 14:52 (nineteen years ago)

Is that a web site? I used the anagrammer that came with my SOED.

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 2 February 2006 14:54 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah, I just googled it and it came up! It's scrabble oriented, gives you a list of words you can make out of the letters, in length or score order.

― ledge (ledge), Thursday, 2 February 2006 15:13 (nineteen years ago)

hy------ p--t----

― art vandelay (what?), Thursday, 2 February 2006 19:10 (nineteen years ago)

it's a rhetorical question, or at least a question of rhetoric

― art vandelay (what?), Thursday, 2 February 2006 19:12 (nineteen years ago)

hysteron-proteron?

― frankiemachine, Thursday, 2 February 2006 19:35 (nineteen years ago)

A drum roll, please. I think we have a winner, one who probably knew the term without recourse to dictionaries or other reference materials.

Can we have a new clue, too?

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 2 February 2006 19:37 (nineteen years ago)

OK an easier one, I think:

O (8,6)

― frankiemachine, Thursday, 2 February 2006 19:42 (nineteen years ago)

not orginal btw - I would need a bit of time to think one up - I haven't read the whole thread and didn't realise I was meant to post a clue.

― frankiemachine, Thursday, 2 February 2006 20:04 (nineteen years ago)

Now that could be just about anything. I think this is a case where letter clues would make it harder to come up with an answer.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Thursday, 2 February 2006 21:13 (nineteen years ago)

Circular letter?

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 2 February 2006 21:18 (nineteen years ago)

I wanted it to be

O (9,5)

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Thursday, 2 February 2006 21:19 (nineteen years ago)

Yes, circular letter is right. Well done. Could be anything before you get it but once you twig I think there's a certain inevitability to it.

― frankiemachine, Thursday, 2 February 2006 21:23 (nineteen years ago)

One of my favourite posters on one of my favourite threads!

is the 9-5 the current clue then?

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Friday, 3 February 2006 10:25 (nineteen years ago)

Circular letter was what I had in mind as well, but I felt like there had to be even cleverer answers. Although 9, 5 is not coming to mind right now, so that might be cleverer.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Friday, 3 February 2006 11:01 (nineteen years ago)

hornyarchelporno

― Markelby (Mark C), Friday, 3 February 2006 11:27 (nineteen years ago)

9,5 is not coming to mind because it's not that clever. I don't even think it's a full-(f)ledged clue. Here are some letters.

-n------- -o---

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Friday, 3 February 2006 12:52 (nineteen years ago)

(Something) round?

― ledge (ledge), Friday, 3 February 2006 13:59 (nineteen years ago)

-n-----a- -o---

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Friday, 3 February 2006 14:25 (nineteen years ago)

-n--e--a- -o---

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Friday, 3 February 2006 16:35 (nineteen years ago)

Universal donut

― ledge (ledge), Friday, 3 February 2006 16:40 (nineteen years ago)

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Friday, 3 February 2006 16:47 (nineteen years ago)

Well it's either that or unisexual torus.

Nah I'm just yankin' yer chain. Really I have no idea.

― ledge (ledge), Friday, 3 February 2006 16:49 (nineteen years ago)

-n--e--a- -o--o-

But I like the Ledge's answers better. Remember, it's not a real clue and was not even presented as such.

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Friday, 3 February 2006 17:00 (nineteen years ago)

it seems to have grown an extra letter?

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Friday, 3 February 2006 17:16 (nineteen years ago)

-o-o-

Can somebody come up with a new clue please?

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Friday, 3 February 2006 17:22 (nineteen years ago)

And no, it's not unisexual robot, either.

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Friday, 3 February 2006 17:23 (nineteen years ago)

Choose one mother to be the best (7)

― ledge (ledge), Friday, 3 February 2006 18:13 (nineteen years ago)

optimum

― frankiemachine, Friday, 3 February 2006 19:06 (nineteen years ago)

Universal donor.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Friday, 3 February 2006 20:48 (nineteen years ago)

If it's my turn to post a clue:

Queen of Hearts? Hear a nation's bitter denunciations! (9)

― frankiemachine, Saturday, 4 February 2006 10:55 (nineteen years ago)

Is it diatribes?

― Archel (Archel), Monday, 6 February 2006 11:47 (nineteen years ago)

Yes, diatribes is right Archel.

― frankiemachine, Monday, 6 February 2006 12:24 (nineteen years ago)

Production deriving from controlled allocation of DNA? (10)

― Archel (Archel), Monday, 6 February 2006 13:10 (nineteen years ago)

Too hard! Need letters. Lots of 'em.

― ledge (ledge), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 14:01 (nineteen years ago)

-e---a----

― Archel (Archel), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 14:07 (nineteen years ago)

Generation!

I'm not sure whether this one is really nasty, or really easy:

"All of us complained crassly", said Spooner, "about Elizabeth's character, and Dick's too" (9)

― lurker #2421, Tuesday, 7 February 2006 15:25 (nineteen years ago)

(P.S. How was the "dia" in "diatribes" derived? Was it like a New England/New York "deah", or is it something Latin or Spanish?)

― lurker #2421, Tuesday, 7 February 2006 15:33 (nineteen years ago)

It was 'di' as in Princess Diana also known as the 'queen of hearts' (possibly a bit UK-centric?) The 'a' came from 'a nation's'.

I like your clue but cannot get it, yet.

― Archel (Archel), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 15:36 (nineteen years ago)

(Princess) Di = Queen of Hearts

A tribe's = a nation's

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 15:37 (nineteen years ago)

I did wonder if it was a bit UK-centric but hard for me to tell - I thought there would have been a bit of fuss about the Bashir interview in the US too - I assumed he got the Jacko one on the back of it? But I was guessing - apologies if too obscure a reference for non-Brits.

― frankiemachine, Tuesday, 7 February 2006 15:58 (nineteen years ago)

Bewitched?

― MrArchel (Archel), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 16:54 (nineteen years ago)

Ha, I had thought of the Di thing, but forgot it! But then, what function does "Hear" serve?

(Don't worry, though, it wasn't too UK-centric -- I'd be a hypocrite if I were to complain about that.)

xpost: Ha, you got it! Not too US-centric, then!

― lurker #2421, Tuesday, 7 February 2006 16:55 (nineteen years ago)

"Hear" was me being pedantic. It means "sounds like". I would have left it out if I could have written nation's without the possessive apostrophe but that would have looked wrong. As written, nation's doesn't correspond to tribes. Said aloud it does.

― frankiemachine, Tuesday, 7 February 2006 18:12 (nineteen years ago)

I woudn't sweat it, Frankie. What's the current clue?

― Redd Harvest (Ken L), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 18:38 (nineteen years ago)

Ah, I follow now -- thanks for explaining.

― lurker #2421, Tuesday, 7 February 2006 19:23 (nineteen years ago)

If Mr. Archel doesn't have one handy:

Scantily-clad woman reportedly gave birth to baby horse in wake of recent accident (10)

― lurker #2421, Tuesday, 7 February 2006 19:33 (nineteen years ago)

Centrefold?

― frankiemachine, Tuesday, 7 February 2006 20:31 (nineteen years ago)

You've got it!

― lurker #2421, Tuesday, 7 February 2006 20:33 (nineteen years ago)

Uh. I see "colt" in that but...? "fender"?

― Casuistry (Chris P), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 21:03 (nineteen years ago)

reportedly gave birth = fold

Still Archel's turn to post a clue, I think

― frankiemachine, Tuesday, 7 February 2006 21:08 (nineteen years ago)

(as in foaled)

― ailsa (ailsa), Tuesday, 7 February 2006 21:10 (nineteen years ago)

Ohhh. Ah.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 10:18 (nineteen years ago)

It's *Mr* Archel's turn, not mine, I think.

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 10:25 (nineteen years ago)

Now I'm confused.

To be going along with:

Batting record before tea, we're told, is useless (5)

― frankiemachine, Wednesday, 8 February 2006 10:52 (nineteen years ago)

Inept!

― ledge (ledge), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 11:19 (nineteen years ago)

I think cricket themed clues are my favourite kind.

― ledge (ledge), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 11:19 (nineteen years ago)

I'm the opposite :(

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 11:24 (nineteen years ago)

Yes, inept is of course korrect.

― frankiemachine, Wednesday, 8 February 2006 12:39 (nineteen years ago)

This one cheats a little bit:

Root beer, frozen (9)

― ledge (ledge), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 15:37 (nineteen years ago)

And just 'cause it works the same way:

Female's punishing triathlon (7)

― ledge (ledge), Wednesday, 8 February 2006 15:45 (nineteen years ago)

liquorice?

― mrArchel, Wednesday, 8 February 2006 18:41 (nineteen years ago)

never odd or even (10)

― ArtVandelay (Archel), Thursday, 9 February 2006 08:37 (nineteen years ago)

well, maybe it should be

never odd or even? (10)

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 9 February 2006 08:39 (nineteen years ago)

oops sorry archel's still logged in on this computer. that clue was me though, not her. Confusing or what?

― ArtVandelay (Archel), Thursday, 9 February 2006 08:41 (nineteen years ago)

Liquorice is correct.

― ledge (ledge), Thursday, 9 February 2006 09:39 (nineteen years ago)

-a----r---

― art vandelay (what?), Saturday, 11 February 2006 11:53 (nineteen years ago)

three weeks pass...

Still don't know what that is.

Dancer's brain scattered around cut-off backstreet (9)

― Dayglo Redd (Ken L), Thursday, 9 March 2006 17:17 (nineteen years ago)

Ballerina.

I was missing this thread!

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 9 March 2006 18:35 (nineteen years ago)

oooh!

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Thursday, 9 March 2006 18:39 (nineteen years ago)

Old book? (6,5)

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 9 March 2006 18:45 (nineteen years ago)

This one's still open and it ain't hard really...

Female's punishing triathlon (7) - or (4-3) if you prefer

― ledge (ledge), Friday, 10 March 2006 14:20 (nineteen years ago)

Did this die again already? Ok, mine is I---M-- ... c'mon, I'm giving it away!

― ledge (ledge), Monday, 13 March 2006 09:43 (nineteen years ago)

I don't want the thread to die but I really am baffled ledge!

Clue to mine:

--l--- ---e-

― Archel (Archel), Monday, 13 March 2006 16:19 (nineteen years ago)

Iron Man?

― Markelby (Mark C), Monday, 13 March 2006 16:26 (nineteen years ago)

I think I knew Ledge's before he gave the hint, but I couldn't figure out why exactly.

Are you sure that 'l' shouldn't be in fourth position, Archel?

(xpost)

― The Day The World Turned Dayglo Redd (Ken L), Monday, 13 March 2006 16:30 (nineteen years ago)

That *particular* l is where I wanted to put it...

― Archel (Archel), Monday, 13 March 2006 16:37 (nineteen years ago)

OK, I cheated. Now I know what it is.

― The Day The World Turned Dayglo Redd (Ken L), Monday, 13 March 2006 16:45 (nineteen years ago)

Iron Man or Ironman is right: fe=iron, male=man, whole is a punishing triathlon... http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ironman_Triathlon

Ah that extra 'l' hint gave it away... Yellow Pages!

― ledge (ledge), Monday, 13 March 2006 17:03 (nineteen years ago)

Yes!

I guess if I'd done a bit of elementary triathlon research I would have got yours...

― Archel (Archel), Monday, 13 March 2006 17:04 (nineteen years ago)

I thought it was fairly well known but like all trivia I guess it's just a case of 'easy if you know it' :^)

― ledge (ledge), Monday, 13 March 2006 17:30 (nineteen years ago)

Okay, so I explained the "iron man" thing to myself as "a man who does ironing i.e. a WOman"

I am not very good at cryptic crosswords. Though I did manage to half-complete two real crossword puzzles recently, which made me prouder than almost anything else.

― Markelby (Mark C), Monday, 13 March 2006 18:02 (nineteen years ago)

I knew what the Iron Man was and after ledge gave the hint and I was sure, I could figure out how the cryptic part worked, but maybe there should have been an extra hint that "female" was supposed to be broken into two pieces?
"Female in two parts of punishing triathlon"?

― The Day The World Turned Dayglo Redd (Ken L), Monday, 13 March 2006 18:41 (nineteen years ago)

"Female gets broken in punishing triathlon."

― Casuistry (Chris P), Monday, 13 March 2006 19:08 (nineteen years ago)

I've been seeing a lot of clues here where the clue includes a possessive ('s) that isn't actually functional: "Female's", "Dancer's", etc.

Do published cryptic crosswords do this? I have to admit it totally throws me off, I'd always assumed that every part of the clue had to be functional.

― lurker #2421, Monday, 13 March 2006 23:17 (nineteen years ago)

I've been seeing a lot of clues here where the clue includes a possessive ('s) that isn't actually functional: "Female's", "Dancer's", etc. Do published cryptic crosswords do this?

(I have to admit it totally throws me off, I'd always assumed that every part of the clue had to be incorporated in the answer, with nothing extra left over.)

― lurker #2421, Monday, 13 March 2006 23:19 (nineteen years ago)

Hey, I reloaded the page to check that my first post hadn't gone through! Boo to you, lyin' cheatin' ILX server.

― lurker #2421, Monday, 13 March 2006 23:22 (nineteen years ago)

's could also mean "is," couldn't it?

― The Day The World Turned Dayglo Redd (Ken L), Monday, 13 March 2006 23:24 (nineteen years ago)

Yes, "'s" often secretly means "is" in cryptics. The "Female" clue is fair.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Monday, 13 March 2006 23:25 (nineteen years ago)

Yeah, I really like 's for is! I'm always kinda appalled by how many published newspaper crossword have some minor pronoun fluff going on, do people really not mind?

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Monday, 13 March 2006 23:50 (nineteen years ago)

minor pronoun fluff
??

― The Day The World Turned Dayglo Redd (Ken L), Monday, 13 March 2006 23:54 (nineteen years ago)

I MIND.

― Archel (Archel), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 11:55 (nineteen years ago)

New clue! I'll have a think over lunch...

― ledge (ledge), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 12:27 (nineteen years ago)

I also mind when setters use [example of a thing] instead of [thing itself] in clues, wihout alluding to the fact. But that might be too much Ximenes.

― Archel (Archel), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 13:10 (nineteen years ago)

You mean like "monet" as a clue for "painter" instead of vice versa? Yeah that's bad and wrong. I like when the definition is just an attribute of the answer though, e.g. (ropey example off top of head):

"painted waterlilies make bizarre memento, not me" (5)

― ledge (ledge), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 13:34 (nineteen years ago)

minor pronoun fluff

Redd - I mean when instead of '[clue 1] [clue 2]' or '[clue 1] for [clue 2]' or '[clue 1] to [clue 2]' all of which are lovely you get something like '[clue 1] of [clue 2]' (unpleasant but bearable} or '[clue 1] his [clue 2]' (horrible)...

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Tuesday, 14 March 2006 15:32 (nineteen years ago)

Is there a current clue?

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Wednesday, 15 March 2006 04:33 (nineteen years ago)

I would try to come up with one, but my brain is really really boring tonight.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Wednesday, 15 March 2006 04:35 (nineteen years ago)

Did this one ever get answered?

never odd or even? (10)

― lurker #2421, Wednesday, 15 March 2006 05:37 (nineteen years ago)

Palindrome?

― Casuistry (Chris P), Wednesday, 15 March 2006 05:40 (nineteen years ago)

yes. palindrome is right... well done!

― art vandelay (what?), Wednesday, 15 March 2006 10:01 (nineteen years ago)

These can be raw and red inside when lucky number comes up (6)

― The Day The World Turned Dayglo Redd (Ken L), Wednesday, 15 March 2006 14:46 (nineteen years ago)

That would be 'nerves'?

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 15 March 2006 14:48 (nineteen years ago)

Yes it would be.

― The Day The World Turned Dayglo Redd (Ken L), Wednesday, 15 March 2006 14:58 (nineteen years ago)

Tube station overhaul, get related transport (5,8,6)

― ledge (ledge), Thursday, 16 March 2006 10:44 (nineteen years ago)

Great Portland Street.

I didn't so much cheat as did research for that one.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Thursday, 16 March 2006 11:01 (nineteen years ago)

Well, I was inspired by this:
http://www.bikereader.com/forum/pics/undergroundanagram.gif

― ledge (ledge), Thursday, 16 March 2006 11:04 (nineteen years ago)

omg, fantastic.

Chris owes us two clues...

I was admiring Bunthorne in the Guardian yesterday - even though I can never finish his puzzles his clues are always witty and elegant. Unlike this one:

Party about mushroom, spinning on it (9)

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 16 March 2006 12:38 (nineteen years ago)

Phlegm issues, I hear? (5)

― Markelby (Mark C), Thursday, 16 March 2006 12:40 (nineteen years ago)

sputa?

― The Day The World Turned Dayglo Redd (Ken L), Thursday, 16 March 2006 15:35 (nineteen years ago)

Archel's one is "reception". I still don't have the confidence to make any up myself though, so fire in, anyone who wants to.

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 16 March 2006 19:05 (nineteen years ago)

I think I was running on a clue defecit. But if my brain kicks in I'll post it.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Thursday, 16 March 2006 19:39 (nineteen years ago)

I quite liked this one from today's paper: Fish given low score? (4)

You could probably fill a whole book with fish-themed crosswords.

― Archel (Archel), Tuesday, 21 March 2006 17:51 (nineteen years ago)

Inject heroin into depressed fish. (4)

― Casuistry (Chris P), Tuesday, 21 March 2006 17:58 (nineteen years ago)

Faux fish? (3)

― Casuistry (Chris P), Tuesday, 21 March 2006 18:01 (nineteen years ago)

Archel's is "bass", which is a nice clue.

Casuistry's first one is "shad". I didn't actually know that was a type of fish, I just guessed from the clue.

― ailsa (ailsa), Tuesday, 21 March 2006 18:47 (nineteen years ago)

cod

A Spanish hello upon rising is hello, goodbye (5)

― The Day The World Turned Dayglo Redd (Ken L), Wednesday, 29 March 2006 17:57 (nineteen years ago)

Fictional don's utterance of surprise before spaghetti chef (8)

― The Day The World Turned Dayglo Redd (Ken L), Wednesday, 29 March 2006 18:01 (nineteen years ago)

Aloha

― ailsa (ailsa), Wednesday, 29 March 2006 18:03 (nineteen years ago)

Book 'em, ailsa!

― The Day The World Turned Dayglo Redd (Ken L), Wednesday, 29 March 2006 18:09 (nineteen years ago)

Corleone. But who is Leone?

― ledge (ledge), Wednesday, 29 March 2006 20:19 (nineteen years ago)

Some spaghetti chef, perhaps?

― ailsa (ailsa), Wednesday, 29 March 2006 20:20 (nineteen years ago)

Sergio

― The Day The World Turned Dayglo Redd (Ken L), Wednesday, 29 March 2006 20:22 (nineteen years ago)

Oh yeah. Chef?

― ailsa (ailsa), Wednesday, 29 March 2006 20:22 (nineteen years ago)

Spaghetti maker, perhaps.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Wednesday, 29 March 2006 20:25 (nineteen years ago)

or like chef d’école.

― The Day The World Turned Dayglo Redd (Ken L), Wednesday, 29 March 2006 20:25 (nineteen years ago)

I like spaghetti chef - a good cryptic definition.

Many headed monster you beat shortly is water-powered (9)

― ledge (ledge), Thursday, 30 March 2006 09:00 (nineteen years ago)

I don't understand Archel's :(

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 30 March 2006 10:02 (nineteen years ago)

hyraulic

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 30 March 2006 10:02 (nineteen years ago)

er, hyDraulic, even.

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 30 March 2006 10:02 (nineteen years ago)

(near impossible, I'll post an easier one in a sec)

Putting something on top of 0.01? Part of lung follows. (8)

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 30 March 2006 10:09 (nineteen years ago)

Oh wait! Ignore that!

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 30 March 2006 10:10 (nineteen years ago)

Field position for getting a percentage? (5)

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 30 March 2006 10:12 (nineteen years ago)

Point

― scotstvo (scotstvo), Thursday, 30 March 2006 10:33 (nineteen years ago)

No-Man's-Land taken over by Napoleon (6,4)

― scotstvo (scotstvo), Thursday, 30 March 2006 10:44 (nineteen years ago)

Haha I meant cover! But point seems totally fine.

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 30 March 2006 11:02 (nineteen years ago)

Was it 'reception' you didn't understand G?

'Party' is the definition. Then it's re ('about') + cep (type of mushroom) + tion (anag. of 'on it' indicated by 'spinning').

Ooh that napoleon one was in the paper and I couldn't get it then either :(

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 30 March 2006 11:03 (nineteen years ago)

It was the bass one, chel!

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Thursday, 30 March 2006 11:05 (nineteen years ago)

Oh right! 'Low score' is used in a musical sense ie the bass voice would sing the low notes.

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 30 March 2006 11:10 (nineteen years ago)

scotsvo's one reminded me - does anyone know if there's an online thing that lets you jumble up the letters from an anagram into a series of random orders - ie not a thing that finds actual words only (which doesn't help you cheat when proper nouns are involved)?

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 30 March 2006 11:16 (nineteen years ago)

scotstvo's one isn't an anagram though, is it? It's Animal Farm (I hope)

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 30 March 2006 15:58 (nineteen years ago)

Ailsa is on fire

― The Day The World Turned Dayglo Redd (Ken L), Thursday, 30 March 2006 16:08 (nineteen years ago)

She must be extinguished!

― Casuistry (Chris P), Thursday, 30 March 2006 16:22 (nineteen years ago)

:-(

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 30 March 2006 16:25 (nineteen years ago)

Crab time in monastery (9)
Yell about everything softly in stadium (8)

― In The Court Of The Redd King Harvest (Ken L), Wednesday, 12 April 2006 18:28 (nineteen years ago)

Ballpark. Every time this thread dies I half-heartedly try and come up with a clue for Revive! but I never get much further than mumbling to myself about IV drips.

― ledge (ledge), Wednesday, 12 April 2006 19:00 (nineteen years ago)

I can't decide what I think about this one, but I'm giving it to you anyway.

Soft drinks or beer? (4,3)

― In The Court Of The Redd King Harvest (Ken L), Wednesday, 12 April 2006 19:36 (nineteen years ago)

Hit the gas! I have to wake up! (6!)

― scotstvo (scotstvo), Wednesday, 12 April 2006 20:30 (nineteen years ago)

Soft drinks or beer? (4,3)

Pale ale!

― ledge (ledge), Monday, 17 April 2006 08:39 (nineteen years ago)

Or, the thread where Greg repost clues from The Oxford Times that he has now seen seen the answers too but still doesn't get, wtf?

King leaves to shorten meeting(7) = CONTACT, apparently!?

Either way you can play it(5) = DARTS (okay I have just googled, are they abbreviating 'Stradivarius'? What a bunch of nobbers.)

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Wednesday, 19 April 2006 18:03 (nineteen years ago)

King = regis = R. Take R out of "contract" (as in opposite of expand, i.e. shorten) and you get "CONTACT" which is a meeting.

― ailsa (ailsa), Wednesday, 19 April 2006 18:29 (nineteen years ago)

(the R thing might not be Regis, but it's the R that you see on postboxes with a monarch's initials on it, whatever the male equivalent of Regina is anyway)

― ailsa (ailsa), Wednesday, 19 April 2006 18:32 (nineteen years ago)

Rex, isn't it?

― Casuistry (Chris P), Wednesday, 19 April 2006 18:45 (nineteen years ago)

That's the chap! Or is it, I don't know. It's what's on the postboxes anyway. (sorry, I'm useless)

― ailsa (ailsa), Wednesday, 19 April 2006 18:47 (nineteen years ago)

Oh right! That's quite clever, actually. Nice one ailsa.

How do people feel about that 'to' there? Is that kind of fluff a necessary evil for readable clues?

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Wednesday, 19 April 2006 19:41 (nineteen years ago)

Maybe it's to drop a hint that it's a verb you're looking for (specifying that the "contract" is the verb meaning to shorten, and not the noun version of the same word)? Or maybe I am just waffling, as without knowing the answer, you wouldn't actually have that distinction to make. (I don't think that makes as much sense written down as it does in my head)

To be fair, I don't think I'd have got that from the clue, but it made sense and was relatively easy to work back when I have the answer in front of me.

― ailsa (ailsa), Wednesday, 19 April 2006 19:47 (nineteen years ago)

three weeks pass...

Bonanza note about opened pack (7)

Art deco rules! (4)

― Sons Of The Redd Desert (Ken L), Wednesday, 10 May 2006 14:58 (nineteen years ago)

This one is even worse:

Young girls spill guinness and rotate a point (8)

― Sons Of The Redd Desert (Ken L), Wednesday, 10 May 2006 15:05 (nineteen years ago)

Code.

I'm not sure about the others though.

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 10 May 2006 15:09 (nineteen years ago)

Yup. and ledge was right upthread.

― Sons Of The Redd Desert (Ken L), Wednesday, 10 May 2006 15:11 (nineteen years ago)

two weeks pass...

Crocodile mad at gorilla (9)

― Sons Of The Redd Desert (Ken L), Friday, 26 May 2006 15:23 (nineteen years ago)

Young girls spill guinness and rotate a point (8)

Ingenues

(I didn't see this thread when it was revived)

Crocodile mad at gorilla (9)

Alligator

― ailsa (ailsa), Friday, 26 May 2006 15:30 (nineteen years ago)

Crocodiles and alligators are completely different animals!

― theantmustdance (theantmustdance), Friday, 26 May 2006 16:04 (nineteen years ago)

Yes, how did she ever work it out?

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Friday, 26 May 2006 16:08 (nineteen years ago)

Maybe they never worked it out, maybe she'll stay mad forever!

― Sons Of The Redd Desert (Ken L), Friday, 26 May 2006 16:24 (nineteen years ago)

Thanks for solving the guiness one, ailsa!

― Sons Of The Redd Desert (Ken L), Friday, 26 May 2006 16:27 (nineteen years ago)

Bonanza note about opened pack (7)
-a----t

― Sons Of The Redd Desert (Ken L), Friday, 26 May 2006 16:27 (nineteen years ago)

islanders who end in rebellion...?

― autovac (autovac), Friday, 26 May 2006 16:37 (nineteen years ago)

(8)

― autovac (autovac), Friday, 26 May 2006 16:38 (nineteen years ago)

More pedantic version of disputed clue:
Crocodilian mad at gorilla (9)

― Sons Of The Redd Desert (Ken L), Friday, 26 May 2006 17:17 (nineteen years ago)

Bonanza note about opened pack (7)
-ac---t

― Sons Of The Redd Desert (Ken L), Saturday, 27 May 2006 00:00 (nineteen years ago)

Bonanza note about opened pack (7)

Jackpot

― theantmustdance (theantmustdance), Saturday, 27 May 2006 07:38 (nineteen years ago)

Bingo!

― Sons Of The Redd Desert (Ken L), Saturday, 27 May 2006 11:20 (nineteen years ago)

one month passes...

I don't know if this really works but

Blade Runner? (4)

Still don't know who the islanders are.

― Ruud Haarvest (Ken L), Saturday, 22 July 2006 20:42 (eighteen years ago)

Here's a related clue:

Sounds like a Scandinavian blade? (4)

― Ruud Haarvest (Ken L), Saturday, 22 July 2006 20:48 (eighteen years ago)

(I'm hoping OleM will straighten this out)

― Ruud Haarvest (Ken L), Saturday, 22 July 2006 20:50 (eighteen years ago)

islanders who end in rebellion...?

Cypriots? Can't see where the CYP would come from, though...

― lurker #2421, inc. (lurker-2421), Saturday, 22 July 2006 20:52 (eighteen years ago)

two weeks pass...

I change that old clue to

Leaf Runner? (4)

and add

Place for poor people to sleep relocates from Florida to Switzerland, where one can eat steak (9) (Or 4-5)

White in Nubian company (6)

Chant "Moorehead," bug sun-god (6)

― Ruud Haarvest (Ken L), Thursday, 10 August 2006 16:45 (eighteen years ago)

White in Nubian company (6)

Bianco

I'll get back to you on the rest of them :-)

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 10 August 2006 17:01 (eighteen years ago)

Flophouse?

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Thursday, 10 August 2006 18:00 (eighteen years ago)

Place for poor people to sleep relocates from Florida to Switzerland, where one can eat steak (9) (Or 4-5)

Flophouse, innit?

dammit x-post!

― Matt (Matt), Thursday, 10 August 2006 18:01 (eighteen years ago)

Chant "Moorehead," bug sun-god (6)

Mantra

― Matt (Matt), Thursday, 10 August 2006 18:04 (eighteen years ago)

Seduce a group of finches (5)

― Matt (Matt), Thursday, 10 August 2006 18:09 (eighteen years ago)

(pls to explain flophouse)

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Thursday, 10 August 2006 18:19 (eighteen years ago)

flophouse is not quite right, actually.

― Ruud Haarvest (Ken L), Thursday, 10 August 2006 18:23 (eighteen years ago)

swophouse?

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Thursday, 10 August 2006 18:24 (eighteen years ago)

Closer

― Ruud Haarvest (Ken L), Thursday, 10 August 2006 18:25 (eighteen years ago)

SLophouse!

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Thursday, 10 August 2006 18:27 (eighteen years ago)

I cheated on Matt's.

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Thursday, 10 August 2006 18:33 (eighteen years ago)

Seduce a group of finches (5)

Charm.

Useless pub quiz trivia comes in useful at last!

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 10 August 2006 18:34 (eighteen years ago)

I cheated too.

You're not there yet, Huk.

― Ruud Haarvest (Ken L), Thursday, 10 August 2006 18:41 (eighteen years ago)

beef slops?

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Thursday, 10 August 2006 18:51 (eighteen years ago)

How does Switzerland = CH?

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Thursday, 10 August 2006 18:52 (eighteen years ago)

Now you've driven the car off the Alpine road.
(xpost!)

― Ruud Haarvest (Ken L), Thursday, 10 August 2006 18:53 (eighteen years ago)

I'll let a European explain.

― Ruud Haarvest (Ken L), Thursday, 10 August 2006 18:54 (eighteen years ago)

Chalets?

― Huk-L (Huk-L), Thursday, 10 August 2006 18:55 (eighteen years ago)

How does Switzerland = CH?

Switzerland = Confoederatio Helvetica. See also internet addresses, nationality stickers for cars etc.

― The Vintner's Lipogram (OleM), Thursday, 10 August 2006 19:00 (eighteen years ago)

Switzerland = Confederation Helvetica in Latin, except it's not spelt like that, but that's the general gist of it. It's named in Latin because it's got a zillion official languages and they didn't want to offend any of them by giving them the rights to the name.

(xpost)

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 10 August 2006 19:00 (eighteen years ago)

(like you could offend the Swiss, being how they're the most neutral country in the world and everything)

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 10 August 2006 19:01 (eighteen years ago)

Canadian with lots makes out (9)

― Ruud Haarvest (Ken L), Thursday, 10 August 2006 19:20 (eighteen years ago)

Tool takes off head of snake in shack (5)

― Ruud Haarvest (Ken L), Thursday, 10 August 2006 19:31 (eighteen years ago)

Bite silver neon bubbles (9)

― Ruud Haarvest (Ken L), Thursday, 10 August 2006 20:39 (eighteen years ago)

Champagne

(can't get the other two at all right now - I have ideas *how* to get them, just can't formulate an answer from it)

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 10 August 2006 20:46 (eighteen years ago)

Write and run away with a long suffering wife (8)

― Ruud Haarvest (Ken L), Friday, 11 August 2006 10:59 (eighteen years ago)

Canoodles! Is the first one.

The last one = Penelope.

― Archel (Archel), Friday, 11 August 2006 11:30 (eighteen years ago)

Nice work, ladies!

Admirer takes right, family member takes left to get to Benjamin (7)

― Ruud Haarvest (Ken L), Saturday, 12 August 2006 04:36 (eighteen years ago)

Franklin

― ledge (ledge), Saturday, 12 August 2006 07:46 (eighteen years ago)

Two constants, e.g. steak and kidney (3)

― ledge (ledge), Saturday, 12 August 2006 08:04 (eighteen years ago)

Belgium was always producing lager (4)

― ledge (ledge), Saturday, 12 August 2006 08:10 (eighteen years ago)

Seafood, uncooked - some hate it, initially (5)

― ledge (ledge), Saturday, 12 August 2006 08:12 (eighteen years ago)

Pie
Beer
Sushi

Mm!

― Archel (Archel), Saturday, 12 August 2006 09:42 (eighteen years ago)

Spain defeated, grew (8)

― Archel (Archel), Saturday, 12 August 2006 09:47 (eighteen years ago)

sprouted

― Ruud Haarvest (Ken L), Saturday, 12 August 2006 11:31 (eighteen years ago)

latest directions? (6)

― Ruud Haarvest (Ken L), Saturday, 12 August 2006 12:26 (eighteen years ago)

Camper entwined with camper? They say it's great! (5)

― Casuistry (Chris P), Saturday, 12 August 2006 15:41 (eighteen years ago)

newest

― 100% CHAMPS with a Yes! Attitude. (Austin, Still), Saturday, 12 August 2006 16:05 (eighteen years ago)

Yes. I'm dying to know what Chris's is.

Mistakes take me right to animals that eat leaves (8)

Rotten guitar player rocks with first lady and Jughead (5,5)

― Ruud Haarvest (Ken L), Saturday, 12 August 2006 22:52 (eighteen years ago)

Keys Scotsman found in river (5)

― Ruud Haarvest (Ken L), Sunday, 13 August 2006 00:33 (eighteen years ago)

Mine is, I think, impossible to get, but I got really kinda pleased with the clue.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Sunday, 13 August 2006 00:42 (eighteen years ago)

Yeah, I kinda figured it was like that.

― Ruud Haarvest (Ken L), Sunday, 13 August 2006 00:55 (eighteen years ago)

I had higher hopes for this clue:

Peanut, almond, black and orange bird -- all heard of the head of the state. (12)

― Casuistry (Chris P), Wednesday, 16 August 2006 07:43 (eighteen years ago)

Letters, need letterrrzzzz...

― ledge (ledge), Wednesday, 16 August 2006 09:52 (eighteen years ago)

Presidential? But I don't really get it

One poet is slowly played (7)

― Ruud Haarvest (Ken L), Wednesday, 16 August 2006 13:03 (eighteen years ago)

Not "Presidential".

Andante.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Wednesday, 16 August 2006 13:09 (eighteen years ago)

Keys found by Scotsman in river in Italy (5)

― Ruud Haarvest (Ken L), Wednesday, 16 August 2006 13:38 (eighteen years ago)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Rivers_of_Italy proves surprisingly unhelpful.

― ledge (ledge), Wednesday, 16 August 2006 13:42 (eighteen years ago)

Really?

― Ruud Haarvest (Ken L), Wednesday, 16 August 2006 13:48 (eighteen years ago)

Piano :)

― Archel (Archel), Wednesday, 16 August 2006 13:50 (eighteen years ago)

Party needs a hat from the start (2,4)

― Ruud Haarvest (Ken L), Wednesday, 16 August 2006 13:54 (eighteen years ago)

Keys = piano? Bah! Totally forgot Ian for Scotsman though :-(

― ledge (ledge), Wednesday, 16 August 2006 13:55 (eighteen years ago)

Fake one ending (4)

― Ruud Haarvest (Ken L), Wednesday, 16 August 2006 14:10 (eighteen years ago)

Tool takes off head of snake in shack (5)
---e-

― Ruud Haarvest (Ken L), Wednesday, 16 August 2006 14:14 (eighteen years ago)

Hovel. Although I think, tense-wise, that clue might be fishy. "Special head removed from tool in shack", maybe?

The third letter of my 12 letter clue is "b".

― Casuistry (Chris P), Wednesday, 16 August 2006 18:11 (eighteen years ago)

change "takes" to "taking" then.

Gubernatorial!

― Ruud Haarvest (Ken L), Wednesday, 16 August 2006 18:12 (eighteen years ago)

but i still don't get it, apart from "goober"

― Ruud Haarvest (Ken L), Wednesday, 16 August 2006 18:15 (eighteen years ago)

Goober. Nut. Oriole.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Wednesday, 16 August 2006 19:02 (eighteen years ago)

Very nice. Sorry my brane doesn't work properly.

Ace of Spades artist Agnes loses energy, buys time (9)

― Ruud Haarvest (Ken L), Thursday, 17 August 2006 02:52 (eighteen years ago)

Motorhead

― ledge (ledge), Thursday, 17 August 2006 08:07 (eighteen years ago)

Endless trouble about an endless mistake with iron (7)

― ledge (ledge), Thursday, 17 August 2006 08:21 (eighteen years ago)

Ferrous.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Thursday, 17 August 2006 08:36 (eighteen years ago)

Confused attire showed the way. (7)

― Casuistry (Chris P), Thursday, 17 August 2006 08:44 (eighteen years ago)

dudsled?

Mother nurses eleven, tops (6)

― Ruud Haarvest (Ken L), Thursday, 17 August 2006 13:43 (eighteen years ago)

American uncle has degree in dance (5)

― Ruud Haarvest (Ken L), Thursday, 17 August 2006 18:19 (eighteen years ago)

Samba

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 17 August 2006 18:20 (eighteen years ago)

ya bamba

― Onimo (GerryNemo), Thursday, 17 August 2006 18:30 (eighteen years ago)

Dudsled is close-ish.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Thursday, 17 August 2006 20:09 (eighteen years ago)

No-one got mine and I'm VERY proud of it:

Phlegm issues, I hear (5)

― Earwig oh! (Mark C), Thursday, 17 August 2006 20:39 (eighteen years ago)

Garbled!

Mucus?

― ailsa (ailsa), Thursday, 17 August 2006 21:00 (eighteen years ago)

War chief of East tangled in mooring (8)

― My Little Ruud Book (Ken L), Friday, 18 August 2006 22:05 (eighteen years ago)

I think Onimo should get this one...

― ledge (ledge), Friday, 18 August 2006 22:39 (eighteen years ago)

Yeah, I should have saved it for his birthday.

― My Little Ruud Book (Ken L), Friday, 18 August 2006 22:57 (eighteen years ago)

ha! Geronimo! (sorry gerry)

― ailsa (ailsa), Friday, 18 August 2006 23:06 (eighteen years ago)

After I am in the middle of mantra, I am kind of red (7)

― My Little Ruud Book (Ken L), Friday, 18 August 2006 23:24 (eighteen years ago)

Belly taking away third from Sign Of The Four at the beginning (7)

― My Little Ruud Book (Ken L), Friday, 18 August 2006 23:46 (eighteen years ago)

First one is Chianti.

Many unwell - in short, it is from throat infection (10)

― ledge (ledge), Thursday, 24 August 2006 07:42 (eighteen years ago)

tonsillitis

― My Little Ruud Book (Ken L), Friday, 25 August 2006 18:37 (eighteen years ago)

Leaf Runner? (4)
-a--

Mistakes take me right to animals that eat leaves (8)

---a----

Rotten guitar player rocks with first lady and Jughead (5,5)

--e-- -----

Party needs a hat from the start (2,4)

-a ----

Fake one ending (4)

---a

― My Little Ruud Book (Ken L), Saturday, 26 August 2006 05:43 (eighteen years ago)

Rotten guitar player rocks with first lady and Jughead (5,5)

Steve Jones

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 26 August 2006 16:30 (eighteen years ago)

Leaf Runner? (4)

Page?

Mistakes take me right to animals that eat leaves (8)

Giraffes

Party needs a hat from the start (2,4)

Da capo (Do + a cap)

Fake one ending (4)

I want this to be "coda", but I can't make it work.

― lurker #2421, inc. (lurker-2421), Saturday, 26 August 2006 17:40 (eighteen years ago)

Sexually satisfied women are said to be three things: unrefined, malodorous, and Irish (8)

― lurker #2421, inc. (lurker-2421), Saturday, 26 August 2006 17:51 (eighteen years ago)

Coda = cod [as in "fake"] + a.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Saturday, 26 August 2006 18:48 (eighteen years ago)

Yes to everything.

Mother nurses eleven, tops (6)
-a----
Belly taking away third from Sign Of The Four at the beginning (7)
a------

― My Little Ruud Book (Ken L), Saturday, 26 August 2006 21:30 (eighteen years ago)

Maxima

Abdomen

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 26 August 2006 21:34 (eighteen years ago)

Yeah. Thanks, ailsa.

― My Little Ruud Book (Ken L), Saturday, 26 August 2006 21:49 (eighteen years ago)

Yeah, she's good, ain't she?

― scotstvo (scotstvo), Saturday, 26 August 2006 21:50 (eighteen years ago)

Yeah, I'm great :-)

Unfortunately I couldn't make up a clue to save my life, and I haven't actually bought a paper with a proper crossword in it for ages to steal clues from.

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 26 August 2006 21:53 (eighteen years ago)

Off the top of my head then: Red Rum down without Her Majesty- beat that!

― scotstvo (scotstvo), Saturday, 26 August 2006 21:58 (eighteen years ago)

Drum. And you didn't even tell us how many letters.

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 26 August 2006 22:01 (eighteen years ago)

God you're good. My head's full of gin though, I can't count letters. Off-topic, but how was KenFAP?

― scotstvo (scotstvo), Saturday, 26 August 2006 22:03 (eighteen years ago)

It was quiet. I was very drunk. We went to NPL and there was no bar queue, it was most odd. You weren't there, I notice. Other people were (me, the mister, stet, madchen, grimly fiendish, ward fowler at Mono, then dahlin, ally c, stew, probably some other people but I was pished and can't remember really). Part two in Edinburgh tomorrow, hurrah.

― ailsa (ailsa), Saturday, 26 August 2006 22:05 (eighteen years ago)

A burning bed almost covered in disgusting fluid and kind of sheet (7)

― My Little Ruud Book (Ken L), Tuesday, 29 August 2006 16:09 (eighteen years ago)

Promise witches worker (8)

― My Little Ruud Book (Ken L), Tuesday, 29 August 2006 16:11 (eighteen years ago)

Room with medal inside to burn (7)

― My Little Ruud Book (Ken L), Tuesday, 29 August 2006 16:11 (eighteen years ago)

Want letters?

― My Little Ruud Book (Ken L), Tuesday, 29 August 2006 21:16 (eighteen years ago)

Promise witches worker (8)

Covenant. I'll get back to you on the others.

― ailsa (ailsa), Tuesday, 29 August 2006 22:29 (eighteen years ago)

two weeks pass...

I think those were solved over on nu-ILX.

Biology question: horse flies or man? (4,2,4)

― Run Ruud Run (Ken L), Wednesday, 13 September 2006 01:06 (eighteen years ago)

---- o- ----

― Run Ruud Run (Ken L), Wednesday, 13 September 2006 11:27 (eighteen years ago)

DNA search for the Guv (4,4)

― Run Ruud Run (Ken L), Wednesday, 13 September 2006 15:49 (eighteen years ago)

French father gets two notes for a starter (8)

― Run Ruud Run (Ken L), Thursday, 14 September 2006 11:55 (eighteen years ago)

Premiere.

Maybe you should make a grid.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Thursday, 14 September 2006 16:03 (eighteen years ago)

Maybe, but I've only got time right now for one clue at a time.

I'm into Yoko, Dad! (5)

― Run Ruud Run (Ken L), Thursday, 14 September 2006 22:26 (eighteen years ago)

Cute.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Friday, 15 September 2006 04:39 (eighteen years ago)

Yeah, nice! I really wish I could make clues up. I've tried, I'm rotten at it. My brain just works the other way round.

― ailsa (ailsa), Friday, 15 September 2006 14:15 (eighteen years ago)

Biology question: horse flies or man? (4,2,4)

---- o- -a--

― Run Ruud Run (Ken L), Friday, 15 September 2006 14:47 (eighteen years ago)

Life on Mars

― ailsa (ailsa), Friday, 15 September 2006 14:49 (eighteen years ago)

Yes. What about the other one?

― Run Ruud Run (Ken L), Friday, 15 September 2006 14:51 (eighteen years ago)

DNA search for the Guv (4,4)
-e-- ----

― Run Ruud Run (Ken L), Friday, 15 September 2006 14:53 (eighteen years ago)

-e-- --n-

― Run Ruud Run (Ken L), Friday, 15 September 2006 16:02 (eighteen years ago)

Ha, you've been watching Life on Mars, haven't you, silly me, not linking the clues together with other threads! All is clear!!!

(er, that'd be Gene Hunt then)

― ailsa (ailsa), Friday, 15 September 2006 16:35 (eighteen years ago)

I guess I should have just put that on teh Life On Mars thread.

― Run Ruud Run (Ken L), Friday, 15 September 2006 16:50 (eighteen years ago)

"Sam, wake up! You're on the other thread!"

― Run Ruud Run (Ken L), Friday, 15 September 2006 16:57 (eighteen years ago)

Big Apple with rotten maggot goes to hell! (6)

Fuzzy five chill (5)

― Run Ruud Run (Ken L), Thursday, 21 September 2006 17:07 (eighteen years ago)

Vague?

Not sure on the first one yet though.

― Archel (Archel), Thursday, 21 September 2006 17:12 (eighteen years ago)

Yup.

― Run Ruud Run (Ken L), Thursday, 21 September 2006 17:15 (eighteen years ago)

-o----

― Run Ruud Run (Ken L), Thursday, 21 September 2006 18:58 (eighteen years ago)

two weeks pass...

New Atlantic puzzle is pretty good, I gotta say. Which would be of interest to who, Chris and Huk, maybe?

― Ruud Comes to Haarvest (Ken L), Wednesday, 11 October 2006 23:20 (eighteen years ago)

It's not in the magazine anymore!

― Casuistry (Chris P), Thursday, 12 October 2006 03:12 (eighteen years ago)

Note at the bottom of Times xword yesterday: "This puzzle, used in the Preliminary A round of the 2006 Times Crossword Championship, was solved within the time limit (THREE PUZZLES IN ONE HOUR) by 38% of the competitors."

Emphasis added. Between three of us we couldn't manage to finish this one puzzle in one hour.

― ledge (ledge), Thursday, 12 October 2006 07:43 (eighteen years ago)

Big Apple with rotten maggot goes to hell! (6)

did anyone know this?

― Ste (Fuzzy), Thursday, 12 October 2006 08:47 (eighteen years ago)

-o--a-

― Ruud Comes to Haarvest (Ken L), Thursday, 12 October 2006 09:37 (eighteen years ago)

Gotham... can't quite work it out though.

― ledge (ledge), Thursday, 12 October 2006 10:03 (eighteen years ago)

two weeks pass...

goes to hhell

Guess about where to sleep and eat and drink (8)

― The Redd 47 Ronin (Ken L), Friday, 27 October 2006 02:53 (eighteen years ago)

two months pass...

Buck naked thanks to Germans (5)

― The Redd And The Blecch (Ken L), Monday, 22 January 2007 20:10 (eighteen years ago)

Danke

― ailsa (ailsa), Monday, 22 January 2007 20:32 (eighteen years ago)

elegant!

― Gravel Puzzleworth (Gregory Henry), Monday, 22 January 2007 23:57 (eighteen years ago)

Did you come up with that one? If so, it's your best yet!

― Casuistry (Chris P), Tuesday, 23 January 2007 02:22 (eighteen years ago)

It is, lovely surface reading.

Eli provides the answer to Nine Inch Nails song (8,3)

― ledge (ledge), Tuesday, 23 January 2007 12:56 (eighteen years ago)

Yeah, that was mine. thanks.

Guess about where to sleep and eat and drink (8)
G-------

― The Redd And The Blecch (Ken L), Tuesday, 23 January 2007 13:54 (eighteen years ago)

Maybe I should have left out the "and eat"

― The Redd And The Blecch (Ken L), Tuesday, 23 January 2007 13:56 (eighteen years ago)

Guinness.

Hooray! (I hope nobody expects me to come up with one of my own now.)

― Rebecca (reb), Tuesday, 23 January 2007 14:08 (eighteen years ago)

Also while I'm here I will add to the chorus admiring the "buck naked" clue. Nice one.

― Rebecca (reb), Tuesday, 23 January 2007 14:10 (eighteen years ago)

In trouble at herbarium? Hide! (7)

― ledge (ledge), Tuesday, 23 January 2007 14:37 (eighteen years ago)

leather

― The Redd And The Blecch (Ken L), Tuesday, 23 January 2007 14:53 (eighteen years ago)

yup.

Strong? The U.N.? Given where they're based, that's amusing. (5)

― ledge (ledge), Tuesday, 23 January 2007 15:01 (eighteen years ago)

funny

― The Redd And The Blecch (Ken L), Tuesday, 23 January 2007 15:15 (eighteen years ago)

Eli provides the answer to Nine Inch Nails song (8,3)

Terrible Lie.

Nice clue, though!

― ailsa (ailsa), Tuesday, 23 January 2007 20:04 (eighteen years ago)

fifth avenue provides shelter (5)

― The Redd And The Blecch (Ken L), Tuesday, 30 January 2007 14:07 (eighteen years ago)

haven

― ledge (ledge), Tuesday, 30 January 2007 14:10 (eighteen years ago)

fur throw (4)

― mark s (mark s), Tuesday, 30 January 2007 14:11 (eighteen years ago)

pelt

― Matt (Matt), Tuesday, 30 January 2007 14:12 (eighteen years ago)

(not cryptic, really, sorry)

― mark s (mark s), Tuesday, 30 January 2007 14:13 (eighteen years ago)

That's a fine clue, nothing wrong with double definitions!

broth can be very positive (4)

I wish I could make my clues wordier

― ledge (ledge), Tuesday, 30 January 2007 14:24 (eighteen years ago)

soup

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Tuesday, 30 January 2007 14:25 (eighteen years ago)

"A lopping of sweaters", for example. (10)

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Tuesday, 30 January 2007 14:26 (eighteen years ago)

Spoonerism.

(Can't believe that was in the CONCISE crossword yesterday - very mean.)

― Archel (Archel), Tuesday, 30 January 2007 19:54 (eighteen years ago)

I was wondering what was up with that.

― Matt (Matt), Tuesday, 30 January 2007 20:05 (eighteen years ago)

Yes, it's a bit easier if you know that it's supposed to be a cryptic, I spent some time wondering what the term for 'plural noun' is (I realise this makes me a mental).

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Tuesday, 30 January 2007 22:03 (eighteen years ago)

Weapon rejected by a conservative is worthless (8)

"inspired" by a Times clue today.

― ledge (ledge), Wednesday, 31 January 2007 14:51 (eighteen years ago)

Nugatory

― onimo (onimo), Wednesday, 31 January 2007 14:53 (eighteen years ago)

cool, maybe you can help me with the Times one...

Weapon rejected by a politician in control (10)

― ledge (ledge), Wednesday, 31 January 2007 14:56 (eighteen years ago)

Ref rants about player sale (8)

― onimo (onimo), Wednesday, 31 January 2007 14:57 (eighteen years ago)

Transfer

― ledge (ledge), Wednesday, 31 January 2007 14:58 (eighteen years ago)

(stuck at your Times one btw)

― onimo (onimo), Wednesday, 31 January 2007 14:59 (eighteen years ago)

well bizarrely it has (so far) the same letter pattern as nugatory, ---U-A-O--

― ledge (ledge), Wednesday, 31 January 2007 15:02 (eighteen years ago)

regulatory!

― onimo (onimo), Wednesday, 31 January 2007 15:04 (eighteen years ago)

Excellent! Little bit disappointed at "politician" for "tory".

― ledge (ledge), Wednesday, 31 January 2007 15:06 (eighteen years ago)

regulatory - a luger is a kind of gun

(xpost, STOP DOING THAT)

― ailsa (ailsa), Wednesday, 31 January 2007 15:08 (eighteen years ago)

a friend and original lover (7)

― The Redd And The Blecch (Ken L), Thursday, 1 February 2007 05:45 (eighteen years ago)

amateur?

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Thursday, 1 February 2007 08:52 (eighteen years ago)

yes

― The Redd And The Blecch (Ken L), Thursday, 1 February 2007 12:16 (eighteen years ago)

I get it now.

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Thursday, 1 February 2007 12:32 (eighteen years ago)

Does "concise" = "American-style"? That spoonerism clue would be fair game in a latter-part-of-the-week NYTimes xword.

― Casuistry (Chris P), Thursday, 1 February 2007 14:34 (eighteen years ago)

It means 'quick', the other clues are eg "household insect pest" "Salad vegetable" "horizontal bar - bird - complain"

― Andrew Farrell (afarrell), Thursday, 1 February 2007 14:40 (eighteen years ago)

In honour of Ruth Crisp ('Crispa'), RIP:
The more people have of these, the more they want (5)

Excitement in my letterbox this morning: two newly published crossword books. (Should keep us going for quite a while what with the seven week old baby significantly cutting into solving time and all...)

― Archel (Archel), Friday, 2 February 2007 16:43 (eighteen years ago)

three weeks pass...

nobody tried these on the other board, so:

crummy kids are Superman's cousins? (6,3,6)

contest failure results in argument (4)

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Saturday, 24 February 2007 17:17 (eighteen years ago)

Onimo's fee for soul festival (8)

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Monday, 26 February 2007 04:04 (eighteen years ago)

I dunno, archel- needs?

bone mask (6)

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Monday, 26 February 2007 21:41 (eighteen years ago)

My brain has atrophied - can you give us some letters for these?

― ailsa, Monday, 26 February 2007 23:22 (eighteen years ago)

crummy kids are Superman's cousins? (6,3,6)
contest failure results in argument (4)
Onimo's fee for soul festival (8)
bone mask (6)
-a---- --- ----e-
--e-
--t-----
----n-

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Monday, 26 February 2007 23:31 (eighteen years ago)

contest failure results in argument (4)

beef

― ailsa, Monday, 26 February 2007 23:42 (eighteen years ago)

yes

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Monday, 26 February 2007 23:50 (eighteen years ago)

Onimo's fee for soul festival (8)

Wattstax

― jaymc, Monday, 26 February 2007 23:51 (eighteen years ago)

yes

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Monday, 26 February 2007 23:57 (eighteen years ago)

point coldly to island (6)

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Tuesday, 27 February 2007 18:37 (eighteen years ago)

Sicily

― ailsa, Tuesday, 27 February 2007 18:49 (eighteen years ago)

No one ever got this one from the sandbox:

Bag lady complains about her naughty bits (7)

----a--

― jaymc, Tuesday, 27 February 2007 18:54 (eighteen years ago)

I wanna say versace, but I don't quite get it.

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Tuesday, 27 February 2007 19:58 (eighteen years ago)

Nope...

----a-t

― jaymc, Tuesday, 27 February 2007 20:00 (eighteen years ago)

stewart?

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Tuesday, 27 February 2007 20:11 (eighteen years ago)

lol vagrant

― onimo, Tuesday, 27 February 2007 20:45 (eighteen years ago)

Onimo's right. :)

― jaymc, Tuesday, 27 February 2007 20:46 (eighteen years ago)

dang! I thought of that but couldn't see how it worked until now

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Tuesday, 27 February 2007 20:50 (eighteen years ago)

i'm in on nothing, gerry! (5)

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Tuesday, 27 February 2007 20:56 (eighteen years ago)

crummy kids are Superman's cousins? (6,3,6)
bone mask (6)
-a---- --- -r--e-
-o--n-

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Tuesday, 27 February 2007 21:01 (eighteen years ago)

The second one's domino

(also, yeah, lol at vagrant - I was trying to make other rude words fit in there)

― ailsa, Tuesday, 27 February 2007 21:06 (eighteen years ago)

yup. more letters for first one:
-a---l --- -r--e-

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Wednesday, 28 February 2007 04:35 (eighteen years ago)

(I think this is gonna be the one that finally gets me kicked off the thread)

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Wednesday, 28 February 2007 04:37 (eighteen years ago)

OK, it's Hansel and Gretel, I think, but I'm only part-way to working out why - please explain properly?

― ailsa, Wednesday, 28 February 2007 09:05 (eighteen years ago)

oh god. awful! ;)

― Archel, Wednesday, 28 February 2007 09:06 (eighteen years ago)

it has to do with Superman's name back on planet Krypton

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Wednesday, 28 February 2007 12:08 (eighteen years ago)

Oh good Lord, that is horrible! I got it from the crummy kids bit after playing around with what would fit in the spaces for a while.

― ailsa, Wednesday, 28 February 2007 12:25 (eighteen years ago)

Good thing I am hiding behind this mysterious screenname ;)

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Wednesday, 28 February 2007 13:29 (eighteen years ago)

HA KEN-EL WE CAN SEE YOU IN THERE!

― ailsa, Wednesday, 28 February 2007 13:39 (eighteen years ago)

I think you lot are all staggering genuises! I've never done cryptic crosswords, just never encountered them really but I'd like to try and give them a go. Can any of you recommend any of those "cracking cryptic crosswords" books? There's a whole load on Amazon if you follow the link below:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/gp/product/0550100539/ref=pd_ecc_rvi_cart_f/026-2542814-1547635

― Sarah, Wednesday, 28 February 2007 13:39 (eighteen years ago)

I've never read a book about it ever, it's just something I've picked up over the years. This thread's probably not a bad way to start, since a lot of the answers are explained by the solver.

― ailsa, Wednesday, 28 February 2007 13:43 (eighteen years ago)

Might have a punt on this one

― Sarah, Wednesday, 28 February 2007 13:44 (eighteen years ago)

Yeah, most people learn by doing - but I got a few puzzles from a book and spent two weeks staring at them in utter confusion so I think I need some help... because I am SINGLE you see and thus have NO-ONE to PORE over CROSSWORDS with in the MORNING haha :) The book above says it comes with lots of examples and explained answers.

i got a grant total of TWO CLUES throughout that fortnight! Admittedly when I got them it was the best feeling ever!

― Sarah, Wednesday, 28 February 2007 13:46 (eighteen years ago)

I am MARRIED to a chump that can't (or rather, can't be bothered to) do crosswords! This is WHY I HAVE ILE! AND FRIENDS! A WINNER IS ME!

― ailsa, Wednesday, 28 February 2007 13:51 (eighteen years ago)

OK! I'm definitely going to get the book. Now I need stuff to qualify for super saver delivery! Of course I do. Suggest something for me! I have crosswords and "new york tendaberry" so far!

― Sarah, Wednesday, 28 February 2007 14:01 (eighteen years ago)

Ha, the way I started was I bought earlier versions of the how-to Chambers and Telegraph books at Heathrow on the way back to States and started doing the Telegraph puzzles while we were delayed on the tarmac.

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Wednesday, 28 February 2007 14:08 (eighteen years ago)

which means that book and its puzzles must have been pretty easy if a Septic like me could get it right away

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Wednesday, 28 February 2007 14:20 (eighteen years ago)

Because, as I may have said before, I''ve really gotta struggle to do the puzzles in the FT or the Times of London, and pretty much stick to the slim pickings of puzzles in American English.

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Wednesday, 28 February 2007 14:24 (eighteen years ago)

Anyway, somebody give us a clue, please!

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Wednesday, 28 February 2007 14:27 (eighteen years ago)

and not a crummy one

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Wednesday, 28 February 2007 14:44 (eighteen years ago)

Witty banter becomes stale in time (8)

― ledge, Wednesday, 28 February 2007 15:42 (eighteen years ago)

badinage!

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Wednesday, 28 February 2007 15:48 (eighteen years ago)

HOW did you get that! Explain for a thicko please :(

I was thinking ok, so you put the word "stale" inside the word "time" and get something like "witty banter"?!

― Sarah, Wednesday, 28 February 2007 15:49 (eighteen years ago)

"stale in time" = "bad in age".

There's a great book by Henry Ravthon and Emily Cox that explains the idea to American types and has a bunch of their puzzles, easier ones and harder ones. They make some of the best puzzles in the US (regular style as well -- actually they made my favorite regular crossword evah!).

― Casuistry, Wednesday, 28 February 2007 16:10 (eighteen years ago)

Sarah, that's why it's a good clue, because there's a couple of ways to approach it and it's not immediately obvious - your approach is also a good one, and one that's used a lot.

― ailsa, Wednesday, 28 February 2007 16:14 (eighteen years ago)

Yeah, I got that Cox and Rathvon book and the Games Magazine cryptic book (I wonder if this still exist?) too.

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Wednesday, 28 February 2007 16:22 (eighteen years ago)

What a nerd, scraping away at them books, when I should have been out parading!

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Wednesday, 28 February 2007 16:26 (eighteen years ago)

I was going to get one from Amazon but have decided I will just go to WH Smiths tomorrow instead and get something to try and tackle the Gruan. HOWEVER, there's another book on Amazon which says that the Gruan is especially distinctive so perhaps I'll start getting the Telegraph instead...

― Sarah, Wednesday, 28 February 2007 16:26 (eighteen years ago)

Yeah, I had seen cryptic crosswords a couple of times, but they seemed so baffling that I never bothered until this thread made me curious.

― jaymc, Wednesday, 28 February 2007 16:46 (eighteen years ago)

jaymc, you are exactly the person the Cox/Rathvon book is for

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Wednesday, 28 February 2007 17:33 (eighteen years ago)

They mention you on pages 7-9 and in a footnote on page 68.

― Casuistry, Thursday, 1 March 2007 15:16 (eighteen years ago)

Awesome!

― jaymc, Thursday, 1 March 2007 15:50 (eighteen years ago)

page 68- it reminded me of you!

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Friday, 2 March 2007 14:05 (eighteen years ago)

People who spend a lot of time in pubs vomit untruths (8)

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Friday, 2 March 2007 14:06 (eighteen years ago)

I don't know - but yesterday i bought "how to solve cryptic crosswords" by Kevin Skinner so WISH ME LUCK.

Drunkzzz?

― Sarah, Friday, 2 March 2007 14:08 (eighteen years ago)

Barflies

― jaymc, Friday, 2 March 2007 14:11 (eighteen years ago)

Oooooohhhh so easy when you know the answer!

― ledge, Friday, 2 March 2007 14:31 (eighteen years ago)

(not sure this works but)

Sounds like Dad's scared of Spanish rice (6)

― onimo, Friday, 2 March 2007 14:57 (eighteen years ago)

Melmac grows twice the sprouts, and then some (7)

― jaymc, Friday, 2 March 2007 16:28 (eighteen years ago)

paella?

― Archel, Friday, 2 March 2007 16:29 (eighteen years ago)

― Archel, Friday, 2 March 2007 16:31 (eighteen years ago)

paella is right

(was going for "pa yella" sound)

― onimo, Friday, 2 March 2007 16:37 (eighteen years ago)

Ooh! I got paella, but only because I knew it was a Spanish dish involving rice and then I got the "pa" bit - but it didn't involve me doing any cryptic thinking, that was fairly "straight",right? Oh, a DOUBLE STRAIGHT! I have read the first page of the book, you see. getting to grips with terminology.

I have cut out the Gruan cryptic for today. I can't get a single clue. Looking at the answers to the previous puzzle no wonder - "stolon", "GELSENKIRCHEN"? Argh! I think I will be taking up Archel's Telegraph recommendation.

― Sarah, Friday, 2 March 2007 16:42 (eighteen years ago)

Disgusting cheese pies (hold the mayo) set back clever schemes (10)

― lurker #2421, Friday, 2 March 2007 16:43 (eighteen years ago)

Sarah, in terms of newspaper crosswords, I think the Telegraph is 'easiest' - though still satisfying. It's the one I started on anyway. Some of the Guardian setters are really tricky, whereas the Times and the Independent are fairly consistent.

I bought a book of Independent crosswords and breezed through #1 so I felt like super genius until I looked at #2 and it took me an hour to scrape together two answers.

I think the Telegraph is a bit odd (lately? it seemed OK when my granny did it every day). Pubs round here get the Telegraph so I look at it occasionally and either it's full of stuff where I keep thinking "that would be a really awful clue so I hope this isn't the answer, but it fits, so..." and they keep fitting, or it's full of clues I can't work out at all but the ones I can get don't seem like any other paper.

Maybe I should get a book too! I picked it up probably from doing some with my mother and just piecing the rest together myself, so there might well be patterns I don't know. I'm not very good at them. Except the ones in puzzle magazines and the Radio Times, which are easier (and about half anagrams) except for expecting you to remember the cast of terrible never-repeated 70s sitcoms. So, er, let us know what the book's like.

Anyway, be prepared to stare at it not getting any for a while, then get one or two, then more might fall into place if you've got some letters, but I spent ages only being able to get maybe 2-3 answers on any crossword. Still do for most newspapers, to be honest.

(Though I did win a PRIZE from - woo! - a student paper for my crossword skills! And they never gave me it. Bastards.)

― a passing spacecadet, Friday, 2 March 2007 18:35 (eighteen years ago)

I am relieved to see that as yet that hasn't posted 3 times; it went kind of weird when I couldn't remember which email address I signed up with, by the time I actually logged in it had forgotten I wanted to post something, then messing around with the back button resulted in some error messages. Apologies if more copies turn up.

― a passing spacecadet, Friday, 2 March 2007 18:37 (eighteen years ago)

Upon further inspection, I don't like my clue.

― jaymc, Friday, 2 March 2007 18:41 (eighteen years ago)

(was going for "pa yella" sound)

Totally screwing over those of us who pronounce it "pah-ey-a".

― Casuistry, Friday, 2 March 2007 22:50 (eighteen years ago)

I think it still sort of works, because I pronounce it like you do and I was imagining someone screaming "AY-YAH!"

― jaymc, Friday, 2 March 2007 22:52 (eighteen years ago)

Totally screwing over those of us who pronounce it "pah-ey-a".

yeah the differences in pronunciation were what made me think it was rub but I decided to go for it anyway.

― onimo, Saturday, 3 March 2007 01:17 (eighteen years ago)

Jaymc's is "alfalfa", I fear.

― Casuistry, Saturday, 3 March 2007 08:46 (eighteen years ago)

I have WAY too many books of crosswords (though none about solving them). But getting books full of the things is one of the best ways to practise really because if you get stuck you can a) try another one straight away and b) look at the answers. Reverse engineering from the solution is very educational.

― Archel, Saturday, 3 March 2007 13:30 (eighteen years ago)

Right, I am going to think until I come up with a good clue. Let's see how long it takes me.

― Mark C, Saturday, 3 March 2007 14:44 (eighteen years ago)

Cord used to be taut (9)

― Mark C, Saturday, 3 March 2007 14:53 (eighteen years ago)

Jaymc's is "alfalfa", I fear.

Yeah. I should get that book, though, because I think there are some rules for how clues are given that I haven't quite internalized yet.

― jaymc, Saturday, 3 March 2007 17:17 (eighteen years ago)

The previous guy starts just a century after my return. (5)

― Casuistry, Sunday, 4 March 2007 07:51 (eighteen years ago)

heh.

Poster's church religion is Ned's number and Ethan's ex (5,5)

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Sunday, 4 March 2007 16:42 (eighteen years ago)

saxophone makes something curiously strong (7)

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Sunday, 4 March 2007 18:58 (eighteen years ago)

Altoids, I think? Though I'm not sure how the "-ids" part works.

Should I give a hint on mine?

― lurker #2421, Sunday, 4 March 2007 19:13 (eighteen years ago)

Poster's church religion is Ned's number and Ethan's ex (5,5)

Me? I harp music, silly! (5, 5)

― Casuistry, Monday, 5 March 2007 03:23 (eighteen years ago)

you

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Monday, 5 March 2007 14:23 (eighteen years ago)

I spent about ten minutes coming up with a really good cryptic clue on Sunday whilst I was drunk, and have since forgotten about it.

I'm now working my way through the level 1 cryptic crosswords in my book and can get quite a few clues which is really heartening! Although there are a couple which call for abbreviations for something that I've never heard of - "Flying Bomb" = "VI" how precisely?!

― Sarah, Wednesday, 7 March 2007 11:29 (eighteen years ago)

German V-1 bombs were better known as flying bombs, buzzbombs or doodlebugs.

― onimo, Wednesday, 7 March 2007 11:31 (eighteen years ago)

Ha - I had no idea! I was working myself into knots thinking "Flying" = "flying v guitar" (as I already had 'v' as the starting letter), and then "bomb" = "A-bomb" and then finally did the sensible thing and looked at the answer - I wouldn't have got it otherwise!

― Sarah, Wednesday, 7 March 2007 11:37 (eighteen years ago)

WON'T SOMEBODY ANSWER MY CLUE?

― Mark C, Wednesday, 7 March 2007 11:43 (eighteen years ago)

something with 'flex' in it? Or even reflex? I can't get anything to fit.

― onimo, Wednesday, 7 March 2007 11:48 (eighteen years ago)

Gizza clue (and then I still won't answer it)...

― Sarah, Wednesday, 7 March 2007 11:49 (eighteen years ago)

Mark - I am stuck with yours. Got as far as thinking 'ex' something and then...

― Archel, Wednesday, 7 March 2007 13:38 (eighteen years ago)

Cord used to be taut (9)

--t------

― Mark C, Wednesday, 7 March 2007 15:10 (eighteen years ago)

extension!

― onimo, Wednesday, 7 March 2007 15:13 (eighteen years ago)

Elevated reed around greeting (2,4)

― onimo, Wednesday, 7 March 2007 16:18 (eighteen years ago)

Go onimo! Now I'd like feedback on my clue plz :)

― Mark C, Wednesday, 7 March 2007 16:51 (eighteen years ago)

HI DERE!

― Sarah, Wednesday, 7 March 2007 16:53 (eighteen years ago)

Here is a clue! It is pretty bad!

Sounds like tanning method insults men only sauna! (1,1,3)

― Sarah, Wednesday, 7 March 2007 16:57 (eighteen years ago)

I liked your clue Mark, it had the ambiguity of either cord or taut being the clue to the word and the other being the clue to building the word (i.e. it was hard).

HI DERE is right :) I can only make easy ones up.

― onimo, Wednesday, 7 March 2007 17:14 (eighteen years ago)

Sarah's should be UV something. Bed? Ray? I can't make a plausible insult - let alone anything to do with a men only sauna!

― ledge, Thursday, 8 March 2007 00:28 (eighteen years ago)

Hehe - think SOUNDS LIKE, and then think in ILx speak!

― Sarah, Thursday, 8 March 2007 13:00 (eighteen years ago)

UR GAY :-)

― Richard Jones, Friday, 9 March 2007 10:42 (eighteen years ago)

Well done! I didn't kill the thread! Yay! Your turn :)

― Sarah, Friday, 9 March 2007 10:45 (eighteen years ago)

Another meaning in diet info (10)

― Richard Jones, Friday, 9 March 2007 11:04 (eighteen years ago)

definition

― onimo, Friday, 9 March 2007 11:05 (eighteen years ago)

Informed about tide info (8)

― onimo, Friday, 9 March 2007 11:07 (eighteen years ago)

notified

― ledge, Friday, 9 March 2007 11:48 (eighteen years ago)

Crazy! A hydrogen powered vehicle! For an African island! (10)

― ledge, Friday, 9 March 2007 12:11 (eighteen years ago)

Madagascar!

― Matt, Friday, 9 March 2007 12:13 (eighteen years ago)

\(^o^)/

― ledge, Friday, 9 March 2007 12:14 (eighteen years ago)

OK, I'll give a hint on mine:

Disgusting cheese pies (hold the mayo) set back clever schemes (10)

-t-----e-s

― lurker #2421, Friday, 9 March 2007 14:16 (eighteen years ago)

Stratagems?

― Richard Jones, Friday, 9 March 2007 17:06 (eighteen years ago)

Yes it's SMEGMA TARTS backwards, sans one M. Charming!

― ledge, Friday, 9 March 2007 17:10 (eighteen years ago)

Wow.

― Casuistry, Friday, 9 March 2007 18:53 (eighteen years ago)

I guess I could've gone with

"A million prostitutes on their backs is a clever scheme indeed (9)"

But it wouldn't have enriched the world quite as much, I don't think.

― lurker #2421, Sunday, 11 March 2007 21:59 (eighteen years ago)

Cowardly policeman starts greeting in middle of paddywagon (6)

― ledge, Sunday, 11 March 2007 23:01 (eighteen years ago)

Yellow?

― lurker #2421, Sunday, 11 March 2007 23:45 (eighteen years ago)

Messed-up, vile, super-revolting (9)

― lurker #2421, Sunday, 11 March 2007 23:46 (eighteen years ago)

yup. xp.

repulsive.

― ledge, Sunday, 11 March 2007 23:48 (eighteen years ago)

Yup!

Skinny girl's imaginary friend adds to my body image? (7)

― lurker #2421, Monday, 12 March 2007 15:09 (eighteen years ago)

two weeks pass...

Sophisticated poster gets fork, followed by pen, another fork and shortened key for Song of Tomorrow (2,5,7)

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Tuesday, 27 March 2007 01:21 (eighteen years ago)

-- --i-- -i-----

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Tuesday, 27 March 2007 15:56 (eighteen years ago)

-- --i-- -i----e

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Tuesday, 27 March 2007 18:12 (eighteen years ago)

Skinny girl's imaginary friend adds to my body image? (7)

Are you sure this is 7?

― jaymc, Tuesday, 27 March 2007 18:48 (eighteen years ago)

(I was thinking "gamine.")

― jaymc, Tuesday, 27 March 2007 21:13 (eighteen years ago)

I always enjoy the solutions to lurker #2421's clues, but I don't even try to solve them.

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Tuesday, 27 March 2007 21:22 (eighteen years ago)

Ha, I'll take that as a compliment! :)

jaymc, it's definitely 7. "Gamine" is a nice thought, though.

The dashes thing would give it away, I think, so here's a hint: the solution doesn't involve any anagramming.

― lurker #2421, Tuesday, 27 March 2007 22:45 (eighteen years ago)

waifish?

― jaymc, Tuesday, 27 March 2007 22:55 (eighteen years ago)

Nope....you're, er, coming at it from the wrong angle.

Aw, hell:

--a----

― lurker #2421, Tuesday, 27 March 2007 22:59 (eighteen years ago)

sparish?

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Wednesday, 28 March 2007 11:09 (eighteen years ago)

Nope!

--a-o--

― lurker #2421, Wednesday, 28 March 2007 15:47 (eighteen years ago)

How about, as a means of achieving both closure and continuity on this thread, setters post one extra letter a day until the clue is answered?

― ledge, Thursday, 29 March 2007 13:48 (eighteen years ago)

ok, here's mine:
-- --i-e -i----e

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Thursday, 29 March 2007 14:02 (eighteen years ago)

I thought it might be "anatomy" but wasn't happy enough with why to post. Now there's another letter I'll throw that out there and hope someone can explain how it fits together. (Probably being stupid here, sorry)

― a passing spacecadet, Thursday, 29 March 2007 14:03 (eighteen years ago)

you're probably right:
ana+to+my

but i dunno why skinny girl's imaginary friend = ana

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Thursday, 29 March 2007 14:05 (eighteen years ago)

Ana = shortened "anorexia" (there are "pro-ana" internet communities which are all "thinspiration" pictures of corpses etc).

― Sarah, Thursday, 29 March 2007 14:08 (eighteen years ago)

I am stuck on my stupid 'how to do cryptic crosswords' book by the way. It has suddenly got harder or I have got stupiderder.

― Sarah, Thursday, 29 March 2007 14:09 (eighteen years ago)

ana = from anorexia
mia = bulima

It's a way that girls with EDs refer to their diseases.

― ENBB, Thursday, 29 March 2007 14:11 (eighteen years ago)

so wherefore the "imaginary friend"?

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Thursday, 29 March 2007 14:24 (eighteen years ago)

They are personifications of the diseases, I presume.

― ledge, Thursday, 29 March 2007 14:26 (eighteen years ago)

Anatomy is right! And yeah, anorexics/bulimics are known to refer to their friends "Ana" and "Mia" as codewords/personifications.

― lurker #2421, Thursday, 29 March 2007 16:12 (eighteen years ago)

And ya see, it's clever because it uses "to my", and the apostrophe and the bebop and the...

</cosby>

― lurker #2421, Thursday, 29 March 2007 16:13 (eighteen years ago)

haha I was thinking of 'Ana' as a skinny Anna and 'Tom' as imaginary friend because he's everyone's fake pal on myspace :)

― onimo, Thursday, 29 March 2007 16:15 (eighteen years ago)

(this was in reverse engineering the puzzle of course)

― onimo, Thursday, 29 March 2007 16:16 (eighteen years ago)

anorexics/bulimics

that should read "certain a/bs within certain online communities", obv

― lurker #2421, Thursday, 29 March 2007 16:16 (eighteen years ago)

Nordic bird gets the flatbed treatment, as it were (12)

― lurker #2421, Wednesday, 11 April 2007 04:01 (eighteen years ago)

Scandinavian. Cute!

― Casuistry, Wednesday, 11 April 2007 05:21 (eighteen years ago)

Memo in re: ammo (8)

― jaymc, Thursday, 12 April 2007 16:20 (eighteen years ago)

bulletin?

army hq costs nothing but heroin addiction ensues (8)

― Will M., Thursday, 12 April 2007 16:26 (eighteen years ago)

yep :)

― jaymc, Thursday, 12 April 2007 16:26 (eighteen years ago)

freebase?

― ailsa, Thursday, 12 April 2007 16:26 (eighteen years ago)

Lodging has nothing but slabs of ribs (8)

― jaymc, Thursday, 12 April 2007 16:33 (eighteen years ago)

barracks.

I really REALLY wish I could make these up as well as I could solve them.

― ailsa, Thursday, 12 April 2007 16:38 (eighteen years ago)

French blame in the Italian bath (7)

― jaymc, Thursday, 12 April 2007 16:52 (eighteen years ago)

Dad picks up the tab for fruit. (6)

― jaymc, Thursday, 12 April 2007 17:05 (eighteen years ago)

The second one's "papaya", right? Though I don't see where the third A comes from.

In tennis, endlessly out-of-practice serving gets failing grade upfront, causes vexation (11)

― lurker #2421, Thursday, 12 April 2007 18:24 (eighteen years ago)

Yeah, it's "papaya." I'm taking luxuries: do all the letters have to be accounted for? I still don't really know the rules here.

― jaymc, Thursday, 12 April 2007 21:17 (eighteen years ago)

The one before "papaya" doesn't really obey the rules, either. :(

― jaymc, Thursday, 12 April 2007 21:27 (eighteen years ago)

Yes, all the letters have to be accounted for. Every word in the clue has to be reflected in the answer, as well.

― Casuistry, Thursday, 12 April 2007 21:40 (eighteen years ago)

Go get that Rathvon/Cox book I linked to. It's worth it! Especially if you find it remaindered like I did.

― Casuistry, Thursday, 12 April 2007 21:40 (eighteen years ago)

This would work:

Dad, pick up the tab for a fruit! (6)

― lurker #2421, Thursday, 12 April 2007 22:51 (eighteen years ago)

("Dad" = pa, "pick up the tab for" = pay, "a" = a, so everything is accounted for)

― lurker #2421, Thursday, 12 April 2007 22:52 (eighteen years ago)

In tennis, endlessly out-of-practice serving gets failing grade upfront, causes vexation (11)

I'm a novice. Is this 'frustrating' or something similar? I'm not 100% sure how though, if it is.

― Not the real Village People, Friday, 13 April 2007 08:13 (eighteen years ago)

Oh, Jaymc's other one is "jacuzzi".

― Casuistry, Friday, 13 April 2007 08:29 (eighteen years ago)

"Frustration" almost works - "F" = failing grade up front, "rust" = endlessly out of practice (rusty), and "ration" = serving. Don't see where the tennis comes from though.

― ledge, Friday, 13 April 2007 09:09 (eighteen years ago)

Yeah I just realised it was probably 'frustration' while I was in the kitchen. Don't get the tennis either.

― Not the real Village People, Friday, 13 April 2007 09:21 (eighteen years ago)

in tennis = intense ?

― StanM, Friday, 13 April 2007 09:24 (eighteen years ago)

Stare at own goal mix up to search (6)

― onimo, Friday, 13 April 2007 10:38 (eighteen years ago)

Sorry, "in tennis" was a bit lame -- I was basically saying "the tennis word for out-of-practice, without its end". Probably should've just left that off; "frustration" is correct.

― lurker #2421, Friday, 13 April 2007 15:15 (eighteen years ago)

Stare at own goal mix up to search

Google

Am I meant to make one up if I post an answer...?

― Not the real Village People, Friday, 13 April 2007 15:23 (eighteen years ago)

Oh, Jaymc's other one is "jacuzzi".

You are correct, sir.

― jaymc, Friday, 13 April 2007 15:23 (eighteen years ago)

xpost - if you like. Or you could just throw one in at any time. Like so:

Crowd on internet forum criticise company providing travelling terpsichorean entertainment (6,5)

― ledge, Friday, 13 April 2007 15:29 (eighteen years ago)

Newspaperman is red faced, loud and drunk (5)

― Mark C, Friday, 13 April 2007 15:49 (eighteen years ago)

Copy chief sleeps around with gentleman caller (9)

― jaymc, Friday, 13 April 2007 16:02 (eighteen years ago)

Nonsense from an aging idiot (8)

― jaymc, Friday, 13 April 2007 16:05 (eighteen years ago)

Question: If you're using words backwards, anagrammed, or embedded within other words, do you need to give some indicator in the clue that that's what you've done? Like with words like "return," or "mix," or "between"?

― jaymc, Friday, 13 April 2007 16:16 (eighteen years ago)

In my experience there's usually an indicator of some sort.

― onimo, Friday, 13 April 2007 16:24 (eighteen years ago)

yes, you do. Otherwise, how will you know that that's what you're to do?

xpost

― ailsa, Friday, 13 April 2007 16:25 (eighteen years ago)

OK, let's change my most recent one to...

Nonsense from an idiot who's aging inside (8)

― jaymc, Friday, 13 April 2007 16:28 (eighteen years ago)

folderol

Except that doesn't work.

― ailsa, Friday, 13 April 2007 16:30 (eighteen years ago)

Why not, because the O is shared?

― jaymc, Friday, 13 April 2007 16:34 (eighteen years ago)

Yep, you have to give some clue to the process, and the clue has to divide very strictly between definition/synonym and wordplay. Here are some simple examples --

Party | hides in Tonga lake (4)
Mixed-up kids | lose control on the ice (4)
Lana reversed | neatnik tendencies? (4)
Stan lost his head | looking like a beach bum? (3)
Belafonte is | hirsute, they say (5)

(xpost)

― lurker #2421, Friday, 13 April 2007 16:38 (eighteen years ago)

Yeah. You'd have to have something that discounted one of the "o"s attached to one of the parts of the clue - in this case it could be the "o" at the start of older or one of the "o"s in fool so either part of the clue could be modified.

xpost

― ailsa, Friday, 13 April 2007 16:39 (eighteen years ago)

Why not, because the O is shared?

Right. You could do something about "starved for oxygen" (minus one O) but that gets very fussy.

― lurker #2421, Friday, 13 April 2007 16:42 (eighteen years ago)

Added Ecstasy to mixed drink for German kids (6)

― lurker #2421, Friday, 13 April 2007 16:44 (eighteen years ago)

kinder

― ailsa, Friday, 13 April 2007 16:44 (eighteen years ago)

Wow, nice one.

― jaymc, Friday, 13 April 2007 16:45 (eighteen years ago)

Sorry, I'm changing my clue again:

Copy chief interrupts gentleman caller to sleep with him (9)

― jaymc, Friday, 13 April 2007 16:51 (eighteen years ago)

I want the hardcore xword dudes to tell me if my clue is flawed (i think it may be, in terms of where the words come)

Newspaperman is red faced, loud and drunk (5)

― Mark C, Friday, 13 April 2007 17:02 (eighteen years ago)

hahahaha I am teh idiot

Newspaperman is red faced, loud and drunk (7)

― Mark C, Friday, 13 April 2007 17:03 (eighteen years ago)

man am I red faced myself now.

― Mark C, Friday, 13 April 2007 17:03 (eighteen years ago)

The basic idea is tht clues come in two halves. One half is the "definition" part, and the other half is the "wordplay" part. And the wordplay part needs to literally describe the word. Notice how in "added ecstasy to mixed drink" is a recipe for putting "e" in "kindr" and getting "kinder", and notice how all of "kinder" is accounted for and how there are no extraneous words to the recipe.

― Casuistry, Friday, 13 April 2007 20:37 (eighteen years ago)

Bad girls got rough start (5)

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 19:02 (eighteen years ago)

Tarts.

Wayward girl got ahead? (5)

― Casuistry, Wednesday, 25 April 2007 20:23 (eighteen years ago)

is it holed?

― Will M., Wednesday, 25 April 2007 22:11 (eighteen years ago)

Pointlessly pine for this thread (4)

― ledge, Wednesday, 2 May 2007 13:52 (eighteen years ago)

two months pass...

Wake up to Romanesque foreign-sounding French dream? (6)

― Casuistry, Wednesday, 25 July 2007 18:41 (seventeen years ago)

three months pass...

Hand toilet in intensive care covered in dung (8)

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Saturday, 17 November 2007 03:48 (seventeen years ago)

I was thinking about reviving this!

Manicure.

Exalt when one hears an elderly relative passes away (10)

― ledge, Saturday, 17 November 2007 09:41 (seventeen years ago)

(pretty yuckily constructed, that one)

― ledge, Saturday, 17 November 2007 09:43 (seventeen years ago)

Oh for shame, ledge. ;-)

Aggrandize.

Do another one.

― Casuistry, Saturday, 17 November 2007 09:55 (seventeen years ago)

More grammatical liberties taken:

Fewer than a thousand in turn become a child prodigy (10)

I've just signed up with the Times online xword, that might help me buck my ideas up.

― ledge, Saturday, 17 November 2007 10:27 (seventeen years ago)

Newspaperman is red faced, loud and drunk (7)

-- Mark C, Friday, 13 April 2007 18:03 (7 months ago)

Um, chaps, can you have another go at this one because now *I* can't remember what it means (though I will if someone gets it)

― Mark C, Saturday, 17 November 2007 10:37 (seventeen years ago)

I'm struggling. Murdoch, Maxwell... Loud = f? Drunk = anag?

― ledge, Saturday, 17 November 2007 10:58 (seventeen years ago)

Should we even bother to try on this side of the pond?

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Saturday, 17 November 2007 14:36 (seventeen years ago)

Violently slain around point for free babysitting (6)

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Tuesday, 20 November 2007 20:56 (seventeen years ago)

inlaws

― ledge, Tuesday, 20 November 2007 21:56 (seventeen years ago)

one month passes...

dress wounded organs (6)
needle point heart (7)

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Thursday, 3 January 2008 14:00 (seventeen years ago)

Sarong

― onimo, Thursday, 3 January 2008 14:01 (seventeen years ago)

Yes. What about the other one?

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Thursday, 3 January 2008 14:05 (seventeen years ago)

Scotsman's game inside null and void (5)

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Thursday, 3 January 2008 14:06 (seventeen years ago)

needle point heart (7)

Sticker?

― ailsa, Thursday, 3 January 2008 14:17 (seventeen years ago)

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Thursday, 3 January 2008 14:24 (seventeen years ago)

I don't get it.

― onimo, Thursday, 3 January 2008 14:26 (seventeen years ago)

you stick needles in things. S = south = a point. Ticker = heart.

― ailsa, Thursday, 3 January 2008 14:29 (seventeen years ago)

(i went with the point/heart thing first, then tried to convince myself that needle and sticker meant the same, hence question mark as I wasn't entirely convinced myself)

― ailsa, Thursday, 3 January 2008 14:31 (seventeen years ago)

I struggle to think of a needle being a sticker. I might have got it if it was 'pin point heart', but probably not.

― onimo, Thursday, 3 January 2008 14:32 (seventeen years ago)

OK, yours is probably a better version of the clue. That usage of sticker is not very common.

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Thursday, 3 January 2008 14:35 (seventeen years ago)

Towers are inside places to make money (8)

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Friday, 4 January 2008 00:49 (seventeen years ago)

letters for scottish one plz! this thread always become overwhelmed with unanswered clues and then dies.

― ledge, Friday, 4 January 2008 10:19 (seventeen years ago)

-n---

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Friday, 4 January 2008 14:06 (seventeen years ago)

Angus. I had to look at a list of scottish names. "G" for game? I don't really hold with arbitrary initialisms. And I get the void, but what about null?

― ledge, Friday, 4 January 2008 14:33 (seventeen years ago)

minarets

― darraghmac, Friday, 4 January 2008 14:35 (seventeen years ago)

not convinced by angus, seems a bit of a reach.

― darraghmac, Friday, 4 January 2008 14:36 (seventeen years ago)

-n--o

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Friday, 4 January 2008 14:37 (seventeen years ago)

ha ha ONIMO?

― darraghmac, Friday, 4 January 2008 14:43 (seventeen years ago)

I take it all back! Funny that it nearly worked for my answer. Nearly.

― ledge, Friday, 4 January 2008 14:45 (seventeen years ago)

Overturn due to limit on capacity (7)

― ledge, Friday, 4 January 2008 15:09 (seventeen years ago)

capsize

― darraghmac, Friday, 4 January 2008 15:14 (seventeen years ago)

um, new clue please?

― I know, right?, Friday, 4 January 2008 15:15 (seventeen years ago)

who, me?

― darraghmac, Friday, 4 January 2008 15:30 (seventeen years ago)

I'm pretty sure that's how it's meant to work and if I'm wrong whateveriwantanewclueNOW!!!

― I know, right?, Friday, 4 January 2008 15:32 (seventeen years ago)

It ain't my turn but here's one anyway

With gas in vehicle, stick around as the engine starts (10)

― ledge, Friday, 4 January 2008 15:36 (seventeen years ago)

become, but don't go straight there. (4,4)

sorry, am kinda flustered. this was jumped on me somewhat. i am copying from crosaire in the irish times, if that's cheating go suck eggs.

― darraghmac, Friday, 4 January 2008 15:36 (seventeen years ago)

crankshaft?

― darraghmac, Friday, 4 January 2008 15:38 (seventeen years ago)

turn into?

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Friday, 4 January 2008 15:39 (seventeen years ago)

Ugh, too late

― I know, right?, Friday, 4 January 2008 15:40 (seventeen years ago)

I hate you all.

― I know, right?, Friday, 4 January 2008 15:40 (seventeen years ago)

no to crankshaft

― ledge, Friday, 4 January 2008 15:40 (seventeen years ago)

ah well, i gave it a shot and that's important, hey?

― darraghmac, Friday, 4 January 2008 15:51 (seventeen years ago)

Sure, have a cookie.

― ledge, Friday, 4 January 2008 15:54 (seventeen years ago)

"carbonated", I reckon.

Oh, but I can't make them, sorry. I'll have a think but I can only come up with one a year and I don't think 2008's is due yet.

― a passing spacecadet, Friday, 4 January 2008 16:00 (seventeen years ago)

correct - have a gateau.

― ledge, Friday, 4 January 2008 16:03 (seventeen years ago)

damn no-one mentioned gateaux for winners

― darraghmac, Friday, 4 January 2008 16:11 (seventeen years ago)

This thread rolls like a dead moose.

Gent will wear this in city, take it off in wood (8)

― ledge, Wednesday, 9 January 2008 11:34 (seventeen years ago)

Still don't know what that is.

Salamander rose on circle in front of patch of land (7)

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Wednesday, 23 January 2008 01:28 (seventeen years ago)

Axolotl! axoLOLing at "rose" etc

As I said I can't do these, but I ought to try to earn my gateaux somehow, so...

One can stray endlessly next to insect wanderer (9)

There, that's pretty shoddily constructed. Just so you're warned.

― a passing spacecadet, Wednesday, 23 January 2008 12:17 (seventeen years ago)

mine: P--------

d'oh! it's (9) not (8) ;_;

― ledge, Wednesday, 23 January 2008 12:32 (seventeen years ago)

Itinerant

― ledge, Wednesday, 23 January 2008 12:33 (seventeen years ago)

Correct! Have a blancmange while I consider this new information.

― a passing spacecadet, Wednesday, 23 January 2008 12:45 (seventeen years ago)

Sophisticated poster gets fork, followed by pen, another fork and shortened key for Song of Tomorrow (2,5,7)

-- James Redd and the Blecchs, Monday, March 26, 2007 9:21 PM (9 months ago)
The answer to this was

My White Bicycle

if anyone was wondering.

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Wednesday, 23 January 2008 22:35 (seventeen years ago)

I know I was.

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Wednesday, 23 January 2008 22:35 (seventeen years ago)

You need to work on your surface readings

― ledge, Wednesday, 23 January 2008 22:40 (seventeen years ago)

Thanks for the advice.

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Wednesday, 23 January 2008 22:41 (seventeen years ago)

Here to help!

― ledge, Wednesday, 23 January 2008 22:43 (seventeen years ago)

How about helping with another letter for yours?

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Wednesday, 23 January 2008 22:44 (seventeen years ago)

P-N------ !

― ledge, Wednesday, 23 January 2008 22:46 (seventeen years ago)

pinstripe

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Wednesday, 23 January 2008 22:50 (seventeen years ago)

yay

― ledge, Wednesday, 23 January 2008 22:51 (seventeen years ago)

To summarize one point before crazy aunt's torment (2,1,8)

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Monday, 28 January 2008 21:23 (seventeen years ago)

In a nutshell. You might be able to make that clue less awkward, though.

― Casuistry, Tuesday, 29 January 2008 02:25 (seventeen years ago)

My flow is not glowing like phosphorus these days. But you gets wanna criticize, you provide an improved version of the clue.

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Tuesday, 29 January 2008 02:31 (seventeen years ago)

Well, the best I've gotten with it so far is:

To make a long story short, crazy aunt's between Gary's home and the underworld.

Which is maybe better, but not there yet.

― Casuistry, Tuesday, 29 January 2008 02:40 (seventeen years ago)

Short story beginning in crazy aunt's place in New York with kitchen

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Tuesday, 29 January 2008 16:53 (seventeen years ago)

To cut a long story short, at home, crazy aunt's torment

doesn't work cause it needs to be crazy aunt is torment, not torment of crazy aunt.

To cut a long story short, it's awful inside a cashew :)

― ledge, Tuesday, 29 January 2008 17:06 (seventeen years ago)

Wilson accepts genuine German theatre style. (9)

― Casuistry, Wednesday, 30 January 2008 08:17 (seventeen years ago)

Brechtian

― Noodle Vague, Wednesday, 30 January 2008 08:34 (seventeen years ago)

Nodding Colonel, we hear, leads soldier (6)

― Noodle Vague, Wednesday, 30 January 2008 20:41 (seventeen years ago)

three months pass...

Dunno.

Fat man getting one hot wind (7)

― James Redd and the Blecchs, Friday, 23 May 2008 04:43 (seventeen years ago)

four months pass...

Chronicles about saga of cheese (7)

― Retrato Em Redd E Blecch (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 17 October 2008 17:35 (sixteen years ago)

i miss this thread. but unsolved clues should get an extra letter a day, or it just dies.

i remember looking at a list of named winds for that one four months ago. just tried again, still no joy.

― allez, allons-y, on y va (ledge), Friday, 17 October 2008 17:58 (sixteen years ago)

-a-----

(Although, now that I look, apparently this spelling is not considered correct by many)

― Retrato Em Redd E Blecch (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 17 October 2008 18:11 (sixteen years ago)

is that the cheese chronicle or the fat wind?

― allez, allons-y, on y va (ledge), Friday, 17 October 2008 18:16 (sixteen years ago)

Taleggio?

― jaymc, Friday, 17 October 2008 18:17 (sixteen years ago)

Nope. The fat wind.

― Retrato Em Redd E Blecch (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 17 October 2008 18:35 (sixteen years ago)

Fat man getting one hot wind in Baja California (7)

-a---n-

(note again that this now seems to be considered a variant spelling)

Chronicles about saga of cheese (7)
c------

― Retrato Em Redd E Blecch (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 20 October 2008 12:59 (sixteen years ago)

Please to solve these clues before snarky remarks from Casuistry.

― Retrato Em Redd E Blecch (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 20 October 2008 14:40 (sixteen years ago)

cheddar

― allez, allons-y, on y va (ledge), Monday, 20 October 2008 15:22 (sixteen years ago)

Please to explain reasoning?

― ailsa, Monday, 20 October 2008 15:24 (sixteen years ago)

edda is a norse mythology (saga), chr for chronicles (common abbrev. used for the book of the bible).

santana, santa + an ('santa ana' the more common rendering)

― allez, allons-y, on y va (ledge), Monday, 20 October 2008 15:26 (sixteen years ago)

Yes and yes, thanks.

― Retrato Em Redd E Blecch (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 20 October 2008 15:28 (sixteen years ago)

Small houses for too much, in pounds (8)

― allez, allons-y, on y va (ledge), Monday, 20 October 2008 15:42 (sixteen years ago)

Ah, thanks. Had been trying to fit "IH" into santa (for one, and hot)unsuccessfully there. Did not know the edda thing, though had considered cheddar as a possible answer.

I do like this thread, and I'm glad it's back.

― ailsa, Monday, 20 October 2008 15:48 (sixteen years ago)

-----g--

― allez, allons-y, on y va (ledge), Tuesday, 21 October 2008 07:39 (sixteen years ago)

cottages?

― Retrato Em Redd E Blecch (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 21 October 2008 13:28 (sixteen years ago)

Yes! OTT in cages. I hate when you stare at these for ages and can't get them, then someone else does and it's really really obvious.

― ailsa, Tuesday, 21 October 2008 13:30 (sixteen years ago)

I thought about cottages yesterday, but I could see how it worked. I still didn't understand the OTT until you just capitalized it.

― Retrato Em Redd E Blecch (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 21 October 2008 13:33 (sixteen years ago)

go teamwork! *high fives*

― ailsa, Tuesday, 21 October 2008 13:44 (sixteen years ago)

Stir tuna around, hesitate to season (6)

― Don't juggle with the words, let's know about our sexuality flash boy (ledge), Tuesday, 4 November 2008 12:13 (sixteen years ago)

Nature.

― Nothing has transpired (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 4 November 2008 12:15 (sixteen years ago)

Sorry, I mean Autumn don't I?

― Nothing has transpired (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 4 November 2008 12:15 (sixteen years ago)

yup!

Mass protest raised about pork - could this bring the ire of Muslims? (8)

― Don't juggle with the words, let's know about our sexuality flash boy (ledge), Tuesday, 4 November 2008 12:30 (sixteen years ago)

-O------

strictly speaking this should be a down clue.

― ledge, Wednesday, 5 November 2008 12:58 (sixteen years ago)

-O---M--

― ledge, Thursday, 6 November 2008 18:45 (sixteen years ago)

Mohammed.

― Charlie Rose Nylund, Thursday, 6 November 2008 21:53 (sixteen years ago)

This is how you see and hear deceptive art; this is how you feel when a feather attacks. (9)

― Charlie Rose Nylund, Thursday, 6 November 2008 22:09 (sixteen years ago)

Optically. Rad clue, very poetic.

― ledge, Friday, 7 November 2008 10:01 (sixteen years ago)

one month passes...

Turnaround at end of modern Odyssey? (3)
Pair of Five-0s impound fifty Scandinavian wheels (5)

― Ruudside Picnic (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 8 December 2008 15:33 (sixteen years ago)

Yes.
Volvo.

― Casuistry, Monday, 8 December 2008 15:35 (sixteen years ago)

missed this thread.

― darraghmac, Monday, 8 December 2008 15:36 (sixteen years ago)

OK Chris, your turn.

― Ruudside Picnic (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 8 December 2008 15:37 (sixteen years ago)

Cryptic snaps:

Your mom is like some Oklahoma city after a tornado has hit! (1, 4)
Your mom is like taffy that's been pulled too much! (5)
Your mom tried to eat Switzerland! (5)

― Casuistry, Monday, 8 December 2008 15:57 (sixteen years ago)

Oh jeez, I screwed up the second one! Don't try to come up with these things before coffee.

― Casuistry, Monday, 8 December 2008 15:58 (sixteen years ago)

Your mom is like taffy that was pulled so much it broke! (3)

― Casuistry, Monday, 8 December 2008 15:59 (sixteen years ago)

Your mom tried to eat Switzerland! (5)
This is very sophisticated., Chris.

― Ruudside Picnic (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 8 December 2008 16:23 (sixteen years ago)

Your mom is all about a fish, I see? (8)

― Casuistry, Monday, 8 December 2008 22:14 (sixteen years ago)

I think there's a Jim Thompson novel about that one.

― Ruudside Picnic (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 8 December 2008 22:15 (sixteen years ago)

Your mom fills the world with these ladylike skills! (5)

― Casuistry, Monday, 8 December 2008 22:53 (sixteen years ago)

^ can only get two of those

Rash appearance leads some young medical practitioner to opine 'Measles!' (7)

― ledge, Wednesday, 10 December 2008 17:06 (sixteen years ago)

Which ones can't you get? Some are tricky (and some could use more work (and there is some overlap)).

― Casuistry, Thursday, 11 December 2008 03:02 (sixteen years ago)

Symptom. Cute!

― Casuistry, Thursday, 11 December 2008 03:29 (sixteen years ago)

i've got 'a slut' and 'fat' (i think?)

aha, and 'bitch'!

― ledge, Thursday, 11 December 2008 13:31 (sixteen years ago)

I got what ledge got

― Ruudside Picnic (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 11 December 2008 14:51 (sixteen years ago)

--c------

I'm not sure the other one is really that hard!

― Casuistry, Thursday, 11 December 2008 16:19 (sixteen years ago)

Oh, yeah I had got that one too.

― Ruudside Picnic (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 11 December 2008 16:34 (sixteen years ago)

Upchucking stale chew-it in burger joint (5,6)

― Ruudside Picnic (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 14 December 2008 02:52 (sixteen years ago)

White Castle.

― Casuistry, Sunday, 14 December 2008 03:06 (sixteen years ago)

Yes.

Come as you are essay by grad student (9)

― Ruudside Picnic (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 14 December 2008 03:11 (sixteen years ago)

Oh, ~~grad~~

― Ruudside Picnic (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 14 December 2008 03:13 (sixteen years ago)

or maybe "returning student"

hot Spanish cold (5)

― Ruudside Picnic (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 15 December 2008 00:01 (sixteen years ago)

re: your mom - alcoholic. can only think of whore for t'other one bit can't figure it out.

― sister s (ledge), Monday, 15 December 2008 00:06 (sixteen years ago)

Alsatian painter, for example, greeting American soldier with embrace and delineating FACE, for example (8)

Maybe that other one is "warts"?

― Ruudside Picnic (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 15 December 2008 19:38 (sixteen years ago)

So close!

― Casuistry, Tuesday, 16 December 2008 05:38 (sixteen years ago)

tell a student 'come as you are' (8)

sorry, couldn't help it. am i thinking along the right lines? can't come up with any synonyms that would fit...

― sister s (ledge), Tuesday, 16 December 2008 11:19 (sixteen years ago)

wiles?

Alsatian artist, for example, greeting American soldier with embrace delineated FACE, for example (8)
---e----
hot Spanish cold (5)
This is pretty easy. No letters today.

― Ruudside Picnic (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 16 December 2008 14:32 (sixteen years ago)

OK, maybe I'll give some letters soon.

― Ruudside Picnic (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 16 December 2008 18:58 (sixteen years ago)

Alsatian artist, for example, greeting American soldier with embrace delineated FACE, for example (8)
---e--i-

hot Spanish cold (5)
--i--

― Ruudside Picnic (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 18 December 2008 15:43 (sixteen years ago)

What candy reveals if floating (4,5)

― ilx chilton (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 31 December 2008 21:22 (sixteen years ago)

Smelly and amusing state (5)

― ilx chilton (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 2 January 2009 15:48 (sixteen years ago)

chili for hot/cold. clueless on rest.

― Redknapp out (darraghmac), Friday, 2 January 2009 15:52 (sixteen years ago)

Not chili. Try again.

― ilx chilton (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 2 January 2009 16:02 (sixteen years ago)

ah whaddaya mean it's not chili!

― Redknapp out (darraghmac), Friday, 2 January 2009 16:03 (sixteen years ago)

chili is noun, hot is adjective

s-i--

― ilx chilton (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 2 January 2009 16:08 (sixteen years ago)

i'm up to my eyelids with flu, so tbh i'm cutting my losses. so gutted about chili.

― Redknapp out (darraghmac), Friday, 2 January 2009 16:20 (sixteen years ago)

Alsatian artist, for example, greeting American soldier with embrace delineated FACE, for example (8)
-r-e--i-

What candy reveals if floating (4,5)

---- ---e-

― ilx chilton (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 2 January 2009 16:26 (sixteen years ago)

"Hot Spanish cold" is "spicy" and I am too braindead to offer a new one, sorry. Happy new year to the cryptic thread massive, though.

― britisher ringpulls (a passing spacecadet), Friday, 2 January 2009 17:04 (sixteen years ago)

Yes.

Something illogical after Norway and Sweden get point and give up original (3,8)

― ilx chilton (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 2 January 2009 17:34 (sixteen years ago)

non sequitur

― ledge, Saturday, 3 January 2009 07:56 (sixteen years ago)

Odd steps around rapper's girl's footwear (5)

― ledge, Saturday, 3 January 2009 08:04 (sixteen years ago)

__O__

― ledge, Sunday, 4 January 2009 15:46 (sixteen years ago)

shoes? though I don't get the steps bit, rapper's girl = ho.

― ailsa, Sunday, 4 January 2009 16:27 (sixteen years ago)

odd steps = the odd letters, s e s.

― ledge, Sunday, 4 January 2009 16:32 (sixteen years ago)

Healthy, sick or broke (6)
Five-0 almost got rapper to talk (5)

― ilx chilton (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 5 January 2009 20:14 (sixteen years ago)

The second one's voice

― ailsa, Monday, 5 January 2009 20:21 (sixteen years ago)

Yes.

― ilx chilton (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 5 January 2009 20:22 (sixteen years ago)

What's the first one, ailsa?

Also still have these two
Alsatian artist, for example, greeting American soldier with embrace delineated FACE, for example (8)
-r-e--i-

What candy reveals if floating (4,5)

---- ---e-

― ilx chilton (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 5 January 2009 20:23 (sixteen years ago)

And this
Smelly and amusing state (5)
(might be easier for someone in the US)

― ilx chilton (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 5 January 2009 20:24 (sixteen years ago)

arpeggio (figured out '--eggi-' and then cheated)

― ledge, Monday, 5 January 2009 20:39 (sixteen years ago)

Great, thanks for getting that over with.

― ilx chilton (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 5 January 2009 20:52 (sixteen years ago)

Healthy, sick or broke (6)
-----t

What candy reveals if floating (4,5)
---e ---e-

Smelly and amusing state (5)
---n-

Dies outside icu, sadly (6)
Top monkey times (4)
Mobile man around tree (6)

― ilx chilton (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 6 January 2009 14:07 (sixteen years ago)

tell a student 'come as you are' (8)
no idea

― ilx chilton (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 6 January 2009 16:30 (sixteen years ago)

informal.

What candy reveals if floating (4,5)
life saver?

― ledge, Wednesday, 7 January 2009 14:24 (sixteen years ago)

Yes.

Who is Al?

― ilx chilton (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 7 January 2009 14:37 (sixteen years ago)

A L, a learner. (Common over here, 'L' plates on cars indicate learner driver.)

― ledge, Wednesday, 7 January 2009 14:38 (sixteen years ago)

Healthy, sick or broke (6)
-o---t

Smelly and amusing state (5)
--n-- (Previous hint was messed up)

Dies outside icu, sadly (7) (previous numbering was messed up)
--i----

Top monkey times (4)
--e-

Mobile man around tree (6)
----e-

― ilx chilton (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 8 January 2009 15:12 (sixteen years ago)

Apex. A pedant writes: ape is not monkey!

― ledge, Thursday, 8 January 2009 16:28 (sixteen years ago)

I know, but I wanted to use "Monkey Time(s)"

― ilx chilton (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 8 January 2009 16:31 (sixteen years ago)

Oh, I wondered if the N was in the wrong place. "Funky"

― britisher ringpulls (a passing spacecadet), Thursday, 8 January 2009 16:31 (sixteen years ago)

Suicide

― ledge, Thursday, 8 January 2009 16:32 (sixteen years ago)

Yes and yes.

Did I ever ask you this one?

Ape aches inside for beauty (5)

No I don't think so.

― ilx chilton (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 8 January 2009 16:33 (sixteen years ago)

A propos of nothing at all, my work did a Christmas prize crossword, with some winter festival themed clues, and I can see that one of them must be Diwali but I can't figure the clue out at all, which means I don't know whether they want the W spelling or the V spelling (non-intersecting square). Bah!

Anyway, it'd be unsporting to ask you guys, but still, I thought I'd complain here where people might understand my annoyance.

― britisher ringpulls (a passing spacecadet), Thursday, 8 January 2009 16:36 (sixteen years ago)

Why don't you post clue?

― ilx chilton (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 8 January 2009 17:12 (sixteen years ago)

Healthy, sick or broke (6)
ro---t

Mobile man around tree (6)
-a--e-

Ape aches inside for beauty (5)
--a--

― ilx chilton (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 9 January 2009 19:37 (sixteen years ago)

robust!

― ledge, Friday, 9 January 2009 19:39 (sixteen years ago)

Yes!

― ilx chilton (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 9 January 2009 19:49 (sixteen years ago)

peach

― ailsa, Friday, 9 January 2009 20:08 (sixteen years ago)

Yup.

Mobile man around tree (6)
-a--er

― ilx chilton (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 9 January 2009 20:33 (sixteen years ago)

Hanger?

― Beloved lightbulb (Neil S), Friday, 9 January 2009 20:37 (sixteen years ago)

Esoteric electronic duo confuse posh teacher (8)

― ledge, Friday, 9 January 2009 20:49 (sixteen years ago)

Nope.

― ilx chilton (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 9 January 2009 21:02 (sixteen years ago)

-al-er

― ilx chilton (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 9 January 2009 21:17 (sixteen years ago)

A kiss, hugs, a wave lead to something to get down to (8)

― ilx chilton (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 12 January 2009 15:26 (sixteen years ago)

^Greeting?

― throwbookatface (skygreenleopard), Monday, 12 January 2009 16:55 (sixteen years ago)

Nope.

---i----

― ilx chilton (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 12 January 2009 17:00 (sixteen years ago)

Business? sine= wave but don't get buss = kiss.

Esoteric electronic duo confuse posh teacher (8)

--t-----

― ledge, Monday, 12 January 2009 17:04 (sixteen years ago)

Yes. "Buss" is old word, used to be slang over here, you guys probably lost it earlier. Here's what OED says

buss /bVs/ n.2 & v.t. & i. Now arch., dial., & N. Amer. colloq.L16. [Prob. alt. of BASS n.3, v.1] (A) kiss.

― ilx chilton (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 12 January 2009 17:09 (sixteen years ago)

Still can't get yours, sorry.

Kind of engine school gets an earful (6)

― ilx chilton (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 12 January 2009 17:15 (sixteen years ago)

Autechre!

― anatol_merklich, Monday, 12 January 2009 21:43 (sixteen years ago)

yup!

― ledge, Monday, 12 January 2009 21:54 (sixteen years ago)

Damn. For some reason I kept trying to work "Pole" in their. I still don't see how it works.

― ilx chilton (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 12 January 2009 21:57 (sixteen years ago)

Mobile man around tree (6)
-alder

― ilx chilton (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 12 January 2009 21:58 (sixteen years ago)

anag, teacher + u (posh)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U_and_non-U_English

calder! d'oh, i even thought of his sculptures, but his name didn't spring to mind.

― ledge, Monday, 12 January 2009 22:00 (sixteen years ago)

Kind of engine school gets an earful (6)
--a---

Races around a dictator (6)

Something following a queen and a metal-plated sun-god (5)

― ilx chilton (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 13 January 2009 14:50 (sixteen years ago)

Races around a dictator (6)
Ceasar

― Francisco Javier Sánchez Brot (onimo), Tuesday, 13 January 2009 15:00 (sixteen years ago)

yes

― ilx chilton (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 13 January 2009 15:11 (sixteen years ago)

Something following a queen and a metal-plated sun-god (5)

Okay, I'm sure this is wrong, but I've been trying to get into cryptic crosswords for a while with limited success. Any tips on why I'm an idiot and going about it all the wrong way would be gratefully received. The only answer that I got for this that seemed vaguely plausible was 'carat'. First off, I started with the thing that seems obvious, that sun-god refers to 'ra'. I wasn't sure about the metal-plated, I thought maybe it should be a single letter, but we can relate 'carat' to gold, and gold to metal-plating, so that's where the final answer came in. The queen could be Catherine, hence 'cat' surrounding 'ra'... but the 'something following' is a mystery to me.

― emil.y, Tuesday, 13 January 2009 15:25 (sixteen years ago)

That's a good try emil.y, but not quite there yet. Don't feel bad about "going about it all the wrong way" - a lot of times the wrong way is the right way. I mean to say that's the kind of thinking that eventually gives you the right answer.

― ilx chilton (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 13 January 2009 15:29 (sixteen years ago)

Train

The key to cryptic clues is that they normally consist of two parts, the definition, and a description of how to build up the word. So because there are only two parts, the definition either has to come first, i.e. at the start of the clue, or second, at the end. In this case it's the start, 'Something following a queen'. Then we get the word-play bit: sun-god is indeed 'ra', which is plated, or covered by, or inside, 'tin'.

― ledge, Tuesday, 13 January 2009 17:17 (sixteen years ago)

Company member is allowed to be involved in illegal activity (9)

― ledge, Tuesday, 13 January 2009 17:37 (sixteen years ago)

Actually I guess it should really be

Company member allowed to be involved in illegal activity (9)

― ledge, Tuesday, 13 January 2009 17:38 (sixteen years ago)

Ah, yep, that makes much more sense. The reason why I knew my answer must be wrong is that I thought 'metal-plated' was in too strange a position to be the definition part (aside from the fact that it's not a true definition of the word I gave), but completely overlooked the fact that it could be 'something following a queen' rather than 'something following' (which made no sense to me), 'a queen', etc etc...

― emil.y, Tuesday, 13 January 2009 17:59 (sixteen years ago)

Yes, ledge is correct. Thing is, sometimes you can see what the answer is without fully breaking the clue down into its components. And sometimes by adjusting wrong guess you make your way to the right one. So don't get hung up about getting it wrong.

― ilx chilton (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 13 January 2009 18:03 (sixteen years ago)

Races around a dictator (6)
Ceasar

Think this should be 'races madly around...', fwiw. Otherwise either the anagram isn't indicated, or 'around' is doing double service.

― ledge, Tuesday, 13 January 2009 18:15 (sixteen years ago)

Yeah, that's better.

― ilx chilton (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 13 January 2009 18:22 (sixteen years ago)

Also, it's spelled Caesar :-)

Am part of the way there to ledge's, but not enough to actually get an answer...

― ailsa, Tuesday, 13 January 2009 20:44 (sixteen years ago)

complicit

― ilx chilton (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 13 January 2009 20:52 (sixteen years ago)

yup

― ledge, Tuesday, 13 January 2009 20:53 (sixteen years ago)

Well done. I'd got comp, but was trying to work in "let" for "allowed" which was throwing me a bit.

― ailsa, Tuesday, 13 January 2009 20:54 (sixteen years ago)

Yes, I kept trying to get "let" in there too.

― ilx chilton (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 13 January 2009 20:55 (sixteen years ago)

Ha, I thought it might be something to do with 'licit' straight away, but couldn't get the 'comp', kept on trying to go with 'CEO' or similar... feel a bit dumb for not automatically thinking licit -> complicit.

― emil.y, Tuesday, 13 January 2009 21:00 (sixteen years ago)

Nobody's gonna try this one?

Kind of engine school gets an earful (6)
--a---

― ilx chilton (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 13 January 2009 21:06 (sixteen years ago)

I think I know how it works but can't think of any words to fit.

― ledge, Tuesday, 13 January 2009 21:28 (sixteen years ago)

I managed to cheat my way into the answer, so I won't give it here, but I'm pleased I was on the right track with one of the parts.

― emil.y, Tuesday, 13 January 2009 21:42 (sixteen years ago)

King of the mouth getting me a lesson (8)

― lemmy tristano (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 16 January 2009 02:17 (sixteen years ago)

Tutorial

― Francisco Javier Sánchez Brot (onimo), Friday, 16 January 2009 11:05 (sixteen years ago)

Kind of engine school gets an earful (6)
--a---

― "Two Ears" Laybelle (Noodle Vague), Friday, 16 January 2009 11:06 (sixteen years ago)

ugh (at self)

― ledge, Friday, 16 January 2009 11:25 (sixteen years ago)

I'm still a novice at cryptics...
I was doing one today where the clue was "County dressing informally" (4 letters)
I was sure it would be 'Down' as in County Down, dressing down=informally.
The correct answer was mayo.
I see why but is there a reason why 'down' wouldn't work?

― Not the real Village People, Saturday, 17 January 2009 00:43 (sixteen years ago)

If we are being purist, it wouldn't work because "down" =/= "dressing informally". I wouldn't be surprised at it actually occurring though, maybe with a question mark at the end to indicate a less stringent cryptic. (NB I am not an A+ expert at this.)

(Another thing is that the surface of that clue isn't all that, imo -- counties rarely dress.)

― anatol_merklich, Saturday, 17 January 2009 15:36 (sixteen years ago)

get on with a dash and a shout (6)

― ledge, Saturday, 17 January 2009 17:34 (sixteen years ago)

OK, I hope I don't derail the thread by this, but I really am inordinately pleased with myself for having made my first full 15x15, and would like to share.

NB I'm a beginner at this, so some of the clues may of course be a bit off, at least if you're a hardcore Ximenean or similar. In fact, I know that a couple are really pushing it, and probably outside what's deemed acceptable... ;)

http://i23.photobucket.com/albums/b356/olem/cryptic_crossword01.gif

Across
1. Disturbed niece hid son from Vietnam, possibly (11)
9. Monster returns, consequently (4)
10. Wave of popular sentiment is reason to run (11)
11. Deflated, essentially (4)
14. Some heard rumbling membrane (7)
16. Force of about 50,000 "Fat Men" (7)
17. Travels to finish "Peru for Dummies" (5)
18. Was sorry for rude disturbance (4)
19. Second-rate gear for two-master (4)
20. They're in command of their faculties (5)
22. Possible source of biofuel – no diesel around (7)
23. Percussion instrument with broken amp in it (7)
24. The smallest heirloom? (4)
28. Latin boy twisting a citron from a Caribbean island (6, 5)
29. The fifth letter from the right margin ruler (4)
30. You smooth more than half of the small, small parts (11)

Down
2. Single-minded enthusiast rendered half crazy (4)
3. Burden is carried by you and me (4)
4. Cover skin in front of public (7)
5. Amphibian that is both east and west in a part of the Bible (4)
6. Sausages fought over in 480 BC? (7)
7. Working class is in favour of permit allowing song after opening time (11)
8. My French translation of Genet, first rushed in from the Balkans somewhere (11)
12. Drinking-glasses gone next morning? (4, 7)
13. I charge after fresh soil from an Arctic island (11)
15. Motorcycle was blue (5)
16. Dole for President! (5)
20. Orgy revealed by a bed upturned at University church (7)
21. Italian wife's soaring medley (7)
25. Einundzwanzig! (4)
26. Told an untruth by Schubert, for example? (4)
27. Every tea chest contains it (4)

― anatol_merklich, Saturday, 17 January 2009 20:37 (sixteen years ago)

brilliant! have been meaning to do the same myself for quite some time. will give yours a go.

― ledge, Saturday, 17 January 2009 20:42 (sixteen years ago)

Am stuck on a couple - 19 and 25. Overall I thought it was pretty good! No major probs with the clues, although not really sold on 10 and 11 (if I understand them). Good contructions, and mostly good surface readings. 16 and 24 I liked! Although the latter was the last to get. Oh, and an interesting theme, caught me out more than once!

― ledge, Sunday, 18 January 2009 13:18 (sixteen years ago)

I think I got 25.

― lemmy tristano (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 18 January 2009 17:21 (sixteen years ago)

That's a pretty good crossword, well done!

― ailsa, Sunday, 18 January 2009 17:27 (sixteen years ago)

Wow thanks ppl you are too kind! :D

Re 25: haha sorry, that clue is pretty much inexcusable. What is "einundzwanzig"?

― anatol_merklich, Sunday, 18 January 2009 22:13 (sixteen years ago)

Also agree 10 is weakish (singular-plural thing possibly not on) and 11 could probably be improved (I like the premise though). Do you mean 16 A or D btw? I was very pleased with D, while I thought A was perhaps a bit unfair.

― anatol_merklich, Sunday, 18 January 2009 22:17 (sixteen years ago)

Frau.

― lemmy tristano (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 18 January 2009 22:17 (sixteen years ago)

three times seven

― lemmy tristano (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 18 January 2009 22:18 (sixteen years ago)

I liked 16 A!

einundzwanzig, google tells me, is twenty-one, or one and twenty... o i get it! that's probably just on the fair side of cheeky :) (xp)

― ledge, Sunday, 18 January 2009 22:20 (sixteen years ago)

I don't get it. I knew it was 21 in German, what am I missing from there?

― ailsa, Sunday, 18 January 2009 22:24 (sixteen years ago)

Oh, I do get it! ha! nice one!

― ailsa, Sunday, 18 January 2009 22:25 (sixteen years ago)

two weeks pass...

Did you use any software to compile the grid, Anatol?

important old city fellow (6)

― talk me down off the (ledge), Monday, 2 February 2009 17:17 (sixteen years ago)

Nah, just resized the rows and columns in Excel to give a square grid, and copied the design out of a book using black fill + borders. :)

― anatol_merklich, Monday, 2 February 2009 17:55 (sixteen years ago)

(Then Alt + PrintScreen and pasting it into MS Paint...)

― anatol_merklich, Monday, 2 February 2009 17:56 (sixteen years ago)

Mixed review doesn't blind Morris (6,6)

A continent's mad for pious emperor (11)

― Charlie Rose Nylund, Monday, 2 February 2009 19:17 (sixteen years ago)

Constantine

― talk me down off the (ledge), Monday, 2 February 2009 19:26 (sixteen years ago)

Yes indeed.

― Charlie Rose Nylund, Monday, 2 February 2009 23:54 (sixteen years ago)

important old city fellow (6)

--g---

― talk me down off the (ledge), Tuesday, 3 February 2009 23:15 (sixteen years ago)

urgent

― lemmy tristano (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 4 February 2009 01:59 (sixteen years ago)

aye

carried around too much (2, 4)

― talk me down off the (ledge), Wednesday, 4 February 2009 09:34 (sixteen years ago)

de trop

― lemmy tristano (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 4 February 2009 14:15 (sixteen years ago)

Anatol, I (belatedly) enjoyed yr crossword very much, but despite having all the intersecting letters and a fair idea of what word might fit them, I don't get this one:

16. Force of about 50,000 "Fat Men" (7)

Anyone care to explain, or to offer some hints to interpretation (i.e. not some letters as I have them all)? Cheers!

(PS sorry if I am mistaken or jumping to conclusions here but I thought you were Norwegian, and if you've compiled a cryptic crossword in something that isn't yr native language then I may have to buy several hats just to doff them in amazement. wow!)

― a passing spacecadet, Wednesday, 4 February 2009 14:40 (sixteen years ago)

Mixed review doesn't blind Morris (6,6)

------ ---d--

"einundzwanzig" is still going over my head.

― Charlie Rose Nylund, Wednesday, 4 February 2009 15:14 (sixteen years ago)

Force of about 50,000 "Fat Men" is just a definition of the answer. What is the singular of 'Fat Men'?

einendzwanzig is german for 21, 21d was senhora, frau is german for senhora.

― talk me down off the (ledge), Wednesday, 4 February 2009 15:18 (sixteen years ago)

einendzwanzig is german for 21, 21d was senhora, frau is german for senhora.

Ah, I thought it must be something like that. Thanks. (Feeling a bit Brazilian?)

― Charlie Rose Nylund, Wednesday, 4 February 2009 15:36 (sixteen years ago)

Ah, had to go googling the figure of these singular Fat Men, which I had in fact tried first time round but got an answer which didn't add up - err, multiply up - so I'd decided that I was barking up the wrong tree. Wikipedia provides a more helpful answer in that respect. Cheers ledge.

― a passing spacecadet, Wednesday, 4 February 2009 15:51 (sixteen years ago)

Heh sorry for slightly off clues. ;) And for derailing, as said...

Yep I'm Norwegian, Mr Cadet, but I've held a love for these blasted things since Fred Dellar's music-related xwds in the NME in the late 80's... I fondly remember

Peter's O'Tool (12)

in 1986 -- I'd already noted some anagrams and other structure here and there, but then the penny dropped just how wide the possibilities were. It is akin to what moley said in this thread I started: "... put me into a world filled with mad, perverse British aristocrats and eccentrics from the 18th century."

Heh xwds and that thread show a major thing with me actually, I love creative stuff where there is COMPLETE freedom within VERY STRICT formal constraints... :p

― anatol_merklich, Friday, 6 February 2009 23:47 (sixteen years ago)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/crossword/cryptic/

I feel bad that I forgot who anatol was. Anatol, are you familiar with another Ole M, Ole Mathison, a talented Norwegian sax player who lives in NYC?

― lemmy tristano (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 13 February 2009 19:56 (sixteen years ago)

Mixed review doesn't blind Morris (6,6)

----i- ---d--

― Charlie Rose Nylund, Friday, 13 February 2009 23:40 (sixteen years ago)

Stevie Wonder!

― cat anatomy expert (ledge), Friday, 13 February 2009 23:42 (sixteen years ago)

I din't know his real name until now - what's the deal with the change from Judkins to Morris?

― cat anatomy expert (ledge), Friday, 13 February 2009 23:43 (sixteen years ago)

Norwegian mother's favorite radio format? (3) (for anat ole)

― moe greene dolphin street (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 25 February 2009 06:20 (sixteen years ago)

are you familiar with another Ole M, Ole Mathison

I'm not, I'm afraid.

Mor!

― anatol_merklich, Saturday, 28 February 2009 19:06 (sixteen years ago)

one month passes...

rub fool into wise man (7)

― moe greene dolphin street (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 5 April 2009 07:04 (sixteen years ago)

massage

― Straight from the Top of My Dom (Noodle Vague), Sunday, 5 April 2009 07:16 (sixteen years ago)

Ah, I thought wise man would be sage, but couldn't get it to work...

― krakow, Sunday, 5 April 2009 08:14 (sixteen years ago)

Randy Andy gets fifty bob (5)

― moe greene dolphin street (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 5 April 2009 17:32 (sixteen years ago)

Dylan

― ailsa, Sunday, 5 April 2009 17:51 (sixteen years ago)

Wave wavy cones around me (6)

― moe greene dolphin street (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 5 April 2009 20:28 (sixteen years ago)

Cosine

― Straight from the Top of My Dom (Noodle Vague), Sunday, 5 April 2009 20:32 (sixteen years ago)

Buddhist chant about the beginning of time gets seal of approval (1,1,1)

― turnover is validating, profit is salivating (ledge), Sunday, 5 April 2009 20:35 (sixteen years ago)

Single key cut a lens (7)

― Straight from the Top of My Dom (Noodle Vague), Sunday, 5 April 2009 20:39 (sixteen years ago)

xpost ledge otm

― Straight from the Top of My Dom (Noodle Vague), Sunday, 5 April 2009 20:39 (sixteen years ago)

Single key cut a lens (7)
cadence?

― CaptainLorax, Monday, 6 April 2009 20:02 (sixteen years ago)

two weeks pass...

Beer getting extra strong Italian brewed tea and gin (9)

― moe greene dolphin street (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 22 April 2009 17:29 (sixteen years ago)

Reclue:
Beer getting extra strongly brewed tea and gin (9)

Flash emperor and country bass player (6)

― moe greene dolphin street (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 23 April 2009 03:29 (sixteen years ago)

Letters later today.

― moe greene dolphin street (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 23 April 2009 11:31 (sixteen years ago)

Mingus!

No idea about the beer though.

Was Lorax's "single key..." answer right? I don't get it either way, so some letters or an explanation would be much appreciated.

― a passing spacecadet, Thursday, 23 April 2009 13:02 (sixteen years ago)

-e-------

― moe greene dolphin street (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 23 April 2009 13:26 (sixteen years ago)

-e------r

― moe greene dolphin street (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 23 April 2009 15:18 (sixteen years ago)

Beefeater?

― the innermost wee guy (onimo), Thursday, 23 April 2009 15:51 (sixteen years ago)

― moe greene dolphin street (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 23 April 2009 15:52 (sixteen years ago)

teabagger..... :(

― Old Big 'OOS (AKA the Cupwinner) (darraghmac), Thursday, 23 April 2009 16:00 (sixteen years ago)

Sorry, no Lorax was wrong about single key. Here is a letter.

-o-----

― Easy Hippo Rider (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 23 April 2009 16:28 (sixteen years ago)

stab in the dark, concave?

― Pro Creationism Soccer 2009 (ledge), Thursday, 23 April 2009 16:31 (sixteen years ago)

cuticle

― Old Big 'OOS (AKA the Cupwinner) (darraghmac), Thursday, 23 April 2009 16:34 (sixteen years ago)

no and no but maybe darragh was on the right lines?

― Easy Hippo Rider (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 23 April 2009 16:38 (sixteen years ago)

monocle

― Old Big 'OOS (AKA the Cupwinner) (darraghmac), Thursday, 23 April 2009 16:39 (sixteen years ago)

i see

― Old Big 'OOS (AKA the Cupwinner) (darraghmac), Thursday, 23 April 2009 16:39 (sixteen years ago)

^^^ winner

― Easy Hippo Rider (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 23 April 2009 16:39 (sixteen years ago)

Protects it again, for safer returns perhaps?(7)

― Old Big 'OOS (AKA the Cupwinner) (darraghmac), Thursday, 23 April 2009 16:42 (sixteen years ago)

Be off and stare if you want to search (6)

― Old Big 'OOS (AKA the Cupwinner) (darraghmac), Thursday, 23 April 2009 16:44 (sixteen years ago)

Strong but aged, even if one bends (6)

― Old Big 'OOS (AKA the Cupwinner) (darraghmac), Thursday, 23 April 2009 16:45 (sixteen years ago)

ok that's covered what i can from my desk!

(not a clue)

― Old Big 'OOS (AKA the Cupwinner) (darraghmac), Thursday, 23 April 2009 16:47 (sixteen years ago)

Is the last one folder?

― Easy Hippo Rider (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 23 April 2009 16:49 (sixteen years ago)

― Old Big 'OOS (AKA the Cupwinner) (darraghmac), Thursday, 23 April 2009 16:49 (sixteen years ago)

as first efforts, they may be a little unwieldy. letters?

― Old Big 'OOS (AKA the Cupwinner) (darraghmac), Thursday, 23 April 2009 17:05 (sixteen years ago)

google!

― anatol_merklich, Thursday, 23 April 2009 20:32 (sixteen years ago)

Protects it again, for safer returns perhaps?(7)

shields?

― the innermost wee guy (onimo), Thursday, 23 April 2009 20:58 (sixteen years ago)

google, y

shields,n

― Old Big 'OOS (AKA the Cupwinner) (darraghmac), Friday, 24 April 2009 08:43 (sixteen years ago)

so, i killed this then.

Protects it again, for safer returns perhaps?(7)

-e---d-

― Old Big 'OOS (AKA the Cupwinner) (darraghmac), Tuesday, 28 April 2009 15:22 (sixteen years ago)

it's normally dead anyway, it only shudders into life occasionally and momentarily.

regards?

― Pro Creationism Soccer 2009 (ledge), Tuesday, 28 April 2009 15:40 (sixteen years ago)

eh, i'd consider intentionally misspelling 'guards' a cheap trick. close though.

― Old Big 'OOS (AKA the Cupwinner) (darraghmac), Wednesday, 29 April 2009 08:59 (sixteen years ago)

rewards? not exactly 'safer returns' though.

― Pro Creationism Soccer 2009 (ledge), Wednesday, 29 April 2009 09:07 (sixteen years ago)

eh, a reward is a return. i feel justified.

― Old Big 'OOS (AKA the Cupwinner) (darraghmac), Wednesday, 29 April 2009 10:12 (sixteen years ago)

yeah that's fine, but what about the 'safer'?

― Pro Creationism Soccer 2009 (ledge), Wednesday, 29 April 2009 10:37 (sixteen years ago)

link back to the 'ward', and 'protects' in the clue. Not nobel winning, but a pretty solid effort imo, not deserving of this terrible interrogation.

― Old Big 'OOS (AKA the Cupwinner) (darraghmac), Wednesday, 29 April 2009 10:58 (sixteen years ago)

I spent way too long hoping for a word ending in -er that would mean "safer" which would reverse to a word beginning with re- which would mean "protects again".

But then I like words which are other words backwards. Oh well.

― a passing spacecadet, Wednesday, 29 April 2009 11:09 (sixteen years ago)

Sorry to get all Guantanamo on yo' ass. But if protects again = re-wards and returns = rewards then the safer is redundant. xp.

― Pro Creationism Soccer 2009 (ledge), Wednesday, 29 April 2009 11:11 (sixteen years ago)

redundancy is a fair call. possibly the returns is redundant also.

your turn anyway, pressure on for xword clue perfection

― Old Big 'OOS (AKA the Cupwinner) (darraghmac), Wednesday, 29 April 2009 11:19 (sixteen years ago)

uh-oh, pressure. here goes nothing:

Sade upset about a bill for storing records. (8)

― Pro Creationism Soccer 2009 (ledge), Wednesday, 29 April 2009 11:26 (sixteen years ago)

database

― Old Big 'OOS (AKA the Cupwinner) (darraghmac), Wednesday, 29 April 2009 11:40 (sixteen years ago)

Entire Swiss Army effort? Surely you can't mean that!

― Old Big 'OOS (AKA the Cupwinner) (darraghmac), Wednesday, 29 April 2009 11:41 (sixteen years ago)

boy you is fast

xp, you what?

― Pro Creationism Soccer 2009 (ledge), Wednesday, 29 April 2009 11:42 (sixteen years ago)

it's a clue :)

― Old Big 'OOS (AKA the Cupwinner) (darraghmac), Wednesday, 29 April 2009 11:44 (sixteen years ago)

it's dodge as fukk but topical. just throwin it out there.

― Old Big 'OOS (AKA the Cupwinner) (darraghmac), Wednesday, 29 April 2009 11:49 (sixteen years ago)

letters?

― the innermost wee guy (onimo), Wednesday, 29 April 2009 12:09 (sixteen years ago)

uh, they'd be helpful.

(8)

― Old Big 'OOS (AKA the Cupwinner) (darraghmac), Wednesday, 29 April 2009 12:22 (sixteen years ago)

if it's topical you'd better be giving us letters asap

― Pro Creationism Soccer 2009 (ledge), Wednesday, 29 April 2009 15:54 (sixteen years ago)

c------s

― Old Big 'OOS (AKA the Cupwinner) (darraghmac), Wednesday, 29 April 2009 15:56 (sixteen years ago)

challops!

― Pro Creationism Soccer 2009 (ledge), Wednesday, 29 April 2009 16:01 (sixteen years ago)

see, you could have got that on your own.

― Old Big 'OOS (AKA the Cupwinner) (darraghmac), Wednesday, 29 April 2009 16:03 (sixteen years ago)

i was stuck on 'allsatry'.

― Pro Creationism Soccer 2009 (ledge), Wednesday, 29 April 2009 16:05 (sixteen years ago)

also i remembered helvetia but forgot about ch. fuckin' swiss.

― Pro Creationism Soccer 2009 (ledge), Wednesday, 29 April 2009 16:07 (sixteen years ago)

this is stupid:

Elephant drops worker in temper, makes a call (9)

― Pro Creationism Soccer 2009 (ledge), Wednesday, 29 April 2009 16:09 (sixteen years ago)

i was stuck on 'allsatry'.

me too.

― moe greene dolphin street (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 29 April 2009 16:33 (sixteen years ago)

--------e

― Pro Creationism Soccer 2009 (ledge), Thursday, 30 April 2009 08:48 (sixteen years ago)

that's not very helpful is it

----p---e

― Pro Creationism Soccer 2009 (ledge), Thursday, 30 April 2009 08:49 (sixteen years ago)

telephone

― the innermost wee guy (onimo), Thursday, 30 April 2009 08:55 (sixteen years ago)

bingo

watch this space for more clues inspired by things on my desk.

― Pro Creationism Soccer 2009 (ledge), Thursday, 30 April 2009 08:56 (sixteen years ago)

elephant .....

― Old Big 'OOS (AKA the Cupwinner) (darraghmac), Thursday, 30 April 2009 09:05 (sixteen years ago)

ah!

― Old Big 'OOS (AKA the Cupwinner) (darraghmac), Thursday, 30 April 2009 09:05 (sixteen years ago)

uh, I'm rubbish at setting these

Red-hot Rambo messed up control centre (11)

― the innermost wee guy (onimo), Thursday, 30 April 2009 09:23 (sixteen years ago)

yeah i can't do these without coffee.

― Old Big 'OOS (AKA the Cupwinner) (darraghmac), Thursday, 30 April 2009 09:32 (sixteen years ago)

motherboard

― Pro Creationism Soccer 2009 (ledge), Thursday, 30 April 2009 09:59 (sixteen years ago)

✓

― the innermost wee guy (onimo), Thursday, 30 April 2009 10:06 (sixteen years ago)

tiiight

― Old Big 'OOS (AKA the Cupwinner) (darraghmac), Thursday, 30 April 2009 10:17 (sixteen years ago)

In bath a fool back scrubs with this (7)

― Pro Creationism Soccer 2009 (ledge), Thursday, 30 April 2009 14:28 (sixteen years ago)

6 shrly?

loofah

― the innermost wee guy (onimo), Thursday, 30 April 2009 14:36 (sixteen years ago)

yes and yes

― Pro Creationism Soccer 2009 (ledge), Thursday, 30 April 2009 14:40 (sixteen years ago)

i was trying to make loofahs work. not happy. toying with SB, tbh.

― Old Big 'OOS (AKA the Cupwinner) (darraghmac), Thursday, 30 April 2009 15:01 (sixteen years ago)

I can take it.

― Pro Creationism Soccer 2009 (ledge), Thursday, 30 April 2009 15:37 (sixteen years ago)

psycho bangs guest, kick him out! (7, 3)

I'm not taxing you much here, I realise.

― Pro Creationism Soccer 2009 (ledge), Friday, 1 May 2009 10:04 (sixteen years ago)

Permal ink.

― Abbe Black Tentacle (GamalielRatsey), Friday, 1 May 2009 10:06 (sixteen years ago)

was that a clue or a request?
:)

― the innermost wee guy (onimo), Friday, 1 May 2009 10:46 (sixteen years ago)

(not sure if this one works)

Round its limed borders (8)

― the innermost wee guy (onimo), Friday, 1 May 2009 12:22 (sixteen years ago)

limiters?

― Ant Attack.. (Ste), Friday, 1 May 2009 12:32 (sixteen years ago)

delimits?

― Pro Creationism Soccer 2009 (ledge), Friday, 1 May 2009 12:37 (sixteen years ago)

yes, delimits is what I was going for

― the innermost wee guy (onimo), Friday, 1 May 2009 13:01 (sixteen years ago)

Well techically that is an anagram of limed its, even though the its is still intact at the end, so I have to begrudgingly admit that it's sound.

― Pro Creationism Soccer 2009 (ledge), Friday, 1 May 2009 13:08 (sixteen years ago)

uh thanks :)

― the innermost wee guy (onimo), Friday, 1 May 2009 13:19 (sixteen years ago)

Device by which selfish philosophy ensnares father of no. one (9)

― moe greene dolphin street (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 6 May 2009 12:52 (sixteen years ago)

is dadaist in there somewhere?

― Old Big 'OOS (AKA the Cupwinner) (darraghmac), Wednesday, 6 May 2009 13:06 (sixteen years ago)

nope

― moe greene dolphin street (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 6 May 2009 14:35 (sixteen years ago)

vandalism?

― Ant Attack.. (Ste), Wednesday, 6 May 2009 14:44 (sixteen years ago)

nope.

― moe greene dolphin street (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 6 May 2009 15:22 (sixteen years ago)

But
--------m

― moe greene dolphin street (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 6 May 2009 15:23 (sixteen years ago)

yeah i was completely not confident with van anyway as a device

― Ant Attack.. (Ste), Wednesday, 6 May 2009 15:27 (sixteen years ago)

-e------m

― moe greene dolphin street (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 6 May 2009 16:29 (sixteen years ago)

methodism?

― Old Big 'OOS (AKA the Cupwinner) (darraghmac), Wednesday, 6 May 2009 18:07 (sixteen years ago)

-e---n--m

― moe greene dolphin street (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 6 May 2009 18:07 (sixteen years ago)

mechanism?

― ailsa, Wednesday, 6 May 2009 18:12 (sixteen years ago)

Yes. Thanks.

― moe greene dolphin street (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 6 May 2009 18:57 (sixteen years ago)

I can't quite work out why though, could you explain? I've got a kind of retrospective half-arsed attempt at making it work, but really I just went with it because it's a device, and it fits.

― ailsa, Wednesday, 6 May 2009 19:00 (sixteen years ago)

me(chan)ism. Charlie Chan is father of Number One Son.

― moe greene dolphin street (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 6 May 2009 19:07 (sixteen years ago)

So sorry. I think I will SB myself.

― moe greene dolphin street (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 6 May 2009 19:11 (sixteen years ago)

Ah, ok, I did not know that Charlie Chan thing at all.

xpost, why?

― ailsa, Wednesday, 6 May 2009 19:13 (sixteen years ago)

So sorry. I think I will SB myself.

I don't think there are enough people reading this thread to 51 you there but good effort :)

― the innermost wee guy (onimo), Wednesday, 6 May 2009 19:25 (sixteen years ago)

You can tell the Chelsea game's gone quiet when you're reading crossword threads.

― the innermost wee guy (onimo), Wednesday, 6 May 2009 19:26 (sixteen years ago)

It was a good clue! I thought of 'meism' but didn't think of Chan.

― Pro Creationism Soccer 2009 (ledge), Thursday, 7 May 2009 10:06 (sixteen years ago)

Ripped label is pretty Italian (5)

― barney kestrel (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 20 May 2009 13:29 (sixteen years ago)

BE-lla. as they would say over there.

― massive dynamic lady (ledge), Wednesday, 20 May 2009 13:35 (sixteen years ago)

Heavy metal material worn by WASP and Extreme (7)

― massive dynamic lady (ledge), Wednesday, 20 May 2009 14:00 (sixteen years ago)

----D--

― man saves ducklings from (ledge), Thursday, 21 May 2009 08:53 (sixteen years ago)

Spandex

I got one, hurrah!

― krakow, Thursday, 21 May 2009 09:06 (sixteen years ago)

woo!

― man saves ducklings from (ledge), Thursday, 21 May 2009 09:08 (sixteen years ago)

A short time in small vessel broken up on Baltic coast (6)

― krakow, Thursday, 21 May 2009 09:21 (sixteen years ago)

I'll give a clue tomorrow if noone's getting it...

― krakow, Saturday, 23 May 2009 19:32 (sixteen years ago)

Latvia?

― O Bama, Up Yours! (The Yellow Kid), Saturday, 23 May 2009 21:24 (sixteen years ago)

oh yeah, a-t in vial

― man saves ducklings from (ledge), Saturday, 23 May 2009 23:22 (sixteen years ago)

Bingo!

I tried to make it Ximenean, if I understand correctly.

― krakow, Sunday, 24 May 2009 09:28 (sixteen years ago)

Help Northern Ireland turn into another country (5)

― man saves ducklings from (ledge), Sunday, 24 May 2009 09:38 (sixteen years ago)

India.

I wish I had the reverse brain process that would let me set these instead of just solving them.

― ailsa, Sunday, 24 May 2009 09:42 (sixteen years ago)

I like it. Nice clue ledge.

You have to now though ailsa, it's the rules!

― krakow, Sunday, 24 May 2009 09:58 (sixteen years ago)

Quarry for stone (3)

― man saves ducklings from (ledge), Tuesday, 26 May 2009 10:25 (sixteen years ago)

Pit

― krakow, Tuesday, 26 May 2009 10:41 (sixteen years ago)

yup

― man saves ducklings from (ledge), Tuesday, 26 May 2009 11:05 (sixteen years ago)

I'm on fire.

― krakow, Tuesday, 26 May 2009 11:20 (sixteen years ago)

letters?

― U2 raped goat (darraghmac), Tuesday, 26 May 2009 11:38 (sixteen years ago)

That was trumpet blowing rather than a clue (I've got my thinking cap on and will post one later). If you can distill an answer from it though, then I'd love to hear it.

― krakow, Tuesday, 26 May 2009 12:29 (sixteen years ago)

nah, i got nothing

― U2 raped goat (darraghmac), Tuesday, 26 May 2009 13:29 (sixteen years ago)

Political leader took off on a recording device (6)

― krakow, Tuesday, 26 May 2009 20:43 (sixteen years ago)

letters?

― man saves ducklings from (ledge), Tuesday, 2 June 2009 14:00 (sixteen years ago)

i mean, clues? whatever.

― man saves ducklings from (ledge), Tuesday, 2 June 2009 14:00 (sixteen years ago)

camera?

― Not the real Village People, Tuesday, 2 June 2009 15:43 (sixteen years ago)

oh yeah totally, cameron+a

― man saves ducklings from (ledge), Tuesday, 2 June 2009 22:55 (sixteen years ago)

Bingo. Not the real Village People is up. ledge has the explanation there though. I was beginning to get worried.

― krakow, Tuesday, 2 June 2009 23:03 (sixteen years ago)

This has seriously made my day, I never get these! I'm gonna have to pass (is that allowed) on making one up as I'm a total utter amateur at these... anyone else want to take the mantel?

― Not the real Village People, Wednesday, 3 June 2009 08:22 (sixteen years ago)

This is pretty bad but I just thought of it after reading the word on another thread so whatevs

Like Asimov's robot brain, it turned around in a modern, sincere style (4-6)

― man saves ducklings from (ledge), Wednesday, 3 June 2009 09:22 (sixteen years ago)

post ironic?

― go and put your f'kin torn jeans on (onimo), Wednesday, 3 June 2009 10:23 (sixteen years ago)

yup. it could be improved slightly -

Like Asimov's robot brain, it switched in a modern, genuine style

getting a decent definition for post-ironic is the problem.

― man saves ducklings from (ledge), Wednesday, 3 June 2009 11:01 (sixteen years ago)

Can you explain that one? I'm not seeing it, as I don't know what Asimov's robot brain refers to.

― krakow, Wednesday, 10 June 2009 10:26 (sixteen years ago)

OK, a google search revealed that snippet, but is there any wordplay as well?

― krakow, Wednesday, 10 June 2009 10:27 (sixteen years ago)

positronic, switch the 'it' in the middle around to get post ironic.

― man saves ducklings from (ledge), Wednesday, 10 June 2009 10:30 (sixteen years ago)

Slaps forehead. Nice.

― krakow, Wednesday, 10 June 2009 10:40 (sixteen years ago)

Champs instrumental in ripping a quilt with key (7)

― barney kestrel (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 17 June 2009 02:25 (sixteen years ago)

Tequila! Nice use of def.

― man saves ducklings from (ledge), Wednesday, 17 June 2009 06:47 (sixteen years ago)

Thanks! Now I will press my luck and say

Tornados instrumental in stellar destruction in which thunderhead kills fifty (7)

― barney kestrel (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 17 June 2009 13:53 (sixteen years ago)

Telstar! Do another!

― man saves ducklings from (ledge), Wednesday, 17 June 2009 14:55 (sixteen years ago)

Shadowy song for a cheap meal (6)

― barney kestrel (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 18 June 2009 04:25 (sixteen years ago)

Ventures offering fifty thousand getting into wild drawn out noisy start (4,4,3)

― barney kestrel (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 18 June 2009 05:45 (sixteen years ago)

Shadowy song for a cheap meal (6)

Apache

― SB "A Good Story" (onimo), Thursday, 18 June 2009 10:18 (sixteen years ago)

You oughta know, chief.

― barney kestrel (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 18 June 2009 13:59 (sixteen years ago)

How?

― SB "A Good Story" (onimo), Thursday, 18 June 2009 14:05 (sixteen years ago)

Ventures offering fifty thousand getting into wild drawn out noisy start (4,4,3)

Walk Don't Run. But certain parts of the clue are confusing me. Also, someone else will need to do the next one, as I'm no good at these.

― emil.y, Thursday, 18 June 2009 14:14 (sixteen years ago)

I was using M instead of K for "thousand" :(

― SB "A Good Story" (onimo), Thursday, 18 June 2009 14:36 (sixteen years ago)

Oh, one of the bits that confused me is no longer confusing me. I wasn't sure where I got the 'l' from but it's from the beginning of 'loud'. I'm still not sure what the 'fifty' bit is about, though. Am I being really stupid?

― emil.y, Thursday, 18 June 2009 14:41 (sixteen years ago)

No, L comes from Roman numeral for fifty. K = thousand then "drawn out" then n from _N_oisy start. I think.

― SB "A Good Story" (onimo), Thursday, 18 June 2009 14:43 (sixteen years ago)

Oh man, yes, I completely invented an extra 'n' there. Wouldn't have got it if I hadn't known the song and the format of the previous clues.

― emil.y, Thursday, 18 June 2009 14:48 (sixteen years ago)

How?

http://anthropologynet.files.wordpress.com/2007/06/geronimo.jpg?w=296
How

― barney kestrel (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 18 June 2009 15:00 (sixteen years ago)

Sorry. I guess "How" was not Apache word, but just a Sioux word that caught on in the Hollywood Westerns.

― barney kestrel (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 19 June 2009 16:51 (sixteen years ago)

Hau

― SB "A Good Story" (onimo), Friday, 19 June 2009 17:56 (sixteen years ago)

Hot butter instrumental in adult material being on no computer (7)

― Horace Silver Machine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 1 July 2009 00:37 (fifteen years ago)

Popcorn!

Now I have that stuck in my head.

― emil.y, Wednesday, 1 July 2009 00:40 (fifteen years ago)

Way out alien abducting eleven (4)
Great Scot, I'm moonstruck! (5)

― Horace Silver Machine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 14 July 2009 00:55 (fifteen years ago)

Exit

― Emmet Otter's SugBan Christmas (The Yellow Kid), Tuesday, 14 July 2009 01:06 (fifteen years ago)

Yes.

Rum Michael Jackson album with vehicle crashing into me (7)

― Horace Silver Machine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 14 July 2009 03:27 (fifteen years ago)

Bacardi

― last night i dreamt somebody shoved me (ledge), Tuesday, 14 July 2009 13:26 (fifteen years ago)

Yes.
Frozen soiled buried around in a hard nut (6)

Still waiting on "moonstruck" one.

― Horace Silver Machine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 14 July 2009 14:16 (fifteen years ago)

Slight reclue:
Frozen soil packed up in hard nut (6)

― Horace Silver Machine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 14 July 2009 14:43 (fifteen years ago)

tundra?

― 51 logins to SB Jol (darraghmac), Tuesday, 14 July 2009 15:29 (fifteen years ago)

Yup.

[i]Great Scot, I'm moonstruck! (5)[\i]

-n---

― Horace Silver Machine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 14 July 2009 15:44 (fifteen years ago)

This top class thousand fewer wouldn't lead you anywhere. (7)

great scot - ben?

― 51 logins to SB Jol (darraghmac), Wednesday, 15 July 2009 11:34 (fifteen years ago)

-n-m-

― Horace Silver Machine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 15 July 2009 11:39 (fifteen years ago)

onimo?

― 51 logins to SB Jol (darraghmac), Wednesday, 15 July 2009 11:45 (fifteen years ago)

― there are other prophets you know? (onimo), Wednesday, 15 July 2009 11:47 (fifteen years ago)

How one would announce the lead in to a confused dictator?

― 51 logins to SB Jol (darraghmac), Wednesday, 15 July 2009 11:50 (fifteen years ago)

(9)

― 51 logins to SB Jol (darraghmac), Wednesday, 15 July 2009 11:50 (fifteen years ago)

aimless

― last night i dreamt somebody shoved me (ledge), Wednesday, 15 July 2009 13:09 (fifteen years ago)

― there are other prophets you know? (onimo), Wednesday, 15 July 2009 13:13 (fifteen years ago)

too easy, i knew it.

― 51 logins to SB Jol (darraghmac), Wednesday, 15 July 2009 13:15 (fifteen years ago)

Heavy sound shatters river (6)

How one would announce the lead in to a confused dictator?
No idea about this one.

― Horace Silver Machine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 17 July 2009 21:14 (fifteen years ago)

How one would announce the lead in to a confused dictator?

introduce

― whatever, Friday, 17 July 2009 22:06 (fifteen years ago)

i don't get the 'confused' bit.

― ledge, Friday, 17 July 2009 23:18 (fifteen years ago)

duce is italian translation of dictator. that's all i can think it is.

― whatever, Saturday, 18 July 2009 07:58 (fifteen years ago)

So it looks like it should read:
How one would announce the lead in to r confused dictator?

― Horace Silver Machine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 20 July 2009 18:06 (fifteen years ago)

a lead in is an 'intro', was the thinking. 'duce' is the ictator, 'confused' a reference to the anagram.

― Bobkate Goldtwat (darraghmac), Monday, 20 July 2009 21:38 (fifteen years ago)

What anagram?

― ailsa, Monday, 20 July 2009 21:41 (fifteen years ago)

eh. now i'm confused. move on, move on.

― Bobkate Goldtwat (darraghmac), Monday, 20 July 2009 21:46 (fifteen years ago)

a lead in = intro

to a = i.e. joined to the next part of the clue

confused dictator = duce (confusion as in it's a translation of 'dictator')

it's a pretty shit clue tbh. using 'confused' to designate a translation of a word is just fcking lazy. but the setter didn't put 'mussolini' in the clue because it would have made the answer too obvious and he/she couldn't be arsed to come up with something better.

― whatever, Monday, 20 July 2009 22:05 (fifteen years ago)

i think you could just drop the 'confused', and trust people to figure duce = mussolini = dictator.

― ledge, Monday, 20 July 2009 22:07 (fifteen years ago)

yup, it's a shit clue.

― whatever, Monday, 20 July 2009 22:11 (fifteen years ago)

easy tiger

― ledge, Monday, 20 July 2009 22:12 (fifteen years ago)

here you go in chaos courted (9)

― whatever, Monday, 20 July 2009 22:15 (fifteen years ago)

meh. i've seen better, i've seen worse. it's certainly neither worth twenty posts of criticism/analysis nor the amount of ire it appears to have generated in your good self.

i've already pointed out that 'confused' was an error on my part, as there wasn't an anagram- it wasn't substituting for translation. the rest of it seems sound enough, tbh.

― Bobkate Goldtwat (darraghmac), Monday, 20 July 2009 22:23 (fifteen years ago)

Spanish circle jump (6)
Uptight around before trench (5)

― Horace Silver Machine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 23 July 2009 15:50 (fifteen years ago)

Spanish circle jump (6)

spring

― whatever, Thursday, 23 July 2009 16:52 (fifteen years ago)

Uptight around before trench (5)

canal

― whatever, Thursday, 23 July 2009 17:04 (fifteen years ago)

yes and yes.

― Horace Silver Machine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 23 July 2009 18:23 (fifteen years ago)

i don't get 'canal'?

― ledge, Thursday, 23 July 2009 21:52 (fifteen years ago)

c (circa) before anal (uptight) = trench

― ailsa, Thursday, 23 July 2009 21:54 (fifteen years ago)

d'oh, I should've got anal

^ poor attempt for 'quoted out of context' thread

― ledge, Thursday, 23 July 2009 23:34 (fifteen years ago)

dough around wood (4)
open, strong and smelly (5)

― Horace Silver Machine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 24 July 2009 18:38 (fifteen years ago)

cash

― whatever, Friday, 24 July 2009 19:10 (fifteen years ago)

Yes.

I think for the second one I should have worded it

open, loud and smelly (5)

― Horace Silver Machine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 24 July 2009 19:13 (fifteen years ago)

Frank (got it before the rewording, but confirmed further)

― a passing spacecadet, Friday, 24 July 2009 19:17 (fifteen years ago)

Loud Smiths album to electrocute sound system and big mother (5,5)

― Horace Silver Machine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 24 July 2009 19:23 (fifteen years ago)

Frank Zappa! Nice.

I can't really do these, and I'm not happy with this (may be so poorly constructed as to be insoluble) but I am bored, so, feel free to point out flaws... gently.

Root of all conflict three points behind deceased prizewinners (8)

― a passing spacecadet, Friday, 24 July 2009 19:27 (fifteen years ago)

does it end in 'dens'?

― whatever, Friday, 24 July 2009 19:52 (fifteen years ago)

I don't think I'll get that one, not after these two beers.

This isn't mine but it's a memorable one:

Enmark? (4,2,3,3)

― whatever, Friday, 24 July 2009 20:08 (fifteen years ago)

Sorry, that should be:

Enmark? (4,2,3)

― whatever, Friday, 24 July 2009 20:08 (fifteen years ago)

does it end in 'dens'?

Almost, but two of the "points" are the same, because I am not good at these. That is one of the flaws, but sadly not the only one.

― a passing spacecadet, Friday, 24 July 2009 20:18 (fifteen years ago)

Letters for the above two?

Old man from 1000 A.D. (7)

― ledge, Monday, 27 July 2009 14:54 (fifteen years ago)

grandad

― Hypnagogic Poop (onimo), Monday, 27 July 2009 15:39 (fifteen years ago)

Enamrk is Land of Nod I think... How about this one 'Non-nude barnacle for sailor' (4)

― Oz, Monday, 27 July 2009 15:51 (fifteen years ago)

Nod, No 'D', I get it. Had to google that. There's a fine line between cryptic clues and bad puns, that one crossed it.

― ledge, Monday, 27 July 2009 16:08 (fifteen years ago)

nah, that's a good clue.

― Bobkate Goldtwat (darraghmac), Monday, 27 July 2009 16:08 (fifteen years ago)

sweet

http://cryptics.wikia.com/wiki/List_of_anagram_indicators

― ledge, Tuesday, 28 July 2009 10:34 (fifteen years ago)

Cool, thanks.

― Horace Silver Machine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 28 July 2009 17:49 (fifteen years ago)

Oh dear, boredly (drunkenly?) posting inept clues and then forgetting about them. Please note disclaimers/apologies in previous 2 posts. Anyway, letters.

Root of all conflict three points behind deceased prizewinners (8)
-W----E-

― a passing spacecadet, Wednesday, 29 July 2009 10:06 (fifteen years ago)

awarded?

― Bobkate Goldtwat (darraghmac), Wednesday, 29 July 2009 10:07 (fifteen years ago)

awardees, yes?

― ailsa, Wednesday, 29 July 2009 10:12 (fifteen years ago)

nice clue, would never have got it in a million years without pointers in the right direction.

― ailsa, Wednesday, 29 July 2009 10:13 (fifteen years ago)

Yep, "awardees". Glad it was gettable eventually!

― a passing spacecadet, Wednesday, 29 July 2009 10:15 (fifteen years ago)

way to count the letters, darragh. :P

― Bobkate Goldtwat (darraghmac), Wednesday, 29 July 2009 10:20 (fifteen years ago)

cheese danish carrying vehicle (5)

― Horace Silver Machine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 30 July 2009 18:26 (fifteen years ago)

glad that one's solved (awardees). i'm not sure about the root of all conflict = a war. could split it award-ees = 'prizewinners gift three points', although gift=award is questionable.

good stuff though. it annoyed the hell out of me for a long time. :)

― whatever, Thursday, 30 July 2009 19:10 (fifteen years ago)

sedan. like it.

― whatever, Thursday, 30 July 2009 19:16 (fifteen years ago)

This one was apparently never solved:
Crab time in monastery (9)

― Horace Silver Machine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 30 July 2009 19:44 (fifteen years ago)

root of the word all = the letter a, then conflict = war, was how I read it.

― ailsa, Thursday, 30 July 2009 19:50 (fifteen years ago)

Was that clue inspired by a viewing of In The Loop?

― Horace Silver Machine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 30 July 2009 19:51 (fifteen years ago)

Rocky state follows holy man with nothing (5)

― Horace Silver Machine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 30 July 2009 19:58 (fifteen years ago)

ailsa: yup

― whatever, Thursday, 30 July 2009 20:01 (fifteen years ago)

Rocky state follows holy man with nothing (5)

Omaha

― krakow, Thursday, 30 July 2009 20:40 (fifteen years ago)

― whatever, Thursday, 30 July 2009 20:46 (fifteen years ago)

---n-

― Horace Silver Machine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 30 July 2009 20:50 (fifteen years ago)

I always thought that Omaha was a state, but it looks not, so I have the answer wrong.

My thinking, other than that, was nothing=O, holy man=maha

― krakow, Thursday, 30 July 2009 20:51 (fifteen years ago)

OK. That might be clued as

Indian great after nothing on beachhead (5)

― Horace Silver Machine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 30 July 2009 21:06 (fifteen years ago)

Stony!

― anatol_merklich, Friday, 31 July 2009 07:28 (fifteen years ago)

Omaha.

No time to post a clue at the mo, sorry.

― Calamari Merkin (Noodle Vague), Friday, 31 July 2009 07:30 (fifteen years ago)

Eliot's dessicated scholar plays on abacus (8)

― ledge, Friday, 31 July 2009 08:18 (fifteen years ago)

should've been playing for extra minor ambiguity.

― ledge, Friday, 31 July 2009 09:27 (fifteen years ago)

I guess actually being in the midst of reading Middlemarch might have given me some funny ideas about how obvious a reference point it would make.

C-------

― ledge, Monday, 3 August 2009 08:30 (fifteen years ago)

Ah, thanks for dredging up long-forgotten memories of English lit classes...

(had to google the name though)

― ailsa, Monday, 3 August 2009 08:34 (fifteen years ago)

which is...

― ledge, Monday, 3 August 2009 08:46 (fifteen years ago)

sorry - Casaubon

― ailsa, Monday, 3 August 2009 08:54 (fifteen years ago)

hooray

― ledge, Monday, 3 August 2009 08:56 (fifteen years ago)

One out - out for a ride (4)

― Horace Silver Machine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 7 August 2009 01:52 (fifteen years ago)

...auto?

― a passing spacecadet, Friday, 7 August 2009 13:04 (fifteen years ago)

Yes.

Gold princess ring sound (5)

― Horace Silver Machine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 7 August 2009 16:04 (fifteen years ago)

audio

― ledge, Friday, 7 August 2009 16:05 (fifteen years ago)

Yes.

Beef up agents following gold pursued by teahead (7)

― Horace Silver Machine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 7 August 2009 16:55 (fifteen years ago)

augment

― ledge, Friday, 7 August 2009 17:42 (fifteen years ago)

Nonchalant worker backs new coin in chemical company (10)

― ledge, Friday, 7 August 2009 17:46 (fifteen years ago)

I want to say Monsanto, but of course that doesn't work.

― Horace Silver Machine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 7 August 2009 22:11 (fifteen years ago)

insouciant. nice work.

― whatever, Friday, 7 August 2009 22:16 (fifteen years ago)

Rebel disturbance envelops country for more than one time (8)
Girl that's into tailoring (4)
Warrior's natty head in Jamaica (5)

― Horace Silver Machine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 7 August 2009 22:22 (fifteen years ago)

girl = toni? 'lori' works too. if that's a real name.

― ledge, Saturday, 8 August 2009 12:03 (fifteen years ago)

It is for the purposes of this thread.

― Horace Silver Machine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 8 August 2009 16:01 (fifteen years ago)

Rebel disturbance envelops country for more than one time (8)
-e-----e

Warrior's natty head in Jamaica (5)
-i---

― Horace Silver Machine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 10 August 2009 15:12 (fifteen years ago)

reusable

― ledge, Monday, 10 August 2009 15:16 (fifteen years ago)

Yes. What about the other one?

― Horace Silver Machine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 10 August 2009 15:17 (fifteen years ago)

ninja. ja for jamaica? hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm

― ledge, Monday, 10 August 2009 15:21 (fifteen years ago)

Sorry.

― Horace Silver Machine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 10 August 2009 15:31 (fifteen years ago)

New idiot coal miner runs every which way (15)

― ledge, Monday, 10 August 2009 15:42 (fifteen years ago)

--n------------

― ledge, Tuesday, 11 August 2009 15:23 (fifteen years ago)

Want to say indiscriminately, undiscerningly, but they don't seem to fit. Also omnidirectional.

― Horace Silver Machine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 11 August 2009 15:40 (fifteen years ago)

third time's the charm

― ledge, Tuesday, 11 August 2009 15:42 (fifteen years ago)

Ah, I've been thinking that since I first saw it, but was confused by the use of the "new".

― Horace Silver Machine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 11 August 2009 15:53 (fifteen years ago)

yeah it's not the best clue.

― ledge, Tuesday, 11 August 2009 15:54 (fifteen years ago)

No, it was a good clue. But by US rules, you wouldn't make "new" mean "N" and then throw it into the anagram, it would have to be the start of the word, whereas it seems like in the UK that kind of thing is accepted.

― Horace Silver Machine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 11 August 2009 16:00 (fifteen years ago)

imo it's the kind of clue that breaks a couple of the stricter rules (wordplay into anagram, "run" is a weakish anagram indicator), but passes because it's fun overall (good surface, "runs any which way" is a great anagram indicator, even though it doesn't turn the whole into a proper &lit).

― anatol_merklich, Tuesday, 11 August 2009 22:30 (fifteen years ago)

i'm just disappointed i couldn't work clint eastowood and/or an orangutang in there.

― ledge, Tuesday, 11 August 2009 23:11 (fifteen years ago)

The thread would have explode.

anatole otm.

― Horace Silver Machine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 12 August 2009 13:43 (fifteen years ago)

Around around around (10)

Any complaints, well, I was half asleep when I came up with it.

― ledge, Tuesday, 18 August 2009 08:30 (fifteen years ago)

and a kind of flipside to that:

Only barely fair (4)

― ledge, Tuesday, 18 August 2009 08:46 (fifteen years ago)

Just

Still thinking about the other one.

― krakow, Tuesday, 18 August 2009 09:12 (fifteen years ago)

hardly something to do with fish eggs

― Amateur Darraghmatics (darraghmac), Tuesday, 18 August 2009 10:58 (fifteen years ago)

that's certainly cryptic. but is it a clue?

― ledge, Tuesday, 18 August 2009 11:07 (fifteen years ago)

it's my question about yours!

― Amateur Darraghmatics (darraghmac), Tuesday, 18 August 2009 11:24 (fifteen years ago)

it's a question? fish eggs? what?

― ledge, Tuesday, 18 August 2009 12:50 (fifteen years ago)

what?

― Amateur Darraghmatics (darraghmac), Tuesday, 18 August 2009 13:15 (fifteen years ago)

http://scienceblogs.com/isisthescientist/upload/2009/02/whats_a_gal_gotta_do_to_get_a/confused.jpg

― Amateur Darraghmatics (darraghmac), Tuesday, 18 August 2009 13:16 (fifteen years ago)

http://imgslide.health.com/images/slides/12444/full/web-confusion-sex-400.jpg

― ledge, Tuesday, 18 August 2009 13:21 (fifteen years ago)

confused at that image name

― ledge, Tuesday, 18 August 2009 13:21 (fifteen years ago)

web confusion sex is the best kind

― firestorm of twat rage (onimo), Tuesday, 18 August 2009 13:28 (fifteen years ago)

Around around around (10)
Circumference, circulate, circuitous ..... dunno

Rough riding Swede (6)

― Horace Silver Machine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 19 August 2009 02:14 (fifteen years ago)

r---------

ingrid

― ledge, Wednesday, 19 August 2009 08:27 (fifteen years ago)

reclued:

Merry-go-round around around

― ledge, Wednesday, 19 August 2009 09:19 (fifteen years ago)

roundabout

― firestorm of twat rage (onimo), Wednesday, 19 August 2009 10:31 (fifteen years ago)

yup!

― ledge, Wednesday, 19 August 2009 10:34 (fifteen years ago)

In vivid eons, I see (5)

― firestorm of twat rage (onimo), Wednesday, 19 August 2009 10:45 (fifteen years ago)

Video?

― Oz, Wednesday, 19 August 2009 10:53 (fifteen years ago)

yes - had to go against my better instincts with the (a)eons spelling to fit it in :(

― firestorm of twat rage (onimo), Wednesday, 19 August 2009 11:01 (fifteen years ago)

I don't think anyone got this one from before... might be a bit OTT - 'Non-nude barnacle for sailor' (4)

― Oz, Wednesday, 19 August 2009 11:14 (fifteen years ago)

NaCl - I see what you did there. Highly unfair ;)

― ledge, Wednesday, 19 August 2009 11:19 (fifteen years ago)

Some fun clues in the Independent today

Such generosity found in Sweden or Switzerland, reportedly (8)

Complaining girl's first put on weird jewellery (9)

― ledge, Wednesday, 19 August 2009 15:06 (fifteen years ago)

largesse, for no other reason than i'm too tired to think

― Amateur Darraghmatics (darraghmac), Wednesday, 19 August 2009 15:13 (fifteen years ago)

must be right (Large S)

― Horace Silver Machine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 19 August 2009 15:18 (fifteen years ago)

primadonna doesn't fit, but agin my brain keeps claiming it as a phonetic pun

― Amateur Darraghmatics (darraghmac), Wednesday, 19 August 2009 15:19 (fifteen years ago)

grumbling

― firestorm of twat rage (onimo), Wednesday, 19 August 2009 15:30 (fifteen years ago)

yes! and yes to largesse.

― ledge, Wednesday, 19 August 2009 15:32 (fifteen years ago)

That's what I thought but how is rumbling weird jewelry? Oh, I get it "rum bling"

― Horace Silver Machine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 19 August 2009 15:32 (fifteen years ago)

Southern general has one drink (8)

― Horace Silver Machine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 20 August 2009 04:12 (fifteen years ago)

or:
Rebel general having single refreshing drink(8)

― Horace Silver Machine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 20 August 2009 19:59 (fifteen years ago)

knowledge of rebel generals letting me down here

― ledge, Friday, 21 August 2009 09:51 (fifteen years ago)

-e------

― Horace Silver Machine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 21 August 2009 20:16 (fifteen years ago)

-e-----e

― Horace Silver Machine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 22 August 2009 00:29 (fifteen years ago)

knowledge of rebel generals letting me down here
Then how about "antiseptic general"?

― Horace Silver Machine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 22 August 2009 00:30 (fifteen years ago)

lemonade

― ailsa, Saturday, 22 August 2009 08:38 (fifteen years ago)

As a philosphy grad I am ashamed not to have got that.

― ledge, Saturday, 22 August 2009 09:43 (fifteen years ago)

:-)

― ailsa, Saturday, 22 August 2009 09:54 (fifteen years ago)

Loud drunk in fat city (5)

― Horace Silver Machine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 22 August 2009 19:19 (fifteen years ago)

-l---

― Horace Silver Machine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 23 August 2009 12:23 (fifteen years ago)

I want to say flush, but I don't know how that works with the clue other than f-lush.

― ailsa, Sunday, 23 August 2009 12:41 (fifteen years ago)

f for fortissimo, which is loud or strong?

lush being the drunk

fat city, i haven't a clue tbh

― Amateur Darraghmatics (darraghmac), Sunday, 23 August 2009 12:50 (fifteen years ago)

Well yeah, I got the f and lush, hence answering flush, but I don't get the fat city which is why I think it's not the right answer. Though loud drunk is a good clue for flush.

― ailsa, Sunday, 23 August 2009 12:56 (fifteen years ago)

http://en.wiktionary.org/wiki/fat_city

― Horace Silver Machine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 23 August 2009 12:57 (fifteen years ago)

(Note: posted that two posts ago but it got clobbered. Seems to be happening a lot past few days)

― Horace Silver Machine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 23 August 2009 12:58 (fifteen years ago)

It was probably too American, too slangy, too much dated American slang for this thread, I just liked the surface reading.

There's also this: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Fat_City_(film)

Or this: http://www.fatcitymedia.com/

― Horace Silver Machine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 23 August 2009 13:24 (fifteen years ago)

Nothing wrong with a bit of slang now and then. It does ring a faint bell.

― ledge, Sunday, 23 August 2009 13:26 (fifteen years ago)

Ugly mutt has liberal endorsement (4)

― ledge, Tuesday, 25 August 2009 11:29 (fifteen years ago)

Plug?

― Oz, Tuesday, 25 August 2009 12:50 (fifteen years ago)

aye

― ledge, Tuesday, 25 August 2009 13:03 (fifteen years ago)

State, say and send a bill. (7)

― Oz, Tuesday, 25 August 2009 13:16 (fifteen years ago)

invoice?

― Amateur Darraghmatics (darraghmac), Tuesday, 25 August 2009 16:20 (fifteen years ago)

ha. that's the word i've been trying to think of for the last three hours.

― ledge, Tuesday, 25 August 2009 16:22 (fifteen years ago)

about this month the gallery might return to its previous position (9)

― Amateur Darraghmatics (darraghmac), Tuesday, 25 August 2009 16:32 (fifteen years ago)

I'm thinking 'reinstate' but I can't see INS as 'this month'...

― Oz, Thursday, 27 August 2009 10:28 (fifteen years ago)

i tell ya, if i've fuckt this one up i'm just giving up.

but i'm pretty sure about 'inst' as referring to 'this month' in written correspondence. if that doesn't sound too wanky.

― Amateur Darraghmatics (darraghmac), Thursday, 27 August 2009 10:32 (fifteen years ago)

Ah... nice... but wouldn't that make it 'reinsttate'?

― Oz, Thursday, 27 August 2009 10:34 (fifteen years ago)

reinstall?

― what happened? i am confused. (sarahel), Thursday, 27 August 2009 10:34 (fifteen years ago)

ah fuck fuck

― Amateur Darraghmatics (darraghmac), Thursday, 27 August 2009 10:36 (fifteen years ago)

Soldier, worker, titan (5)

― Horace Silver Machine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 31 August 2009 03:49 (fifteen years ago)

giant

― mccannesque outrage (onimo), Monday, 31 August 2009 09:57 (fifteen years ago)

Correct.

Android base on beachhead (5)

― Horace Silver Machine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 31 August 2009 13:08 (fifteen years ago)

robot?

― mccannesque outrage (onimo), Monday, 31 August 2009 13:16 (fifteen years ago)

Corrupt brigadiers souls unto war film (11,8)

― mccannesque outrage (onimo), Monday, 31 August 2009 13:28 (fifteen years ago)

inglourious basteds

― ailsa, Monday, 31 August 2009 18:47 (fifteen years ago)

basterds

― ailsa, Monday, 31 August 2009 18:48 (fifteen years ago)

yes

― mccannesque outrage (onimo), Monday, 31 August 2009 18:48 (fifteen years ago)

Sorry, went off to get my dinner. here is my first attempt at making up a clue.

Shuffled naive harridans for an ILX photoshopping opportunity (7,4)

― ailsa, Monday, 31 August 2009 19:42 (fifteen years ago)

Woops that should be (6,8)

― ailsa, Monday, 31 August 2009 19:42 (fifteen years ago)

Andrei Arshavin

― mccannesque outrage (onimo), Monday, 31 August 2009 19:50 (fifteen years ago)

Yep.

― ailsa, Monday, 31 August 2009 19:55 (fifteen years ago)

Try original soundtrack with hesitation on drug, or a hormone. (12)

― ledge, Tuesday, 1 September 2009 08:31 (fifteen years ago)

testosterone

― krakow, Tuesday, 1 September 2009 10:01 (fifteen years ago)

yup

― ledge, Tuesday, 1 September 2009 10:12 (fifteen years ago)

Hurrah! Will think on a clue.

― krakow, Tuesday, 1 September 2009 10:15 (fifteen years ago)

sixteen hours later

― Horace Silver Machine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 2 September 2009 02:46 (fifteen years ago)

A man is allowed time to think is he not?

― krakow, Wednesday, 2 September 2009 07:34 (fifteen years ago)

P.S. go buy a newspaper! ;-)

― krakow, Wednesday, 2 September 2009 07:35 (fifteen years ago)

Dislike of delay to online chat with hospital users we heard (10)

― krakow, Thursday, 3 September 2009 10:21 (fifteen years ago)

impatience

― ledge, Thursday, 3 September 2009 10:30 (fifteen years ago)

Haha, bingo. Sorry Horace Silver Machine (James Redd and the Blecchs), I have a big smile on my face, it's just a gentle thread-suitable ribbing, no hard feelings intended!

― krakow, Thursday, 3 September 2009 10:54 (fifteen years ago)

I knew it was a relatively easy one, but I couldn't resist.

― krakow, Thursday, 3 September 2009 10:55 (fifteen years ago)

Evil agents corrupt preacher (10)

― mccannesque outrage (onimo), Friday, 4 September 2009 12:50 (fifteen years ago)

Evangelist

― Horace Silver Machine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 4 September 2009 13:26 (fifteen years ago)

correct

― mccannesque outrage (onimo), Friday, 4 September 2009 13:32 (fifteen years ago)

See flying saucer after beers, if drunk (7)

― ledge, Friday, 4 September 2009 15:23 (fifteen years ago)

Frisbee

― krakow, Friday, 4 September 2009 22:07 (fifteen years ago)

Second note without lead for example makes an unholy racket (5,5)

Some may disagree with my definition! ;-)

― krakow, Sunday, 6 September 2009 09:51 (fifteen years ago)

Dunno.

Hammer tong slave port in Texas (9)

― Horace Silver Machine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 7 September 2009 20:25 (fifteen years ago)

_ L _ _ _ / _ _ _ _ L

― krakow, Monday, 7 September 2009 20:27 (fifteen years ago)

Galveston

― ailsa, Monday, 7 September 2009 20:28 (fifteen years ago)

Galveston.

Inclination towards prison spell (8)

― Nostalgie de la Bwoyee (Noodle Vague), Monday, 7 September 2009 20:29 (fifteen years ago)

d'oh. Okay, just the clue then.

― Nostalgie de la Bwoyee (Noodle Vague), Monday, 7 September 2009 20:29 (fifteen years ago)

How does Galveston work?

― krakow, Monday, 7 September 2009 20:38 (fifteen years ago)

Anagram ("hammer") of "tong slave".

― Nostalgie de la Bwoyee (Noodle Vague), Monday, 7 September 2009 20:39 (fifteen years ago)

"tong slave" hammered into a different shape = Galveston, which is a port in Texas.

xpost!

― ailsa, Monday, 7 September 2009 20:39 (fifteen years ago)

Thanks. I was looking at/for Gavel=Hammer somehow.

― krakow, Monday, 7 September 2009 21:12 (fifteen years ago)

Yours is "Black Metal" krakow, yes?

― Nostalgie de la Bwoyee (Noodle Vague), Monday, 7 September 2009 21:14 (fifteen years ago)

Aye, that it is. I wasn't convinced on the clueing and it did seem to cause a pause. Criticisms welcome.

― krakow, Monday, 7 September 2009 21:25 (fifteen years ago)

not sure about 'b' for second note, that suggests 'd' to me instead. other than that, works well enough.

― this must be what FAIL is really like (ledge), Monday, 7 September 2009 23:08 (fifteen years ago)

How come d? I'm not well-versed in music theory, so assumed that notes went in alphabetical order.

― krakow, Monday, 7 September 2009 23:31 (fifteen years ago)

Sorry. I should google first, post second! I see that they go C D E F G A B

― krakow, Monday, 7 September 2009 23:33 (fifteen years ago)

I was looking at "re" or "ray" like Do Re (Ray) Mi :-(

― ailsa, Tuesday, 8 September 2009 07:16 (fifteen years ago)

close relationship (7)

― this must be what FAIL is really like (ledge), Tuesday, 8 September 2009 13:30 (fifteen years ago)

divorce

― Amateur Darraghmatics (darraghmac), Tuesday, 8 September 2009 13:30 (fifteen years ago)

I was looking at "re" or "ray" like Do Re (Ray) Mi :-(
Me too.

― Horace Silver Machine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 8 September 2009 13:31 (fifteen years ago)

shit darra that was quick!

― this must be what FAIL is really like (ledge), Tuesday, 8 September 2009 13:33 (fifteen years ago)

yeah but was it right?

― Amateur Darraghmatics (darraghmac), Tuesday, 8 September 2009 13:33 (fifteen years ago)

it was.

― this must be what FAIL is really like (ledge), Tuesday, 8 September 2009 13:36 (fifteen years ago)

well i'm not making any more clues after my string of schoolboy errors, tbh.

― Amateur Darraghmatics (darraghmac), Tuesday, 8 September 2009 13:37 (fifteen years ago)

Inclination towards prison spell (8)

_______T

― Nostalgie de la Bwoyee (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 8 September 2009 16:00 (fifteen years ago)

penchant

― Horace Silver Machine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 8 September 2009 16:40 (fifteen years ago)

Correct

― Nostalgie de la Bwoyee (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 8 September 2009 17:23 (fifteen years ago)

Nice clue. I tried quite hard with that one but couldn't get it, a bit of a d'oh! moment now I see the answer.

Close relationship is also good.

― krakow, Tuesday, 8 September 2009 18:13 (fifteen years ago)

Stylish ilx poster has too much time for cheap fast food joint (7, 7)

― this must be what FAIL is really like (ledge), Friday, 11 September 2009 08:42 (fifteen years ago)

i just can't seem to fit my username in there anywhere, tbh. stumped.

― Amateur Darraghmatics (darraghmac), Friday, 11 September 2009 08:44 (fifteen years ago)

actual poster in question is actual noted fast food connoisseur, actually

― this must be what FAIL is really like (ledge), Friday, 11 September 2009 08:54 (fifteen years ago)

chicken cottage

― unblapped goldmine (onimo), Friday, 11 September 2009 08:57 (fifteen years ago)

yay

― this must be what FAIL is really like (ledge), Friday, 11 September 2009 09:04 (fifteen years ago)

great clue btw

― unblapped goldmine (onimo), Friday, 11 September 2009 09:10 (fifteen years ago)

thx - i was just on my way to work this morning and the name of my new local cc establishment was half obscured by a road sign, saw the 'ken c' and went from there.

― this must be what FAIL is really like (ledge), Friday, 11 September 2009 09:22 (fifteen years ago)

doesn't really work but you should get it anyway

I would shortly knock out cup juggling dates here (2,5)

― unblapped goldmine (onimo), Friday, 11 September 2009 12:37 (fifteen years ago)

OK cupid

― ailsa, Friday, 11 September 2009 15:04 (fifteen years ago)

✓

― unblapped goldmine (onimo), Friday, 11 September 2009 15:07 (fifteen years ago)

nice.

― Amateur Darraghmatics (darraghmac), Friday, 11 September 2009 15:08 (fifteen years ago)

Since there seems to be a bit of a lull, I'll jump in with another clue to get the ball rolling again.

Other team halted development of thrash (5,5)

― krakow, Tuesday, 15 September 2009 11:22 (fifteen years ago)

death metal

― thomp, Tuesday, 15 September 2009 11:24 (fifteen years ago)

i can't come up with them but here's one from today's paper that's stumping me:

Don't say anything like "spradget" (1, 3, 4)

― thomp, Tuesday, 15 September 2009 11:25 (fifteen years ago)

oh, wait, i just got that. haha it's awful

― thomp, Tuesday, 15 September 2009 11:26 (fifteen years ago)

and should be (3, 1, 4). i fail at this thread

― thomp, Tuesday, 15 September 2009 11:26 (fifteen years ago)

You were right on my one of course.

― krakow, Tuesday, 15 September 2009 11:32 (fifteen years ago)

still haven't got spradget one.

― this must be what FAIL is really like (ledge), Wednesday, 16 September 2009 09:42 (fifteen years ago)

ha!

― What are the benefits of dating a younger guy, better erections? (darraghmac), Wednesday, 16 September 2009 10:00 (fifteen years ago)

not a word

― What are the benefits of dating a younger guy, better erections? (darraghmac), Wednesday, 16 September 2009 10:00 (fifteen years ago)

put forward something that could be positive or negative, true or false (9)

― What are the benefits of dating a younger guy, better erections? (darraghmac), Wednesday, 16 September 2009 10:08 (fifteen years ago)

today's paper confirms that yesterday's was in fact 'not a word'

― thomp, Wednesday, 16 September 2009 10:17 (fifteen years ago)

put forward something that could be positive or negative, true or false (9)
assertion?

Vein getting one cc shot? (7)

― Horace Silver Machine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 16 September 2009 10:57 (fifteen years ago)

assertion correct

― What are the benefits of dating a younger guy, better erections? (darraghmac), Wednesday, 16 September 2009 11:01 (fifteen years ago)

vaccine

― What are the benefits of dating a younger guy, better erections? (darraghmac), Wednesday, 16 September 2009 11:02 (fifteen years ago)

take this as correct (11)

― What are the benefits of dating a younger guy, better erections? (darraghmac), Wednesday, 16 September 2009 11:13 (fifteen years ago)

appropriate

― Not the real Village People, Wednesday, 16 September 2009 11:24 (fifteen years ago)

i'm playing it very safe after the last couple of gaffes. appropriate, any way you look at is, is correct.

― What are the benefits of dating a younger guy, better erections? (darraghmac), Wednesday, 16 September 2009 11:25 (fifteen years ago)

yay!
OK I had to nick this from the paper, probably a bit easy:

Return a chunk of wood (5)

― Not the real Village People, Wednesday, 16 September 2009 11:27 (fifteen years ago)

Balsa?

― Oz, Wednesday, 16 September 2009 11:27 (fifteen years ago)

yup

― Not the real Village People, Wednesday, 16 September 2009 11:30 (fifteen years ago)

Pregnant pause (9,5)

― Oz, Wednesday, 16 September 2009 11:35 (fifteen years ago)

expecting delay. just throwin it out there, tbh

― What are the benefits of dating a younger guy, better erections? (darraghmac), Wednesday, 16 September 2009 11:50 (fifteen years ago)

Not what i had in mind....

― Oz, Wednesday, 16 September 2009 13:17 (fifteen years ago)

fully aware of that. i'm typing out loud here, gimme a break.

― What are the benefits of dating a younger guy, better erections? (darraghmac), Wednesday, 16 September 2009 13:27 (fifteen years ago)

Maternity leave

― ailsa, Thursday, 17 September 2009 07:00 (fifteen years ago)

oh ffs, open goal

― What are the benefits of dating a younger guy, better erections? (darraghmac), Thursday, 17 September 2009 09:22 (fifteen years ago)

You're too damn good ailsa. Do you do them in the newspaper every day too?

― krakow, Thursday, 17 September 2009 09:24 (fifteen years ago)

shoulda got that, what with everyone i know being on it.

― this must be what FAIL is really like (ledge), Thursday, 17 September 2009 09:24 (fifteen years ago)

One isn't that woman, but someone else (7)

― this must be what FAIL is really like (ledge), Thursday, 17 September 2009 12:46 (fifteen years ago)

another?

― thomp, Thursday, 17 September 2009 12:49 (fifteen years ago)

aye

― this must be what FAIL is really like (ledge), Thursday, 17 September 2009 12:59 (fifteen years ago)

Played in the round? (5,2,3,7)

― fun is for people who can't cope with life (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 17 September 2009 13:01 (fifteen years ago)

has anyone got anywhere on today's araucaria in the guardian? it's very araucaria-ish.

"Tyre problem - the same by Shakespeare (I'm amazed at your boast!) when year off - brings humourous acceptance of sweet talk (8, 4, 3, 3, 8)"

― thomp, Thursday, 17 September 2009 13:05 (fifteen years ago)

brevity is the key to a good cryptic crossword clue. that's rubbish.

― What are the benefits of dating a younger guy, better erections? (darraghmac), Thursday, 17 September 2009 13:06 (fifteen years ago)

long ones are good when they make sense. unlike that one.

― this must be what FAIL is really like (ledge), Thursday, 17 September 2009 13:09 (fifteen years ago)

I'm a huge Auracaria stan but that looks a bit unwieldy. Otoh, it's generally hard to take 1 clue from his puzzles without context.

― fun is for people who can't cope with life (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 17 September 2009 13:19 (fifteen years ago)

I have enjoyed a few Araucaria puzzles immensely, but I hate it when more than one or two clues contain references to other answers, which Araucaria puzzles almost always go overboard on and the Guardian seems to love in general.

Generally if I turn to the crossword and see a sea of "2 15 3" in the clues I cannot be bothered to start it at all, because it limits your starting points so severely, and you don't even get anything to puzzle over or admire in half the clues until you've cracked the other half.

(Also because I am shit, and so am probably never going to get enough of the referenced clues to have any chance. OK, mainly that, really)

― a passing spacecadet, Thursday, 17 September 2009 13:52 (fifteen years ago)

what all crossword do we do, folks? crosaire in the irish times would be my drug of choice, for obvious enough reasons.

― What are the benefits of dating a younger guy, better erections? (darraghmac), Thursday, 17 September 2009 13:55 (fifteen years ago)

I tend to fail terribly at the Guardian one Monday to Friday. I think other setters might be more amenable to me but I can't be arsed changing paper at this point.

The answer to the Araucaria clue above was really disappointing.

― thomp, Thursday, 17 September 2009 13:56 (fifteen years ago)

"Tyre problem - the same by Shakespeare (I'm amazed at your boast!) when year off - brings humourous acceptance of sweet talk (8, 4, 3, 3, 8)"

Flattery will get you anywhere

(crap clue as it's not a common phrase)

― astronimo domino (onimo), Thursday, 17 September 2009 13:58 (fifteen years ago)

I don't do a crossword on the reg any more. There was a couple of years in the early 90s when the best half of my day consisted of beers and working through all of the broadsheet crosswords with a friend.

― fun is for people who can't cope with life (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 17 September 2009 13:59 (fifteen years ago)

Times in pub @ lunch @ work with two colleagues. Probably my fave just 'cause it's the most consistent. Observer on sun, if I've bought it or there's someone else's to deface. Good 'cause it's easy, mostly, usually. Guardian if I'm bored at work and I remember - tho I generally don't do too well.

― this must be what FAIL is really like (ledge), Thursday, 17 September 2009 14:00 (fifteen years ago)

well done onimo, i had to check fifteensquared for that

― thomp, Thursday, 17 September 2009 14:00 (fifteen years ago)

I try and fail to do the Guardian almost every day.

rufus is the only setter I know I have a good chance at and he's by far by favourite. I haven't really got a handle on anyone else just yet.

― krakow, Thursday, 17 September 2009 19:16 (fifteen years ago)

I don't do newspaper crosswords any more, mostly because I just read the news online. the skills remain though. last year I bumped into a guy I used to share a flat with about fifteen years ago and he introduced me to his friends as "the girl who taught me how to understand cryptic crosswords" :-)

― ailsa, Thursday, 17 September 2009 19:40 (fifteen years ago)

I find Rufus kind of annoying because I know if I get stuck it's probably not actually worth the effort, but that anyone that was actually good at crosswords I wouldn't be stuck

I like it when they get a more-easy-than-usual Araucaria on a Monday, because he generally rewards the work put in. Today's definitely is an off moment for him, though.

― thomp, Thursday, 17 September 2009 20:21 (fifteen years ago)

"but that if I were someone that was actually good at crosswords i wouldn't be stuck," rather

― thomp, Thursday, 17 September 2009 20:48 (fifteen years ago)

I completed a whole one once.
It was in the Metro :(

― Not the real Village People, Friday, 18 September 2009 17:59 (fifteen years ago)

well done onimo, i had to check fifteensquared for that

Just googled that, good to have a bunch of solvers out there just solving stuff for people! I don't seem to have time for the papers any more so this thread is pretty much all of my crossword solving.

― astronimo domino (onimo), Friday, 18 September 2009 18:29 (fifteen years ago)

Unexpected bonus for sailor (5)

― Garnet Memes (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 20 September 2009 12:27 (fifteen years ago)

Bosun

― menelaus, Sunday, 20 September 2009 13:24 (fifteen years ago)

I suck at making up clues.

In the hopes I got the above right here is a clue I ...er... lifted...
Treks on TV pricey, when broken down, leaving us destitute (7-8)

― menelaus, Sunday, 20 September 2009 13:57 (fifteen years ago)

poverty stricken

I too am terrible at making up clues, so someone else can have a go.

― ailsa, Sunday, 20 September 2009 17:36 (fifteen years ago)

haha was that one from the radio times menelaus

there's one of noodle vague's still unsolved. i am also terrible at making up clues, viz. this attempt:

single father (spooner's) was a horse made of fruitcake (4,3,1,6,5)

― thomp, Sunday, 20 September 2009 18:18 (fifteen years ago)

A little help

Played in the round? (5,2,3,7)

__S__ __ ___ ___E__S

― Lloyd George and the Commotions (Noodle Vague), Sunday, 20 September 2009 18:52 (fifteen years ago)

how does that help?

― What are the benefits of dating a younger guy, better erections? (darraghmac), Sunday, 20 September 2009 19:08 (fifteen years ago)

there's not even a 9 letter word in the clue.

― What are the benefits of dating a younger guy, better erections? (darraghmac), Sunday, 20 September 2009 19:09 (fifteen years ago)

"Tyre problem - the same by Shakespeare (I'm amazed at your boast!) when year off - brings humourous acceptance of sweet talk (8, 4, 3, 3, 8)"

Flattery will get you anywhere

(crap clue as it's not a common phrase)

obv you've not been flattered enough then or live in the wrong part of the country or you haven't watched enough 'carry on' films.

a beautiful clue, just 'flattery' as 'tyre problem' = anagram plus flat.

araucaria rules. (i hate him though)

― do you want to be happier? (whatever), Sunday, 20 September 2009 20:44 (fifteen years ago)

it's far from beautiful to my eyes - the word play is neat indeed, but the surface reading is horrendous.

― this must be what FAIL is really like (ledge), Sunday, 20 September 2009 21:06 (fifteen years ago)

Isn't the more common version of that phrase "flattery will get you everywhere"? And yes, it's a horribly convoluted clue.

― ailsa, Sunday, 20 September 2009 21:23 (fifteen years ago)

no the phrase is anywhere, not everywhere.

― do you want to be happier? (whatever), Sunday, 20 September 2009 21:40 (fifteen years ago)

Results 1 - 10 of about 238,000 for "flattery will get you everywhere"

Results 1 - 10 of about 13,500 for "flattery will get you anywhere"

― ailsa, Sunday, 20 September 2009 21:43 (fifteen years ago)

but arguing whether it's horrible or not - the cleverness is shoving shakespeare into it hence we might be looking for a quote from a play. when all it's for is 'will'. and if you can get 'flattery' from the first part of the clue you're away with 'flattery will...'

love him or hate him you'll miss him when he goes (viz. bunthorne)

― do you want to be happier? (whatever), Sunday, 20 September 2009 21:43 (fifteen years ago)

you trust google? xp

― do you want to be happier? (whatever), Sunday, 20 September 2009 21:44 (fifteen years ago)

Yes, I am being entirely serious.

― ailsa, Sunday, 20 September 2009 21:44 (fifteen years ago)

I like the first "Tyre problem - the same..." bit, but it's a totally unwieldy clue overall.

― krakow, Sunday, 20 September 2009 21:44 (fifteen years ago)

I think the phrase is "anywhere", not "everywhere".

― krakow, Sunday, 20 September 2009 21:45 (fifteen years ago)

"nowhere".

― this must be what FAIL is really like (ledge), Sunday, 20 September 2009 21:46 (fifteen years ago)

Yes, that's the really common one, but the clue says acceptance of sweet talk, so it's the everywhere/anywhere thing. I'm going with the Mae West version of "everywhere".

― ailsa, Sunday, 20 September 2009 21:48 (fifteen years ago)

but the clue says acceptance of sweet talk, so it's the everywhere/anywhere thing

yes but the letter count is the thing

― do you want to be happier? (whatever), Sunday, 20 September 2009 21:51 (fifteen years ago)

In terms of usage, not in terms of it being the answer!

― ailsa, Sunday, 20 September 2009 21:53 (fifteen years ago)

This is why I have problems doing the UK puzzles, these clues that some people think are really clever and that others just groan at.

― Garnet Memes (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 20 September 2009 22:08 (fifteen years ago)

Hilarious, I lifted it from elsewhere...they obviously lifted it from the Radio Times.
I am shocked and scandalised by this sign depravity in the cryptic crossword industry.

― menelaus, Monday, 21 September 2009 01:06 (fifteen years ago)

In terms of usage, not in terms of it being the answer!

Ailsa otm - I got it from the letter count but thought it was a sucky clue as "everywhere" is by far the more common usage.

― astronimo domino (onimo), Monday, 21 September 2009 09:07 (fifteen years ago)

The Radio Times is (or was, when I was still living with my parents and reading their copy every week) about the only crossword I stand a chance of completing, sadly. Sent it off every week for a couple of years but never won anything - guess that's one publication whose stereotypical readership would include a lot of active crossword-completers...

I used to do OK with some of the setters at the Independent too but I wouldn't pay money for an Indy these days so this thread is pretty much my only source of crosswords. Sometimes sneak a look at the Graun website crossword at work but they look too unlike work for extended contemplation.

I would never have got that Araucaria in a million years, still not entirely sure which bits are which even now it's been explained. And yeah, put me down in the camp which has always heard "everywhere".

― a passing spacecadet, Monday, 21 September 2009 09:24 (fifteen years ago)

"Tyre problem - the same by Shakespeare (I'm amazed at your boast!) when year off - brings humourous acceptance of sweet talk (8, 4, 3, 3, 8)"

"tyre problem" - I think "problem" is being used twice, to indicate a problem with the tyre (it's flat) and to indicate an anagram of flat tyre = flattery

the same by - no idea what this bit does

Shakespeare = will

(I'm amazed at your boast!) = get you!

when year off - anagram of "when year" = anywhere

humourous acceptance of sweet talk = Flattery will get you everywhere (doh!)

― astronimo domino (onimo), Monday, 21 September 2009 09:30 (fifteen years ago)

Oh! Thanks onimo. I didn't get the "get you", but now I do indeed get you. Might otherwise have got "when year off" if I hadn't been too bewildered by the rest of the clue to get there.

From above posts, "tyre problem - the same" is supposed to unpack to "tyre problem = flat, tyre problem -> tyre, anag" but my hat is off to anyone who actually worked that out from the clue.

― a passing spacecadet, Monday, 21 September 2009 09:37 (fifteen years ago)

I used to do OK with some of the setters at the Independent too but I wouldn't pay money for an Indy these days

I guess you wouldn't stoop to The Telegraph either, but theirs is pretty easy these days. They often seem to be based around a particular clue type - an excess of anagrams, or hidden words, or first/last letter clues.

― this must be what FAIL is really like (ledge), Monday, 21 September 2009 10:01 (fifteen years ago)

I had a cheerful lunchtime a while ago with a pub copy of the Telegraph, going "if THIS was the right answer it'd be a bit of a shit clue, but it fits, so I'm putting it down!" with the first word to spring to mind for each clue, and then finding that after 20 of these everything actually still fitted together and therefore presumably was right (or I was even more pissed than I thought)

― a passing spacecadet, Monday, 21 September 2009 11:44 (fifteen years ago)

Played in the round = Music of the Spheres.

I've never tried cluing, so will also pass, or postpone.

New to this thread. I've given up almost all crosswords now (I sometimes do Azed, just because I like the insane vocab/nicely clued way it works) but used to try the Guardian most days. I enjoyed its wild variability in difficulty. Just spending hours with a friend staring at Enigmatist clues, crawling towards some kind of answer.

Love Araucaria (between him and Paul for my favourite setter), but the surface sense of that clue is hideous, and the phrase in my head would be 'get you everywhere'.

Spacecadet otm with the Telegraph solving experience.

― woofwoofwoof, Monday, 21 September 2009 12:21 (fifteen years ago)

Yes, "Music of the Spheres".

Yes, love Araucaria and the mechanics of the clue are excellent but strained surface sense = bad clue.

Telegraph has always been the easiest broadsheet as far as I remember, tho the early weekdays in the Graun used to be pretty dull too.

― Halt! Fergiezeit (Noodle Vague), Monday, 21 September 2009 16:38 (fifteen years ago)

"tyre problem - the same" = tyre problem tyre problem = flat tery = flattery

i.e. I took "the same" to mean "tyre problem" is repeated, the first time as flat the second as an anagram of tyre.

― krakow, Monday, 21 September 2009 20:47 (fifteen years ago)

i missed that detail krakow, nice one.

ailsa i was close to agreeing with you, but it didn't sound right with 'everywhere'

Results 1 - 10 of about 1,360,000 for flattery will get you anywhere
Results 1 - 10 of about 219,000 for flattery will get you everywhere

― do you want to be happier? (whatever), Monday, 21 September 2009 20:56 (fifteen years ago)

Is that different from what I posted because you didn't use quote marks, therefore not searching for the quote? Which was by Mae West, and quite famous?

― ailsa, Monday, 21 September 2009 21:03 (fifteen years ago)

could be. i didn't use quotes and my browser fills up with suggestions along the way. everywhere comes in way below anywhere. but 'everything' comes in at only slightly less than anywhere.

didn't know it was a mae west quote.

― do you want to be happier? (whatever), Monday, 21 September 2009 21:11 (fifteen years ago)

Should read your google results then :-)

(also where I mentioned it already upthread)

― ailsa, Monday, 21 September 2009 21:12 (fifteen years ago)

I think we're getting bogged down with this and need to move on. More clues!

― krakow, Monday, 21 September 2009 21:22 (fifteen years ago)

Detective without hesitation takes a year to find moneylender (7)

― this must be what FAIL is really like (ledge), Tuesday, 22 September 2009 13:07 (fifteen years ago)

investor

― thomp, Tuesday, 22 September 2009 13:09 (fifteen years ago)

sorry, that's totally wrong, isn't it

― thomp, Tuesday, 22 September 2009 13:10 (fifteen years ago)

you didn't think it through

― this must be what FAIL is really like (ledge), Tuesday, 22 September 2009 13:11 (fifteen years ago)

Shylock

― Jimenez, Jio, Giovannagetti, and Doug (onimo), Tuesday, 22 September 2009 13:18 (fifteen years ago)

ok if that's right i'm completely nonplussed.

― What are the benefits of dating a younger guy, better erections? (darraghmac), Tuesday, 22 September 2009 13:20 (fifteen years ago)

sherlock less 'er' plus y

i was too hung up on trying to make investigator -> investor work : |

― thomp, Tuesday, 22 September 2009 13:21 (fifteen years ago)

One day i'll write a tough clue.

― this must be what FAIL is really like (ledge), Tuesday, 22 September 2009 13:23 (fifteen years ago)

is mine so bad no one's going to attempt it? :(

― thomp, Tuesday, 22 September 2009 13:24 (fifteen years ago)

repost pls thomp

― What are the benefits of dating a younger guy, better erections? (darraghmac), Tuesday, 22 September 2009 13:26 (fifteen years ago)

single father (spooner's) used to be horse made of fruitcake (4,3,1,6,5)

― thomp, Tuesday, 22 September 2009 13:27 (fifteen years ago)

jeez sorry i asked

― What are the benefits of dating a younger guy, better erections? (darraghmac), Tuesday, 22 September 2009 13:30 (fifteen years ago)

papa was a rollin stone, on a whim

― What are the benefits of dating a younger guy, better erections? (darraghmac), Tuesday, 22 September 2009 13:31 (fifteen years ago)

yerp

― thomp, Tuesday, 22 September 2009 13:35 (fifteen years ago)

BUT I DON'T KNOW WHY

― What are the benefits of dating a younger guy, better erections? (darraghmac), Tuesday, 22 September 2009 13:36 (fifteen years ago)

it's stollen roan, isn't it

― this must be what FAIL is really like (ledge), Tuesday, 22 September 2009 13:42 (fifteen years ago)

o_O

― this must be what FAIL is really like (ledge), Tuesday, 22 September 2009 13:43 (fifteen years ago)

yeah sometimes genius is very close to just bein a smartarse imo, so there.

― What are the benefits of dating a younger guy, better erections? (darraghmac), Tuesday, 22 September 2009 13:43 (fifteen years ago)

you are both correct. whose turn is it?

― thomp, Tuesday, 22 September 2009 13:45 (fifteen years ago)

Sold stolen goods electronically around protection system (7)

― Jimenez, Jio, Giovannagetti, and Doug (onimo), Tuesday, 22 September 2009 13:53 (fifteen years ago)

defence? e-fenced?

― thomp, Tuesday, 22 September 2009 14:01 (fifteen years ago)

got as far as fence.

― What are the benefits of dating a younger guy, better erections? (darraghmac), Tuesday, 22 September 2009 14:02 (fifteen years ago)

defence is correct - anagram of e-fenced. Figured you could say electronically and add an e onto any transaction in this day and age.

― Jimenez, Jio, Giovannagetti, and Doug (onimo), Tuesday, 22 September 2009 14:30 (fifteen years ago)

yeah no problem with that.

― What are the benefits of dating a younger guy, better erections? (darraghmac), Tuesday, 22 September 2009 14:31 (fifteen years ago)

Connected to onimo's, from Azed on Sunday:

Abandoned electrical equipment sat decomposing in sheep's gut (1-5)

― woofwoofwoof, Wednesday, 23 September 2009 10:36 (fifteen years ago)

e-haggis

― What are the benefits of dating a younger guy, better erections? (darraghmac), Wednesday, 23 September 2009 10:43 (fifteen years ago)

First letter CORRECT

― woofwoofwoof, Wednesday, 23 September 2009 10:45 (fifteen years ago)

derren brown method is working

― What are the benefits of dating a younger guy, better erections? (darraghmac), Wednesday, 23 September 2009 10:50 (fifteen years ago)

e-waste

i should give more azeds a go but they always look so daunting.

― this must be what FAIL is really like (ledge), Wednesday, 23 September 2009 11:00 (fifteen years ago)

E-waste correct.

Azed isn't as hard as it looks. I mean some part of it tends to involve sitting around making up words ('rusa?') and then looking them up in the dictionary ('It is a horse!'), but this is pretty much my ideal bedtime activity tbh.

It's v. fairly clued. The barred grid is a bit of a psychological obstacle at first, but it means you get masses of checked letters to make up for the obscure words.

― woofwoofwoof, Wednesday, 23 September 2009 11:17 (fifteen years ago)

just looking at this weeks, first three (and others) are all 'unclued answer', thanks a bunch.

― this must be what FAIL is really like (ledge), Wednesday, 23 September 2009 11:19 (fifteen years ago)

Haha. Yeah. Plain weeks are a better intro. It was a bit of a slog till I got one of the unclued ones, which gave the rest almost immediately.

― woofwoofwoof, Wednesday, 23 September 2009 11:22 (fifteen years ago)

My university alumni magazine (quarterly, only ever look at the crossword and skim the obituaries for anyone my age) includes a barred-grid crossword with several unclued answers and a twist, e.g. ignore one word of each clue or remove one letter from each answer, use these to spell unclued answers, that kind of thing.

I can never get anywhere with them, except one time when I got the whole thing except one letter and thought "now I am elite crossword demon and am tuned into the art of these things and will demolish the next one", only to find next issue that, uh, I wasn't.

Azeds seem much the same.

― a passing spacecadet, Wednesday, 23 September 2009 11:26 (fifteen years ago)

Nah, Azed only pulls something weird (like this one) once every couple of months. It's not like The Listener (king of insane rubrics).

― woofwoofwoof, Wednesday, 23 September 2009 11:36 (fifteen years ago)

i am a noob: what on earth is an 'unclued answer'?

― thomp, Wednesday, 23 September 2009 11:36 (fifteen years ago)

Space in the grid for which there's no clue at all. So 1ac will be marked, and take up seven squares, but there's no clue. They turn up in barred grid crosswords mostly, and are gettable via checked letters and/or a theme and/or jammy stab in the dark.

― woofwoofwoof, Wednesday, 23 September 2009 11:44 (fifteen years ago)

what's the point of that, then?

― thomp, Wednesday, 23 September 2009 12:18 (fifteen years ago)

Beast chasing loud predator (3)
NEA head after delinquent Op Art supporter (6)

― Garnet Memes (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 23 September 2009 12:32 (fifteen years ago)

(although y'all probably don't know what the NEA is)

― Garnet Memes (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 23 September 2009 12:33 (fifteen years ago)

Naughty Erotic Adventures.

First is FOX

― this must be what FAIL is really like (ledge), Wednesday, 23 September 2009 12:46 (fifteen years ago)

No.
Yes.

― Garnet Memes (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 23 September 2009 12:52 (fifteen years ago)

Thomp: they only really make sense when in a theme or scheme. It's quite nice to crack the heart of a puzzle and open up a load of answers at once after crawling along. And it makes a change from straight solving. The Azed one mentioned is a bit meh, but in a really neat themed puzzle there's an exciting seeing-the-light moment (Slightly embarrassed to be using the word 'exciting' there).

#2 = Patron (nice).

― woofwoofwoof, Wednesday, 23 September 2009 13:14 (fifteen years ago)

Thousand and one plus five hundred times two plus fifty equals average (6)

― Garnet Memes (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 24 September 2009 14:57 (fifteen years ago)

median

― What are the benefits of dating a younger guy, better erections? (darraghmac), Thursday, 24 September 2009 14:59 (fifteen years ago)

Middle. Great clue! 'e' for 'equals' notwithstanding ;)

er xp...

― this must be what FAIL is really like (ledge), Thursday, 24 September 2009 15:00 (fifteen years ago)

oh, nice

co-worker is stuck on this, in the times:

Such ores featuring in workings? (14)

― thomp, Thursday, 24 September 2009 15:06 (fifteen years ago)

i'll go with ledge too, i just got caught up with 'thousand and one' equals average.

― What are the benefits of dating a younger guy, better erections? (darraghmac), Thursday, 24 September 2009 15:06 (fifteen years ago)

operations, or something like?

― What are the benefits of dating a younger guy, better erections? (darraghmac), Thursday, 24 September 2009 15:06 (fifteen years ago)

it's argentiferous. knew it was an anag but still had to get most of the letters before we got it.

― this must be what FAIL is really like (ledge), Thursday, 24 September 2009 15:07 (fifteen years ago)

that was my second guess

― What are the benefits of dating a younger guy, better erections? (darraghmac), Thursday, 24 September 2009 15:08 (fifteen years ago)

oh, i mean argentiferous (xp)

― What are the benefits of dating a younger guy, better erections? (darraghmac), Thursday, 24 September 2009 15:09 (fifteen years ago)

doh, i had the wrong anagrind. ta tho

― thomp, Thursday, 24 September 2009 15:17 (fifteen years ago)

Pirate company take electronic tape from records, to broadcast (7)

― this must be what FAIL is really like (ledge), Thursday, 24 September 2009 15:19 (fifteen years ago)

Corsair. Nice again.

First try:

Nauseatingly cute model to 'make pee-pee' (4)

― woofwoofwoof, Thursday, 24 September 2009 16:24 (fifteen years ago)

twee

― thomp, Thursday, 24 September 2009 16:33 (fifteen years ago)

i spent eight of those nine minutes trying to work out if i could make 'piss' fit btw

― thomp, Thursday, 24 September 2009 16:34 (fifteen years ago)

Cats lost her knickers (5)
I see antelope in volcanic country (7)
Woodentop soul singer's drugstore (9)

― Garnet Memes (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 25 September 2009 04:12 (fifteen years ago)

pants

― ailsa, Friday, 25 September 2009 06:56 (fifteen years ago)

(panthers minus her)

― ailsa, Friday, 25 September 2009 06:56 (fifteen years ago)

Yes. What about the second one? (Third one probably doesn't work outside US)

Boy getting fifty-fifty split to seek favor of five hundred in movie production capital (9)

― Garnet Memes (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 25 September 2009 13:33 (fifteen years ago)

hollywood, but what is the boy?

― this must be what FAIL is really like (ledge), Friday, 25 September 2009 13:41 (fifteen years ago)

oh wait it's bollywood.

― this must be what FAIL is really like (ledge), Friday, 25 September 2009 13:41 (fifteen years ago)

Second one is Iceland. Got from 'volcanic country'. My brain shuts down when it sees 'antelope' in a clue.

― woofwoofwoof, Friday, 25 September 2009 13:55 (fifteen years ago)

Geographical handicap beaten! Google confirms Walgreens. (eliminated 'warethras' first).

― woofwoofwoof, Friday, 25 September 2009 13:59 (fifteen years ago)

Where we used to hang out, Will shall go (7, 4)

― thomp, Friday, 25 September 2009 14:15 (fifteen years ago)

Gallows Hill

― Bacon is the new Pirates (onimo), Friday, 25 September 2009 14:34 (fifteen years ago)

Can and Neu! play together – dead subtle (6)

― woofwoofwoof, Friday, 25 September 2009 14:37 (fifteen years ago)

nuance

― Bacon is the new Pirates (onimo), Friday, 25 September 2009 14:39 (fifteen years ago)

Arranging mating fort (10)

― Bacon is the new Pirates (onimo), Friday, 25 September 2009 14:41 (fifteen years ago)

Fuck. Mine should be (7)

― woofwoofwoof, Friday, 25 September 2009 14:41 (fifteen years ago)

That wasn't a clue, btw

― woofwoofwoof, Friday, 25 September 2009 14:41 (fifteen years ago)

nuanced?

― Bacon is the new Pirates (onimo), Friday, 25 September 2009 14:42 (fifteen years ago)

Yes. Exactly.
Formatting?

― woofwoofwoof, Friday, 25 September 2009 14:43 (fifteen years ago)

Yes. Exactly.

― Bacon is the new Pirates (onimo), Friday, 25 September 2009 14:47 (fifteen years ago)

Backwards glance, cross to return on paths - obvious transport instruction to the general public
4,8,5

― menelaus, Sunday, 27 September 2009 09:22 (fifteen years ago)

Keep buslanes clear? tramways? railways? er...

― this must be what FAIL is really like (ledge), Sunday, 27 September 2009 20:07 (fifteen years ago)

'Doorways', I reckon (rood/cross).

With gleeful expression, setter thanks infamous tween (6)

― woofwoofwoof, Monday, 28 September 2009 13:52 (fifteen years ago)

Dunno.

Norwegian in woolens (3)
Queen of geraniums (4)
Cares about block of ice (5)

― Garnet Memes (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 29 September 2009 00:15 (fifteen years ago)

Ole
Rani
dunno the third one

― ailsa, Tuesday, 29 September 2009 07:21 (fifteen years ago)

Yes
Yes
It's not a common word.

― Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Hamletmachine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 29 September 2009 10:39 (fifteen years ago)

Maybe should have written:
Cares about block of glacial ice (5)

― Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Hamletmachine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 29 September 2009 11:16 (fifteen years ago)

Sérac

― krakow, Tuesday, 29 September 2009 11:32 (fifteen years ago)

was just gonna hopefully google that.

― this must be what FAIL is really like (ledge), Tuesday, 29 September 2009 11:35 (fifteen years ago)

I found this site extremely helpful: http://pubs.usgs.gov/of/2004/1216/text.html though it is a word I kind of half know.

― krakow, Tuesday, 29 September 2009 11:36 (fifteen years ago)

woofwoofwoof's still up there. letters?

― this must be what FAIL is really like (ledge), Tuesday, 29 September 2009 11:38 (fifteen years ago)

...smiley? (for woofwoofwoof's, not really sure about it but thought I'd throw it out there)

― ein fisch schwimmt im wasser · fisch im wasser durstig (a passing spacecadet), Tuesday, 29 September 2009 11:44 (fifteen years ago)

Not 'smiley'. - - L - - -

― woofwoofwoof, Tuesday, 29 September 2009 11:54 (fifteen years ago)

'setter' would often mean 'i' or 'me', right?

― krakow, Tuesday, 29 September 2009 11:57 (fifteen years ago)

Yes, and it does here.

― woofwoofwoof, Tuesday, 29 September 2009 12:01 (fifteen years ago)

Ah... Lolita?

― Oz, Tuesday, 29 September 2009 14:01 (fifteen years ago)

JESUS

― this must be what FAIL is really like (ledge), Tuesday, 29 September 2009 14:07 (fifteen years ago)

i had ---ita. Couldn't do anything with it. What a spaz.

― this must be what FAIL is really like (ledge), Tuesday, 29 September 2009 14:07 (fifteen years ago)

Feel like my display name is becoming a self-fulfilling prophecy.

― this must be what FAIL is really like (ledge), Tuesday, 29 September 2009 14:08 (fifteen years ago)

Yes, 'Lolita' it is.

(btw, that glacial ice clue taught me that while crase and ceras were words, creas, screa and recas weren't. I then gave up. I suck at anagrams)

― woofwoofwoof, Tuesday, 29 September 2009 14:15 (fifteen years ago)

Look good in clubs perhaps? (4)

― Oz, Tuesday, 29 September 2009 15:05 (fifteen years ago)

And a harder one... Thanks to constituent parts being repeated I get good man's permanent markers (10)

― Oz, Tuesday, 29 September 2009 15:14 (fifteen years ago)

Umm I'm out of turn I know, but I feel I owe a couple. In the spirit of um Ramadan...

Every heron to fast, moderately (10)

― anatol_merklich, Wednesday, 30 September 2009 01:45 (fifteen years ago)

Tattooists (for Oz's one) - ta + ttoo (the letters of to being repeated) + I + st (saint)'s.

― ailsa, Wednesday, 30 September 2009 06:51 (fifteen years ago)

Allegretto.
If I am correct please bear with me, making a new clue will take some time.

― menelaus, Wednesday, 30 September 2009 09:04 (fifteen years ago)

Yes to tattooists. No answer for Look good in clubs perhaps? (4) I thought that might be the simple one.

― Oz, Wednesday, 30 September 2009 09:05 (fifteen years ago)

peer?
Fielding character's behaviour changes into ploy, reveals something to write home to mamma about (10,5)

― menelaus, Wednesday, 30 September 2009 09:49 (fifteen years ago)

Not peer, sorry.

― Oz, Wednesday, 30 September 2009 09:50 (fifteen years ago)

Dammit, I so wanted it to be about gentlemen's clubs, not cards.
How about Suit?

― menelaus, Wednesday, 30 September 2009 09:53 (fifteen years ago)

Allegretto correct.

― anatol_merklich, Wednesday, 30 September 2009 10:04 (fifteen years ago)

effect resulting from stalling and substitution in the afternoon (7)

― menelaus, Wednesday, 30 September 2009 10:27 (fifteen years ago)

yes.. suit it is...

― Oz, Wednesday, 30 September 2009 11:02 (fifteen years ago)

Number of Italians wrapped in cotton (4)

― Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Hamletmachine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 4 October 2009 03:57 (fifteen years ago)

otto

― this must be what FAIL is really like (ledge), Sunday, 4 October 2009 19:23 (fifteen years ago)

Yes.

The panic in question envelops number of Italians (6)

― Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Hamletmachine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 4 October 2009 23:16 (fifteen years ago)

cinque - easy but a nice hidden word!

Something irrational got hold of by good man, turns into some useful suggestions (4)

― this must be what FAIL is really like (ledge), Monday, 5 October 2009 08:53 (fifteen years ago)

Tips?

― Oz, Monday, 5 October 2009 13:25 (fifteen years ago)

"Something irrational" is a really nice bit of clueing.

― The dead-eyed harpy from the hilarious "Tory Party Conference" (Noodle Vague), Monday, 5 October 2009 13:27 (fifteen years ago)

Summon worker's celebration. (7)

― Oz, Monday, 5 October 2009 13:46 (fifteen years ago)

spit?

oh, tips.

― Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Hamletmachine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 5 October 2009 20:50 (fifteen years ago)

pageant

― Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Hamletmachine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 5 October 2009 20:50 (fifteen years ago)

Yes, yes it is.

― Oz, Tuesday, 6 October 2009 08:32 (fifteen years ago)

Tall icon Thatcher broke family club (8,8)

― zing me to sleep (onimo), Wednesday, 7 October 2009 06:30 (fifteen years ago)

charlton athletic

― Brewer's Bitch (darraghmac), Wednesday, 7 October 2009 09:19 (fifteen years ago)

― zing me to sleep (onimo), Wednesday, 7 October 2009 09:29 (fifteen years ago)

onyl cos i was reading lj on them about ten second's previously.

― Brewer's Bitch (darraghmac), Wednesday, 7 October 2009 09:45 (fifteen years ago)

wait, i see what you did there.

― Brewer's Bitch (darraghmac), Wednesday, 7 October 2009 11:26 (fifteen years ago)

Oh man I wrote the letters for the anagram down this morning and I've just looked at it on my desk and the answer clicked, only to discover I'm 12 hours late.

― The dead-eyed harpy from the hilarious "Tory Party Conference" (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 7 October 2009 21:31 (fifteen years ago)

Desire redhead in secret. (6)

― Oz, Thursday, 8 October 2009 11:32 (fifteen years ago)

Could that also be clued as
Desire redhead that's into spelunking (6)?

Insider at Pepsi longing for small number of Greeks (6)

― Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Hamletmachine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 8 October 2009 14:23 (fifteen years ago)

Desire redhead that's into spelunking (6)?

I can get a (7) for that...

― this must be what FAIL is really like (ledge), Thursday, 8 October 2009 14:34 (fifteen years ago)

Insider at Pepsi longing for small number of Greeks (6)

and for that!

― this must be what FAIL is really like (ledge), Thursday, 8 October 2009 14:34 (fifteen years ago)

Oh yeah, 7, that's what I meant. I am really tired today. Shouldn't operate heavy machinery.

― Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Hamletmachine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 8 October 2009 14:49 (fifteen years ago)

Had to google spelunking, convinced it'd be NSFW. Nope, mine's a different answer...

― Oz, Thursday, 8 October 2009 16:02 (fifteen years ago)

Epsilon

― krakow, Thursday, 8 October 2009 17:28 (fifteen years ago)

I don't know Oz's yet.

― krakow, Thursday, 8 October 2009 17:28 (fifteen years ago)

covert

― this must be what FAIL is really like (ledge), Friday, 9 October 2009 08:41 (fifteen years ago)

"I wouldn't knife a cockfarmer", says Spooner, "I couldn't care less!" (1, 4, 4, 1, 4)

― this must be what FAIL is really like (ledge), Friday, 9 October 2009 08:44 (fifteen years ago)

i don't give a ----?

― Brewer's Bitch (darraghmac), Friday, 9 October 2009 08:54 (fifteen years ago)

http://1.bp.blogspot.com/_NK3NwhcAKOY/SQ8oQQEywdI/AAAAAAAABHc/hUJIE2OZOsg/s320-R/Come+On+-+Don%27t+Walk+On+The+Kitchen+Floor+bw+Kitchen+In+The+Clouds.JPG

― this must be what FAIL is really like (ledge), Friday, 9 October 2009 09:00 (fifteen years ago)

I believe the last word is something G.G. Allin would provide for his audience.

― Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Hamletmachine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 9 October 2009 11:18 (fifteen years ago)

Wildly amused and spectacularly coiffed female (6)

― Get Up (I Feel Like Being A) Hamletmachine (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 9 October 2009 13:48 (fifteen years ago)

http://www.lataco.com/taco/wp-content/uploads/medusa.jpg

― surfing on hokusine waves (ledge), Friday, 9 October 2009 13:53 (fifteen years ago)

well done all round

― Brewer's Bitch (darraghmac), Friday, 9 October 2009 13:54 (fifteen years ago)

Stay away from an empty space (5)

― surfing on hokusine waves (ledge), Monday, 12 October 2009 11:26 (fifteen years ago)

avoid

― Brewer's Bitch (darraghmac), Monday, 12 October 2009 11:27 (fifteen years ago)

thumbsup.gif

― surfing on hokusine waves (ledge), Monday, 12 October 2009 11:29 (fifteen years ago)

thumbs up in the correct phrase (2, 3, 5)

― Brewer's Bitch (darraghmac), Monday, 12 October 2009 11:30 (fifteen years ago)

on the money?

― surfing on hokusine waves (ledge), Monday, 12 October 2009 13:24 (fifteen years ago)

nope.

― Brewer's Bitch (darraghmac), Monday, 12 October 2009 15:04 (fifteen years ago)

rubbish guess, actually. shame on you.

― Brewer's Bitch (darraghmac), Monday, 12 October 2009 15:10 (fifteen years ago)

eh meant to follow that up with :) or somesuch but got sidetracked. bit harsh.

― Brewer's Bitch (darraghmac), Monday, 12 October 2009 15:59 (fifteen years ago)

i can take it

― surfing on hokusine waves (ledge), Monday, 12 October 2009 16:05 (fifteen years ago)

then quit with the pussy ass guesses then

― Brewer's Bitch (darraghmac), Monday, 12 October 2009 16:05 (fifteen years ago)

;)

― Brewer's Bitch (darraghmac), Monday, 12 October 2009 16:06 (fifteen years ago)

at the ready, darraghmac?

― do you want to be happier? (whatever), Monday, 12 October 2009 19:09 (fifteen years ago)

nope.

― Brewer's Bitch (darraghmac), Tuesday, 13 October 2009 11:00 (fifteen years ago)

Looking for a synonym for "vein" for the times xword at lunchtime. "We came up with seam and lode". Or "semen load", as my colleague heard it. How we laughed.

― surfing on hokusine waves (ledge), Tuesday, 13 October 2009 13:01 (fifteen years ago)

btw letters plz

― surfing on hokusine waves (ledge), Tuesday, 13 October 2009 13:02 (fifteen years ago)

-- -o- -u---

it's probably a rubbish clue, but it was spur of the moment reaction to thumbs up anyway so.....

― Brewer's Bitch (darraghmac), Tuesday, 13 October 2009 13:03 (fifteen years ago)

Still dunno.

Song from Cockney musical (3)

― so hongro so aggro (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 17 October 2009 03:10 (fifteen years ago)

no i give in

― do you want to be happier? (whatever), Saturday, 17 October 2009 07:50 (fifteen years ago)

air ('air)

― surfing on hokusine waves (ledge), Saturday, 17 October 2009 08:33 (fifteen years ago)

long flowing 'air!

― so hongro so aggro (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 17 October 2009 13:38 (fifteen years ago)

it was 'le mot juste' :( sorry for rubbish

― Des Leppilen (darraghmac), Saturday, 17 October 2009 16:04 (fifteen years ago)

ah that's not bad. 'thumbs up' bit is good!

― surfing on hokusine waves (ledge), Saturday, 17 October 2009 17:05 (fifteen years ago)

Don't get it

― so hongro so aggro (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 17 October 2009 17:43 (fifteen years ago)

mot = tom (thumb) up the other way. I think. Rest of it, not so much.

― ailsa, Saturday, 17 October 2009 17:45 (fifteen years ago)

eh there's nothing in the rest of it, tbh. maybe it's a crosaire thing (my usual cryptic fix), but pretty often the 'whole' answer isn't spelled out. again, as always, any fault is in the abilities of the setter and not those poor souls struggling to decipher.

― Des Leppilen (darraghmac), Saturday, 17 October 2009 21:03 (fifteen years ago)

Herb for grass skirts girl (8)

― surfing on hokusine waves (ledge), Tuesday, 20 October 2009 12:21 (fifteen years ago)

Marjoram

lol I just opened the Wikipedia details thread too

― Music should never have changed anymore after my mid 80s (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 20 October 2009 12:26 (fifteen years ago)

Nice clue tho

― Music should never have changed anymore after my mid 80s (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 20 October 2009 12:26 (fifteen years ago)

Little Alan's bottom collection (5)

― Suggest Gandhi (onimo), Tuesday, 20 October 2009 12:40 (fifteen years ago)

album

― surfing on hokusine waves (ledge), Tuesday, 20 October 2009 12:45 (fifteen years ago)

yes

― Suggest Gandhi (onimo), Tuesday, 20 October 2009 12:49 (fifteen years ago)

Bondage wrapping hillock causing outburst (5)
Holy men without ham inside (7)

― When Baron Saturday Comes (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 27 October 2009 03:25 (fifteen years ago)

First one is storm.

Second looks a really good clue as it can be parsed in several ways (except none of them are leading me to an answer)

― ailsa, Tuesday, 27 October 2009 08:12 (fifteen years ago)

Ailsa OTM. That was tricky to parse. Plus totally cunning + fair double-bluff of 'ham' being 'ham', as its 'shamans'.

― woofwoofwoof, Tuesday, 27 October 2009 10:14 (fifteen years ago)

Oh, very nice indeed When Baron, that second one is grand.

― krakow, Tuesday, 27 October 2009 10:46 (fifteen years ago)

o ffs how did i not get shamans after looking at 'sans ham' for ten minutes.

― you can have this tapdance here for free (darraghmac), Tuesday, 27 October 2009 11:19 (fifteen years ago)

Thanks everybody. This morning I started worrying that maybe the plural of 'shaman' was actually 'shamen.'

― When Baron Saturday Comes (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 27 October 2009 13:42 (fifteen years ago)

+es are good

― Not the real Village People, Tuesday, 27 October 2009 17:13 (fifteen years ago)

T/S: http://img40.imageshack.us/img40/9959/88tp7l.jpg vs http://img40.imageshack.us/img40/4900/tco2165.jpg

(wd start this on ILM for real if I thought more than 3 people would've heard the latter)

― ein fisch schwimmt im wasser · fisch im wasser durstig (a passing spacecadet), Tuesday, 27 October 2009 17:51 (fifteen years ago)

yeah there's a reeeeaaal lack of niche muso weirdos on ilm alright. 10/1 odds that not only would you get 30 votes, but the band nobody's ever heard of gets 27 of them.

― you can have this tapdance here for free (darraghmac), Tuesday, 27 October 2009 17:54 (fifteen years ago)

Caution about bladder problem (3)

― When Baron Saturday Comes (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 27 October 2009 19:37 (fifteen years ago)

UTI

― Not the real Village People, Tuesday, 27 October 2009 19:42 (fifteen years ago)

You got it.

― When Baron Saturday Comes (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 27 October 2009 19:47 (fifteen years ago)

Now trying to come up with an & lit clue, but can't quite do it:

You got it around blah blah blah (3)

― When Baron Saturday Comes (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 27 October 2009 19:49 (fifteen years ago)

ITU? telecommunications, = blah blah blah?

should be 1,1,1 if it is an initialism shirley.

― George Mucus (ledge), Wednesday, 28 October 2009 09:38 (fifteen years ago)

OK. (1,1,1)

― When Baron Saturday Comes (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 28 October 2009 13:46 (fifteen years ago)

Wild pool rove around pole cheese (9)

― When Baron Saturday Comes (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 28 October 2009 17:04 (fifteen years ago)

provolone

― George Mucus (ledge), Wednesday, 28 October 2009 17:06 (fifteen years ago)

he's eager, the boy.

― you can have this tapdance here for free (darraghmac), Wednesday, 28 October 2009 17:06 (fifteen years ago)

eager to cry (4)

― George Mucus (ledge), Wednesday, 28 October 2009 17:07 (fifteen years ago)

keen

― you can have this tapdance here for free (darraghmac), Wednesday, 28 October 2009 17:10 (fifteen years ago)

eager for the hunt (4)

― you can have this tapdance here for free (darraghmac), Wednesday, 28 October 2009 17:10 (fifteen years ago)

idk but can i add this before i forget

keen on a horse that loses a predator, it's clear (7)

― George Mucus (ledge), Wednesday, 28 October 2009 17:18 (fifteen years ago)

crystal

― you can have this tapdance here for free (darraghmac), Wednesday, 28 October 2009 18:27 (fifteen years ago)

She gets to hit everywhere (6)
French revolutionary sweetheart for short and long run (8)

― When Baron Saturday Comes (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 29 October 2009 06:22 (fifteen years ago)

French revolutionary sweetheart for short and long run (8)

marathon

― Suggest Gandhi (onimo), Thursday, 29 October 2009 09:49 (fifteen years ago)

crystal

yup

just for the sake of the surface i don't think it would have been too unfair to change it to keen on a horse that escapes a predator, it's clear.

― George Mucus (ledge), Thursday, 29 October 2009 09:52 (fifteen years ago)

it would have been a little laboured, but hey i set the stinkers that make the whole thread moan so...

― you can have this tapdance here for free (darraghmac), Thursday, 29 October 2009 10:15 (fifteen years ago)

marathon
Yes.

I'm gonna reclue the other one as

Woman's got to hit everywhere (6)

― When Baron Saturday Comes (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 29 October 2009 13:41 (fifteen years ago)

-l----

― When Baron Saturday Comes (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 29 October 2009 19:15 (fifteen years ago)

Oh, here's a cheap one, should be no problem if you've just read the same thread as me:

Prince drops $1000 for toilet paper (7)

(No idea, sorry Baron. Had to check that that was an L and not an i in your clue - it is the former, if anyone else wasn't sure)

― subtyll cauillacyons (a passing spacecadet), Friday, 30 October 2009 14:06 (fifteen years ago)

charmin. i want to say slapper for the other one, except it's a) sexist and ii) wrong.

― George Mucus (ledge), Friday, 30 October 2009 14:18 (fifteen years ago)

Yessir (barely worth confirming but still)

― subtyll cauillacyons (a passing spacecadet), Friday, 30 October 2009 14:26 (fifteen years ago)

slapper works though!

― Yo, Lout! (darraghmac), Friday, 30 October 2009 14:28 (fifteen years ago)

really? how does per=everywhere?

― George Mucus (ledge), Friday, 30 October 2009 14:37 (fifteen years ago)

hitting everywhere as in smashing everything, was a possible reading

― Yo, Lout! (darraghmac), Friday, 30 October 2009 14:39 (fifteen years ago)

Oh! It's "global", no?

― subtyll cauillacyons (a passing spacecadet), Friday, 30 October 2009 14:45 (fifteen years ago)

Can't really do these but here is a shitty thing that wandered through my mind as I was pondering the above, hence being a less convincing take on the same construction:

Russian province to hit next to nothing (6)

Here's another, unrelated one that doesn't really work:
Loving? It's a business proposal (6)

― subtyll cauillacyons (a passing spacecadet), Friday, 30 October 2009 15:05 (fifteen years ago)

Oh! It's "global", no?
Yes!

― When Baron Saturday Comes (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 30 October 2009 15:08 (fifteen years ago)

Shoot relatives with fruit (7)

― Alan Lo (max) (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 1 November 2009 22:10 (fifteen years ago)

Spooner's crooked Keane sells his assets regularly (4,3)

― tal farlow's pather panchali (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 2 November 2009 00:58 (fifteen years ago)

Rent Boy.

― Drag Me to Hull (Noodle Vague), Monday, 2 November 2009 01:03 (fifteen years ago)

Yes. What about the other one?

― tal farlow's pather panchali (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 2 November 2009 01:07 (fifteen years ago)

Reclue:

Fruit heart relatives (7)

― tal farlow's pather panchali (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 2 November 2009 02:23 (fifteen years ago)

-----i-

― tal farlow's pather panchali (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 2 November 2009 14:32 (fifteen years ago)

that's even worse!

― antastic mr ox (darraghmac), Monday, 2 November 2009 15:08 (fifteen years ago)

Finally! That was hard. It's pumpkin! Ugh got totally lost looking for standard plurals, should have known better.

I now owe the thread two. Will get onto it during this boring week at work.

(wait - Two or three, since Spacecadet's 1st is oblast.)

― woofwoofwoof, Monday, 2 November 2009 15:16 (fifteen years ago)

Slate lawyer's car? (5)

― Drag Me to Hull (Noodle Vague), Monday, 2 November 2009 15:27 (fifteen years ago)

Red State, almost (6)

― Drag Me to Hull (Noodle Vague), Monday, 2 November 2009 15:32 (fifteen years ago)

Aho! I had considered "kin" and failed to make a fruit out of it; am now groaning at both myself and the clue (in a good way, I think).

Two or three, since Spacecadet's 1st is oblast.

It is indeed. I was sort of going to disown those, but since you mention it, here's a letter for the other:

Loving? It's a business proposal (6)
-e----

I think that may be an inappropriate use of ?, but there we go.

― subtyll cauillacyons (a passing spacecadet), Monday, 2 November 2009 15:34 (fifteen years ago)

Sorry about the bad clue. Really I was just trying to get ledge to post
http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2545/4056709528_ee4418aa01.jpg

― tal farlow's pather panchali (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 2 November 2009 15:42 (fifteen years ago)

haha, you know I actually looked up the list of oblasts on Wikipedia without actually twigging that oblast itself was the answer :-(

― ailsa, Monday, 2 November 2009 15:48 (fifteen years ago)

How does it work exactly?

― tal farlow's pather panchali (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 2 November 2009 15:51 (fifteen years ago)

Oblast = Russian province. To hit = blast, next to "o" which is nothing .

― ailsa, Monday, 2 November 2009 15:52 (fifteen years ago)

Yep, what ailsa said. Kind of clumsy, sorry, but I got preoccupied with hit->blast for your "global" clue, then the only 6-letter word I could make out of it was that, and it wouldn't leave my head. Is "next to" bad form for "after" or is it OK on either side?

― subtyll cauillacyons (a passing spacecadet), Monday, 2 November 2009 15:57 (fifteen years ago)

Oh, I thought this was the answer to "Red State, almost (6)"

― tal farlow's pather panchali (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 2 November 2009 15:59 (fifteen years ago)

Ha, no, still scratching my head over that one myself.

― subtyll cauillacyons (a passing spacecadet), Monday, 2 November 2009 16:00 (fifteen years ago)

Quite pleased with it, but I'll give you a while before I put a letter in.

― Drag Me to Hull (Noodle Vague), Monday, 2 November 2009 16:02 (fifteen years ago)

Florid?

― ailsa, Monday, 2 November 2009 16:11 (fifteen years ago)

Correct

― Drag Me to Hull (Noodle Vague), Monday, 2 November 2009 16:13 (fifteen years ago)

nice.

― ailsa, Monday, 2 November 2009 16:21 (fifteen years ago)

I think, strictly, I expect 'x next to y' to be in solution order (so that clue indicates 'blasto'), but I'm not 100% sure.

(xp yes, that 'florid' is neat)

― woofwoofwoof, Monday, 2 November 2009 16:23 (fifteen years ago)

Una, confused, gets vegetable, becomes zombie (9)

― woofwoofwoof, Monday, 2 November 2009 16:56 (fifteen years ago)

nope

Elgin would be crazy to lose his... (7)
... Elgin's crazy all by himself (6)

― George Mucus (ledge), Wednesday, 4 November 2009 14:12 (fifteen years ago)

marbles single

― banned of bros. (darraghmac), Wednesday, 4 November 2009 14:15 (fifteen years ago)

not much of a challenge. CONGRATULATIONS anyway.

― George Mucus (ledge), Wednesday, 4 November 2009 14:20 (fifteen years ago)

Congratulations Hal, enjoy yourself (6,5)

― banned of bros. (darraghmac), Wednesday, 4 November 2009 14:22 (fifteen years ago)

Dunno.

One thousand and fifty in love with a kind of life (9)

― BIG STROON aka the santaclara drug (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 5 November 2009 05:58 (fifteen years ago)

Ready for time in emergency room (5)

― BIG STROON aka the santaclara drug (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 5 November 2009 06:25 (fifteen years ago)

Second one's eager.

― Drag Me to Hull (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 5 November 2009 08:02 (fifteen years ago)

Yes. Want letters for the other one?

― BIG STROON aka the santaclara drug (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 5 November 2009 13:16 (fifteen years ago)

Plz. It's bugging me.

For my last one:

- - - - m - - - -

― woofwoofwoof, Thursday, 5 November 2009 14:06 (fifteen years ago)

---m-----

― BIG STROON aka the santaclara drug (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 5 November 2009 14:24 (fifteen years ago)

---m--o--

― BIG STROON aka the santaclara drug (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 5 November 2009 14:36 (fifteen years ago)

If only I still had my Baron Saturday screenname, then I know I could get the zombie one.
Keep thinking it must be "unanimate" but it doesn't seem to work.

Congratulations Hal, enjoy yourself (6,5)

Keep thinking this has Hank in it, so Thanks, Something but no.

― BIG STROON aka the santaclara drug (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 5 November 2009 15:15 (fifteen years ago)

woofwoof's is automaton.

This one needs put out of its misery:
Loving? It's a business proposal (6) -e----
...may be set up wrong, so here's a more literal (less interesting) re-cluing:
Delicate business offer (6)

― subtyll cauillacyons (a passing spacecadet), Thursday, 5 November 2009 15:44 (fifteen years ago)

Yes to automaton.

OH! It's tender. Think the first wording was fine. I was just being dense.

― woofwoofwoof, Thursday, 5 November 2009 15:54 (fifteen years ago)

Yes indeed (and sorry for robbing you of one of your "woof"s last time)

― subtyll cauillacyons (a passing spacecadet), Thursday, 5 November 2009 15:57 (fifteen years ago)

no hanks

― banned of bros. (darraghmac), Thursday, 5 November 2009 16:37 (fifteen years ago)

Is darraghmac's one hooray henry?

― ailsa, Thursday, 5 November 2009 22:21 (fifteen years ago)

yep

― banned of bros. (darraghmac), Friday, 6 November 2009 11:11 (fifteen years ago)

enjoy yourself?

― George Mucus (ledge), Friday, 6 November 2009 11:51 (fifteen years ago)

bon vivants, your common garden hooray henry, i'd've thought?

― banned of bros. (darraghmac), Friday, 6 November 2009 11:58 (fifteen years ago)

yyyeeeeeeaaaaaaaaahhhhhhhhhhh

― George Mucus (ledge), Friday, 6 November 2009 12:45 (fifteen years ago)

as long as ailsa was able to figure it out my conscience is clear

― banned of bros. (darraghmac), Friday, 6 November 2009 13:09 (fifteen years ago)

tender.

― BIG STROON aka the santaclara drug (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 6 November 2009 15:28 (fifteen years ago)

One thousand and fifty in love with a kind of life (9)
---m--o-s

― BIG STROON aka the santaclara drug (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 6 November 2009 15:29 (fifteen years ago)

glamorous?

― Large Hadron Collander (onimo), Friday, 6 November 2009 15:36 (fifteen years ago)

http://www.fantasticfiction.co.uk/images/n1/n5833.jpg

― BIG STROON aka the santaclara drug (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 6 November 2009 15:40 (fifteen years ago)

glamorous?

― banned of bros. (darraghmac), Friday, 6 November 2009 15:41 (fifteen years ago)

xp i swear

― banned of bros. (darraghmac), Friday, 6 November 2009 15:41 (fifteen years ago)

One thousand and fifty have no love for a cold dwelling (5)

― George Mucus (ledge), Friday, 6 November 2009 16:42 (fifteen years ago)

igloo?

― Large Hadron Collander (onimo), Friday, 6 November 2009 16:45 (fifteen years ago)

(didn't get no love = oo for a second there and wasn't sure)

― Large Hadron Collander (onimo), Friday, 6 November 2009 16:46 (fifteen years ago)

Thousand and fifty has programming tool to fly without thrust (5)

― Large Hadron Collander (onimo), Friday, 6 November 2009 16:48 (fifteen years ago)

glide

― George Mucus (ledge), Friday, 6 November 2009 16:51 (fifteen years ago)

A thousand shelter an artist (4)

― Drag Me to Hull (Noodle Vague), Friday, 6 November 2009 17:01 (fifteen years ago)

Klee

― irmão tuomas (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 6 November 2009 17:06 (fifteen years ago)

Thousand and fifty have to scratch bug (6)

― irmão tuomas (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 6 November 2009 17:06 (fifteen years ago)

God dammit gl, kl, amor, ml, o, aml, -ous, -a, pull yourselves together, kick out the losers and give me the right word next time.

Glitch thankyou I am on it now.

― woofwoofwoof, Friday, 6 November 2009 17:07 (fifteen years ago)

Glitch :D

― Drag Me to Hull (Noodle Vague), Friday, 6 November 2009 17:07 (fifteen years ago)

Trendy one thousand and fifty have our promissory notes, the basterds (11)

― George Mucus (ledge), Friday, 6 November 2009 17:08 (fifteen years ago)

inglourious

― irmão tuomas (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 6 November 2009 17:12 (fifteen years ago)

Was just gonna post "lol"

― Drag Me to Hull (Noodle Vague), Friday, 6 November 2009 17:12 (fifteen years ago)

One thousand and fifty round the bend? Artist's work!

― Drag Me to Hull (Noodle Vague), Friday, 6 November 2009 17:16 (fifteen years ago)

(5)

― Drag Me to Hull (Noodle Vague), Friday, 6 November 2009 17:16 (fifteen years ago)

Mural

― George Mucus (ledge), Friday, 6 November 2009 17:29 (fifteen years ago)

Well done sir

― Drag Me to Hull (Noodle Vague), Friday, 6 November 2009 17:30 (fifteen years ago)

Thousands get in on monkey movie (4,4)

― irmão tuomas (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 6 November 2009 23:24 (fifteen years ago)

*bump*

― ipso mothro (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 7 November 2009 12:06 (fifteen years ago)

king kong

― Drag Me to Hull (Noodle Vague), Saturday, 7 November 2009 12:08 (fifteen years ago)

King Kong.

Thousands round an organisation (4)

― ailsa, Saturday, 7 November 2009 12:11 (fifteen years ago)

DOGTITS while I took time to think up a clue, obviously

― ailsa, Saturday, 7 November 2009 12:11 (fifteen years ago)

WTF?

― ailsa, Saturday, 7 November 2009 12:12 (fifteen years ago)

I didn't type that!

― ailsa, Saturday, 7 November 2009 12:12 (fifteen years ago)

DOGTITS?

― Drag Me to Hull (Noodle Vague), Saturday, 7 November 2009 12:23 (fifteen years ago)

lol thanks ailsa I was trying to work out what the secret DOGTITS trigger was

― Drag Me to Hull (Noodle Vague), Saturday, 7 November 2009 12:23 (fifteen years ago)

Variable mail skips a message (5)

― Drag Me to Hull (Noodle Vague), Saturday, 7 November 2009 12:35 (fifteen years ago)

DOGTITS

― ipso mothro (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 7 November 2009 13:36 (fifteen years ago)

Yup

― ipso mothro (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 7 November 2009 13:36 (fifteen years ago)

lololololololololol

― Drag Me to Hull (Noodle Vague), Saturday, 7 November 2009 13:39 (fifteen years ago)

amirite

― ipso mothro (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 7 November 2009 13:40 (fifteen years ago)

why yes

― Drag Me to Hull (Noodle Vague), Saturday, 7 November 2009 13:41 (fifteen years ago)

Gang.

"Just grand. Ring the Carnival" (10)

― woofwoofwoof, Saturday, 7 November 2009 14:18 (fifteen years ago)

Fairground :)

― Don't Dream It, SB It (Noodle Vague), Saturday, 7 November 2009 14:26 (fifteen years ago)

I still don't know what the DOGTITS trigger is.

― Large Hadron Collander (onimo), Saturday, 7 November 2009 14:29 (fifteen years ago)

I gets confused around a thousand and fifty drinks (7)

― Don't Dream It, SB It (Noodle Vague), Saturday, 7 November 2009 14:30 (fifteen years ago)

Thousand and fifty villa's home put under festival (11)

― Large Hadron Collander (onimo), Saturday, 7 November 2009 14:39 (fifteen years ago)

Glastonbury

― Don't Dream It, SB It (Noodle Vague), Saturday, 7 November 2009 14:42 (fifteen years ago)

― Large Hadron Collander (onimo), Saturday, 7 November 2009 14:43 (fifteen years ago)

gimlets

Role playing game to trump scurf (8)

― ipso mothro (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 7 November 2009 15:09 (fifteen years ago)

correct

dandruff ;)

― Don't Dream It, SB It (Noodle Vague), Saturday, 7 November 2009 15:10 (fifteen years ago)

Solver fled the country (4)

― Don't Dream It, SB It (Noodle Vague), Saturday, 7 November 2009 15:15 (fifteen years ago)

Iran

Thousand and fifty short English valley (4)

― Liverpool's former third best player (onimo), Saturday, 7 November 2009 17:00 (fifteen years ago)

glen

― ailsa, Saturday, 7 November 2009 17:35 (fifteen years ago)

Vegetarian turns angry inside (5)

― ipso mothro (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 7 November 2009 18:27 (fifteen years ago)

The greatest in Australia (3)

― Run-WmC (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 8 November 2009 01:33 (fifteen years ago)

Renaissance painter of fish, giving one away for nothing (8)

― Run-WmC (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 8 November 2009 04:50 (fifteen years ago)

Ali

― George Mucus (ledge), Sunday, 8 November 2009 10:08 (fifteen years ago)

Angelico? (don't get 'giving one away' bit if so)

― George Mucus (ledge), Sunday, 8 November 2009 10:19 (fifteen years ago)

Yes. No. But last letter is right.

-------o

― Run-WmC (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 8 November 2009 12:02 (fifteen years ago)

Depending on spelling, may not need that "giving one away for nothing" bit.

― Run-WmC (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 8 November 2009 12:08 (fifteen years ago)

Eight Italian, ten French and one German painter (4,3)
Dutchmen surround thousand and fifty little creatures (7)

― Run-WmC (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 8 November 2009 13:41 (fifteen years ago)

faust arp
gremlins

― Don't Dream It, SB It (Noodle Vague), Sunday, 8 November 2009 13:43 (fifteen years ago)

sorry, first one's otto dix rather

― Don't Dream It, SB It (Noodle Vague), Sunday, 8 November 2009 13:45 (fifteen years ago)

no
no
yes

― Run-WmC (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 8 November 2009 14:43 (fifteen years ago)

-i-----

― Run-WmC (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 8 November 2009 14:47 (fifteen years ago)

piglets?

― ailsa, Sunday, 8 November 2009 14:49 (fifteen years ago)

― Run-WmC (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 8 November 2009 14:50 (fifteen years ago)

Fish painter is
--o----o

― Run-WmC (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 8 November 2009 14:51 (fifteen years ago)

haha that's great i was wracking my brain over "dutchmen"

― Death to False Meta (Noodle Vague), Sunday, 8 November 2009 14:52 (fifteen years ago)

--o--i-o

― Run-WmC (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 8 November 2009 15:43 (fifteen years ago)

Pump less than three (5)

― Run-WmC (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 8 November 2009 16:18 (fifteen years ago)

― George Mucus (ledge), Sunday, 8 November 2009 16:28 (fifteen years ago)

http://www.brandonterranova.com/miniprojects/Heart.gif

― George Mucus (ledge), Sunday, 8 November 2009 16:29 (fifteen years ago)

Nice!

― ailsa, Sunday, 8 November 2009 16:30 (fifteen years ago)

Explain?

― Death to False Meta (Noodle Vague), Sunday, 8 November 2009 16:50 (fifteen years ago)

notation for less than three is <3, which is emoticon for heart, which is a pump. Seemples!

― ailsa, Sunday, 8 November 2009 16:55 (fifteen years ago)

Hahaha that is brilliant. Wouldn't get away with it off-line, mind.

― Death to False Meta (Noodle Vague), Sunday, 8 November 2009 16:57 (fifteen years ago)

Ooof. The species of fish is news to me, but the answer's Bronzino.

― woofwoofwoof, Monday, 9 November 2009 10:16 (fifteen years ago)

Automatic substitution when grand bird enters the turf backwards (7)

― woofwoofwoof, Monday, 9 November 2009 10:38 (fifteen years ago)

Letters, please

― Raggett Out Of Denver (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 9 November 2009 15:10 (fifteen years ago)

- - - T - - -

('the' in 'the turf' is doing nothing and maybe shouldn't be there)

― woofwoofwoof, Monday, 9 November 2009 15:24 (fifteen years ago)

dogtits

― koogs, Monday, 9 November 2009 15:26 (fifteen years ago)

Yes, dogtits it is.

― woofwoofwoof, Monday, 9 November 2009 15:33 (fifteen years ago)

a quiet lol from this one in the grauniad today:

Electrical salesman might do this, say, for a woman's enemy? (9)

― George Mucus (ledge), Tuesday, 10 November 2009 13:29 (fifteen years ago)

Hysteresis?

― Bloggers Might Ride (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 10 November 2009 14:32 (fifteen years ago)

Cellulite!

― woofwoofwoof, Tuesday, 10 November 2009 14:37 (fifteen years ago)

hurrah

― George Mucus (ledge), Tuesday, 10 November 2009 14:47 (fifteen years ago)

Eraserhead: confused, toxic, foreign (6)
Candy replaces nougat filling with original whisky (7)

― Bloggers Might Ride (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 10 November 2009 18:34 (fifteen years ago)

Exotic

― George Mucus (ledge), Wednesday, 11 November 2009 10:28 (fifteen years ago)

Support queue from the side (7)

― I'm Still Stanning (onimo), Wednesday, 11 November 2009 11:58 (fifteen years ago)

Want to say "brachial"

Candy replaces nougat filling with original whisky (7)
-o-----

― Bloggers Might Ride (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 11 November 2009 16:54 (fifteen years ago)

bourbon. yer skating close to the ice there son.

― George Mucus (ledge), Wednesday, 11 November 2009 16:55 (fifteen years ago)

skating close to the ice?!

― George Mucus (ledge), Wednesday, 11 November 2009 16:56 (fifteen years ago)

The ice calling the skater thin.

― Bloggers Might Ride (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 11 November 2009 17:01 (fifteen years ago)

I've been recently enjoying doing this Canadian puzzle http://v1.theglobeandmail.com/crosswords/. Would recommend it to other septic solvers.

― Bloggers Might Ride (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 11 November 2009 17:15 (fifteen years ago)

God in honorific position in arch (7)

― Bloggers Might Ride (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 12 November 2009 13:33 (fifteen years ago)

Support queue from the side (7)
― I'm Still Stanning (onimo), Wednesday, 11 November 2009 11:58

- - o - - - -

― I'm Still Stanning (onimo), Thursday, 12 November 2009 13:46 (fifteen years ago)

proline?

Noise prohibition gets the gas face (4)

― Bloggers Might Ride (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 12 November 2009 15:14 (fifteen years ago)

One more letter please.

― Bloggers Might Ride (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 12 November 2009 16:33 (fifteen years ago)

proline is wrong

Support queue from the side (7)
- - o - i - e

― I'm Still Stanning (onimo), Thursday, 12 November 2009 16:45 (fifteen years ago)

profile

― Louis Cll (darraghmac), Thursday, 12 November 2009 16:48 (fifteen years ago)

very good

― Louis Cll (darraghmac), Thursday, 12 November 2009 16:48 (fifteen years ago)

yes

― I'm Still Stanning (onimo), Thursday, 12 November 2009 16:48 (fifteen years ago)

thank you

― I'm Still Stanning (onimo), Thursday, 12 November 2009 16:49 (fifteen years ago)

God in honorific position in arch (7)

eh i've half got it i think but complete lack of classical education re gods and anrches is holding me back. that's my excuse anyway.

― Louis Cll (darraghmac), Thursday, 12 November 2009 16:53 (fifteen years ago)

Receiving orders on an underwater vessel, not obeying orders (15)

― Louis Cll (darraghmac), Thursday, 12 November 2009 17:00 (fifteen years ago)

insubordination

― George Mucus (ledge), Thursday, 12 November 2009 17:10 (fifteen years ago)

yap

― Louis Cll (darraghmac), Thursday, 12 November 2009 20:00 (fifteen years ago)

God in honorific position in arch (7)
---n---

Noise prohibition gets the gas face (4)
--n-

― Bloggers Might Ride (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 13 November 2009 16:06 (fifteen years ago)

can only think of rainbow?

― Louis Cll (darraghmac), Friday, 13 November 2009 16:13 (fifteen years ago)

bang

― I'm Still Stanning (onimo), Friday, 13 November 2009 16:22 (fifteen years ago)

Yes and yes.

― Bloggers Might Ride (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 13 November 2009 16:28 (fifteen years ago)

ah ffs ra

― Louis Cll (darraghmac), Friday, 13 November 2009 16:38 (fifteen years ago)

Check alien's permit to travel (6)

― George Mucus (ledge), Friday, 13 November 2009 16:52 (fifteen years ago)

ticket

― Louis Cll (darraghmac), Friday, 13 November 2009 16:54 (fifteen years ago)

go look twice for information (6)

― I'm Still Stanning (onimo), Friday, 13 November 2009 17:01 (fifteen years ago)

review?

― Louis Cll (darraghmac), Friday, 13 November 2009 17:04 (fifteen years ago)

no (though that works)

― I'm Still Stanning (onimo), Friday, 13 November 2009 17:17 (fifteen years ago)

partll?

O.G. puts on tent, producing milky substance (6)

― Bloggers Might Ride (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 13 November 2009 23:59 (fifteen years ago)

(not sure I'm using twice quite the way I want to here)

go look twice for information (6)

g - - - - e

― I'm Still Stanning (onimo), Saturday, 14 November 2009 00:57 (fifteen years ago)

google lol

― http://uktv.co.uk/ can fuck right off imo (Noodle Vague), Saturday, 14 November 2009 00:58 (fifteen years ago)

"twice" is superfluous imo

― http://uktv.co.uk/ can fuck right off imo (Noodle Vague), Saturday, 14 November 2009 00:58 (fifteen years ago)

aye "go look for information" works but I thought "go look/look for information" split it better.

― I'm Still Stanning (onimo), Saturday, 14 November 2009 01:00 (fifteen years ago)

Slate lawyer's car? (5)

I think this one is still unsolved. Rather than give letters I'll just say that the answer is pretty much Britishes Interest Only.

― http://uktv.co.uk/ can fuck right off imo (Noodle Vague), Saturday, 14 November 2009 01:02 (fifteen years ago)

No wonder I couldn't solve it. Thought mine was pretty easy, but maybe not.

― Bloggers Might Ride (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 14 November 2009 01:11 (fifteen years ago)

As a Britisher... dunno.

Masturbate on Chicago train with four strokes, no piston (6)

― George Mucus (ledge), Saturday, 14 November 2009 15:55 (fifteen years ago)

Slate lawyer's car _ a _ _ _

― This board has gotten so sissified and sterilized (Noodle Vague), Saturday, 14 November 2009 15:56 (fifteen years ago)

lol Wankel, btw

― This board has gotten so sissified and sterilized (Noodle Vague), Saturday, 14 November 2009 15:57 (fifteen years ago)

O.G. puts on tent, producing milky substance (6)
----r-

― Bloggers Might Ride (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 14 November 2009 16:51 (fifteen years ago)

Disney fiasco taking root around Switzerland's versatile saxophonist (6,6)

― Meade Lex Louis (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 16 November 2009 03:36 (fifteen years ago)

*bump*

― Meade Lex Louis (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 16 November 2009 14:43 (fifteen years ago)

Panda for the car.

― woofwoofwoof, Monday, 16 November 2009 14:59 (fifteen years ago)

You can't ride this in tunic or negligee (7)

― Meade Lex Louis (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 17 November 2009 06:51 (fifteen years ago)

http://www.freewebs.com/magentawitch/unicornMAGIC.JPG

― George Mucus (ledge), Tuesday, 17 November 2009 09:42 (fifteen years ago)

You can't ride this

robocop can...

http://ephemerist.files.wordpress.com/2008/10/robocop-unicorn.jpg

― George Mucus (ledge), Tuesday, 17 November 2009 09:43 (fifteen years ago)

Panda for the car.

Correct

― eman moomar (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 17 November 2009 10:43 (fifteen years ago)

Thanks. I never knew what Robocop was wearing under his armor.

― Meade Lex Louis (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 17 November 2009 13:24 (fifteen years ago)

Director of station where son gets lost (4)

O.G. puts on tent, producing milky substance (6)
-o--r-

Disney fiasco taking root around Switzerland's versatile saxophonist (6,6)
-i---- -e----

― Meade Lex Louis (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 17 November 2009 15:46 (fifteen years ago)

i assumed sidney something, but i'm afraid no more than that.

― Louis Cll (darraghmac), Tuesday, 17 November 2009 15:49 (fifteen years ago)

Maybe I should have put the word "soprano" in there somewhere.

― Meade Lex Louis (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 17 November 2009 15:53 (fifteen years ago)

Sidney Bechet

― I'm Still Stanning (onimo), Tuesday, 17 November 2009 15:55 (fifteen years ago)

did you know that or did you google sidney saxophone. like i did.

― George Mucus (ledge), Tuesday, 17 November 2009 15:55 (fifteen years ago)

http://www.geekdemusique.com/wp-content/uploads/2008/12/sidney-bechet.jpg

― Meade Lex Louis (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 17 November 2009 15:56 (fifteen years ago)

I googled it then found one that fitted the clue.

― I'm Still Stanning (onimo), Tuesday, 17 November 2009 15:57 (fifteen years ago)

You guys should go now and listen to his version of "Summertime."

― Meade Lex Louis (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 17 November 2009 15:58 (fifteen years ago)

nah...

Because hatchet will cleave call of an instrument that I hate (9)

― George Mucus (ledge), Tuesday, 17 November 2009 16:09 (fifteen years ago)

Saxophone

― eman moomar (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 17 November 2009 16:12 (fifteen years ago)

HONK

― George Mucus (ledge), Tuesday, 17 November 2009 17:03 (fifteen years ago)

ok yastrzemski, secretariat, and seattle slew all have 11 letters, fuck youuuu

― peed on tree (k3vin k.), Tuesday, 17 November 2009 17:05 (fifteen years ago)

Mail contains hot picture (5)

― It Ain't The Meme (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 19 November 2009 18:53 (fifteen years ago)

Photo

― ailsa, Thursday, 19 November 2009 18:55 (fifteen years ago)

Yes.

Liven up photo with points on borders (5)

― It Ain't The Meme (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 19 November 2009 18:56 (fifteen years ago)

spice

― George Mucus (ledge), Thursday, 19 November 2009 19:00 (fifteen years ago)

Yes.

One is excellent spice (5)

― It Ain't The Meme (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 19 November 2009 19:08 (fifteen years ago)

anise

apologies if this interrupts but...

cross to forget a line in parody (6)

― George Mucus (ledge), Thursday, 19 November 2009 19:10 (fifteen years ago)

It's OK. I was done.

― It Ain't The Meme (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 19 November 2009 19:13 (fifteen years ago)

s----

― George Mucus (ledge), Friday, 20 November 2009 14:30 (fifteen years ago)

satire

― I'm Still Stanning (onimo), Friday, 20 November 2009 14:35 (fifteen years ago)

http://img.tfd.com/wn/BB/65DEC-check-mark.gif

― George Mucus (ledge), Friday, 20 November 2009 14:39 (fifteen years ago)

Actor has one type implant, then another, to become Sissi actress (4,9)

― It Ain't The Meme (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 20 November 2009 17:40 (fifteen years ago)

Need letters?

― It Ain't The Meme (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 20 November 2009 19:40 (fifteen years ago)

yeah

― George Mucus (ledge), Sunday, 22 November 2009 09:39 (fifteen years ago)

Romy Schneider but I'll admit I felt it was fair to look up Sissi cos I've never seen it

― Herman G. Neuname is the first European president (Noodle Vague), Sunday, 22 November 2009 11:14 (fifteen years ago)

Throw up too much French wine (4)

― George Mucus (ledge), Sunday, 22 November 2009 14:36 (fifteen years ago)

port

― steenship HOOSiers (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 22 November 2009 14:50 (fifteen years ago)

i'm a bit of a pushover aren't i

― George Mucus (ledge), Sunday, 22 November 2009 14:54 (fifteen years ago)

Deal with some giant nonsense about an account (4)

― George Mucus (ledge), Sunday, 22 November 2009 15:02 (fifteen years ago)

Dunno.

Bar vent releasing mysterious author (1,6)

― Welcome To The King Pleasure-dome (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 22 November 2009 21:20 (fifteen years ago)

Romy Schneider but I'll admit I felt it was fair to look up Sissi cos I've never seen it
I'm not blaming you. I figured it was gonna go that way.

― Welcome To The King Pleasure-dome (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 22 November 2009 21:21 (fifteen years ago)

Deal with some giant nonsense about an account (4)

-A--

― George Mucus (ledge), Monday, 23 November 2009 09:44 (fifteen years ago)

-a-- i probably mean

― George Mucus (ledge), Monday, 23 November 2009 09:44 (fifteen years ago)

face

― Louis Cll (darraghmac), Monday, 23 November 2009 10:46 (fifteen years ago)

congrats

― George Mucus (ledge), Monday, 23 November 2009 10:50 (fifteen years ago)

By all accounts this killer is a jolly good fellow (7)

thanx/apols to Mark G

― George Mucus (ledge), Wednesday, 25 November 2009 11:55 (fifteen years ago)

Vorhees :)

― nearly 50 in vagina years (onimo), Wednesday, 25 November 2009 13:19 (fifteen years ago)

Editor catches hell under fire (7)

― O-mar Gaya (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 2 December 2009 20:45 (fifteen years ago)

shelled?

― poster x (ledge), Thursday, 3 December 2009 12:21 (fifteen years ago)

B Traven for mysterious author.

― Parenthetic hound (woofwoofwoof), Thursday, 3 December 2009 12:50 (fifteen years ago)

Yes and yes.

― O-mar Gaya (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 3 December 2009 13:26 (fifteen years ago)

whence comes the 's' in shelled?

― poster x (ledge), Thursday, 3 December 2009 14:18 (fifteen years ago)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sed

― O-mar Gaya (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 3 December 2009 14:36 (fifteen years ago)

i knew that ;_;

― poster x (ledge), Thursday, 3 December 2009 14:39 (fifteen years ago)

Cover wager after getting the skinny (7)

― the onimo effect (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 11 December 2009 14:50 (fifteen years ago)

--a----

― the onimo effect (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 11 December 2009 16:18 (fifteen years ago)

--a--e-

― the onimo effect (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 11 December 2009 18:39 (fifteen years ago)

blanket

― ailsa, Saturday, 12 December 2009 08:21 (fifteen years ago)

Correct.

― ilxor found in mail sack (5) (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 12 December 2009 13:41 (fifteen years ago)

Letters bite horses (7)

― ilxor found in mail sack (5) (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 13 December 2009 00:16 (fifteen years ago)

Monster enters seedy bars and splits (8)

― alter cocker jarvis cocker (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 18 December 2009 18:25 (fifteen years ago)

Monster enters seedy bars and splits (8)
--alter cocker jarvis cocker (James Redd and the Blecchs)

Divorces

― joe, Friday, 18 December 2009 18:32 (fifteen years ago)

Yes.

Other one should have been
Letters bite horse (7)

― alter cocker jarvis cocker (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 18 December 2009 18:33 (fifteen years ago)

--s----

― alter cocker jarvis cocker (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 18 December 2009 19:42 (fifteen years ago)

somewhere on another thread far far away james redd asks

ledge, why you no come to styptic xword thread anymore?

'cause i can't get your clues! and have been lazy in thinking of my own.

― poster x (ledge), Saturday, 19 December 2009 21:27 (fifteen years ago)

Korean soup's warmth rating: about medium hot. Shoot!

― poster x (ledge), Saturday, 19 December 2009 21:32 (fifteen years ago)

... (10)

― poster x (ledge), Saturday, 19 December 2009 21:32 (fifteen years ago)

should be soup not soup's, really.

― poster x (ledge), Saturday, 19 December 2009 21:34 (fifteen years ago)

also ~~korean~~ vietnamese, sorry for racism

― poster x (ledge), Saturday, 19 December 2009 22:35 (fifteen years ago)

--o-------

― poster x (ledge), Sunday, 20 December 2009 19:32 (fifteen years ago)

photograph?

― ailsa, Sunday, 20 December 2009 19:34 (fifteen years ago)

yup

― poster x (ledge), Sunday, 20 December 2009 19:40 (fifteen years ago)

Can you explain? I guessed from "pho" and "shoot".

― ailsa, Sunday, 20 December 2009 19:44 (fifteen years ago)

tog = warmth rating; medium = par, turned about; hot = h

― poster x (ledge), Sunday, 20 December 2009 19:48 (fifteen years ago)

First of these is unfortunaely about half a century away from being a work of genius:

'59 revolutionary (5)

Revolutionary? What about? (3)

― poster x (ledge), Sunday, 20 December 2009 19:52 (fifteen years ago)

Very good, re photograph. Dunno about the other two.

― ailsa, Sunday, 20 December 2009 19:58 (fifteen years ago)

castro
che

― Cage, Trintignant, Sheen (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 20 December 2009 20:47 (fifteen years ago)

no
yes

― poster x (ledge), Sunday, 20 December 2009 20:56 (fifteen years ago)

felix

― Cage, Trintignant, Sheen (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 20 December 2009 21:01 (fifteen years ago)

40% correct

― poster x (ledge), Sunday, 20 December 2009 21:15 (fifteen years ago)

helix?

― ailsa, Sunday, 20 December 2009 21:18 (fifteen years ago)

no, that would be 80% correct. Ignore me.

― ailsa, Sunday, 20 December 2009 21:19 (fifteen years ago)

it's not that different from the other clue...

― poster x (ledge), Sunday, 20 December 2009 21:21 (fifteen years ago)

Lenin.
Should be bored at work tomorrow, will check in with a clue then.

― Parenthetic hound (woofwoofwoof), Sunday, 20 December 2009 22:51 (fifteen years ago)

Or sooner.
Tyrant's obsessive fan gets 51 (6)

― Parenthetic hound (woofwoofwoof), Sunday, 20 December 2009 22:57 (fifteen years ago)

stalin

― Cage, Trintignant, Sheen (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 20 December 2009 23:37 (fifteen years ago)

more letters for the horse clue?

― poster x (ledge), Monday, 21 December 2009 09:55 (fifteen years ago)

--s--n-

― Cage, Trintignant, Sheen (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 21 December 2009 13:17 (fifteen years ago)

mustang!

― poster x (ledge), Monday, 21 December 2009 13:57 (fifteen years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PT6U57QkUe8

― Cage, Trintignant, Sheen (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 21 December 2009 14:08 (fifteen years ago)

Gossip in gym class covered in vinegar (9)

― Cage, Trintignant, Sheen (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 23 December 2009 20:00 (fifteen years ago)

grapevine

― ailsa, Wednesday, 23 December 2009 20:02 (fifteen years ago)

Commodore gone to find a long trail west (6)

― poster x (ledge), Thursday, 24 December 2009 12:11 (fifteen years ago)

Oregon

― Domnesty International (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 24 December 2009 12:34 (fifteen years ago)

Cattle sound like fifty due (6)

― Domnesty International (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 24 December 2009 12:36 (fifteen years ago)

lowing

― ailsa, Thursday, 24 December 2009 12:50 (fifteen years ago)

Yeah, I just realised "like" is superfluous there and that spoils the clue.

― Domnesty International (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 24 December 2009 12:54 (fifteen years ago)

I didn't think so, it might make you think "sound like" which is nicely ambiguous rather than "cattle sound", the "like" being that it is like putting L next to owing. Or something. It worked for me anyway.

― ailsa, Thursday, 24 December 2009 12:57 (fifteen years ago)

haha thanks you've reminded me why I did it now.

― Domnesty International (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 24 December 2009 12:58 (fifteen years ago)

Monkeys in Budapest (4)
Girl four around city of third man (6)

― Cage, Trintignant, Sheen (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 24 December 2009 13:03 (fifteen years ago)

Apes
Vienna

― Domnesty International (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 24 December 2009 13:06 (fifteen years ago)

Noodle's right, right on the hour. Sticky! Smelly! (5)

― Domnesty International (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 24 December 2009 13:08 (fifteen years ago)

Dunno

About the greatest city in Colombia (4)

― 'tza you, santa claus? (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 26 December 2009 00:00 (fifteen years ago)

Myrrh for Noodle's.

― Parenthetic hound (woofwoofwoof), Saturday, 26 December 2009 00:10 (fifteen years ago)

myrrh is right.

James's is Cali

― Domnesty International (Noodle Vague), Saturday, 26 December 2009 09:51 (fifteen years ago)

When Santa travels with unknown mass, acceleration, and speed (4)

― CATBEAST 7777 (ledge), Saturday, 2 January 2010 11:12 (fifteen years ago)

xmas! very nice

― nico anemic cinema icon (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 2 January 2010 11:50 (fifteen years ago)

I see inside someone who looks secretly hot (5)

― nico anemic cinema icon (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 5 January 2010 18:36 (fifteen years ago)

spicy

― Not a reactionary git, just an idiot. (darraghmac), Tuesday, 5 January 2010 23:43 (fifteen years ago)

damnit i had 'tom' for someone who looks secretly

― CATBEAST 7777 (ledge), Wednesday, 6 January 2010 00:04 (fifteen years ago)

Whine about original spice (5)

― nico anemic cinema icon (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 6 January 2010 00:42 (fifteen years ago)

fancy that! sounds like you could get splinters (5, 5)

― Not a reactionary git, just an idiot. (darraghmac), Wednesday, 6 January 2010 00:43 (fifteen years ago)

Games company angry about money awarded in law suit (7)

― CATBEAST 7777 (ledge), Wednesday, 6 January 2010 09:28 (fifteen years ago)

letters? mine's --m----

― CATBEAST 7777 (ledge), Friday, 8 January 2010 15:00 (fifteen years ago)

Mine:
---r-

― nico anemic cinema icon (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 8 January 2010 15:01 (fifteen years ago)

Keep thinking yours should be "alimony"

― nico anemic cinema icon (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 8 January 2010 15:02 (fifteen years ago)

'comp---'?

― Not a reactionary git, just an idiot. (darraghmac), Friday, 8 January 2010 15:08 (fifteen years ago)

curry

― Not a reactionary git, just an idiot. (darraghmac), Friday, 8 January 2010 15:08 (fifteen years ago)

my letters will give it away, but

w---- ----h

― Not a reactionary git, just an idiot. (darraghmac), Friday, 8 January 2010 15:09 (fifteen years ago)

― CATBEAST 7777 (ledge), Friday, 8 January 2010 15:13 (fifteen years ago)

― Not a reactionary git, just an idiot. (darraghmac), Friday, 8 January 2010 15:16 (fifteen years ago)

explain curry?

--m---s

― CATBEAST 7777 (ledge), Friday, 8 January 2010 15:16 (fifteen years ago)

cry around ur, whine about original

― Not a reactionary git, just an idiot. (darraghmac), Friday, 8 January 2010 15:17 (fifteen years ago)

although to be very picky, curry is not a spice! (spent ages going through the spices i know so i'm terribly bitter tbh)

― Not a reactionary git, just an idiot. (darraghmac), Friday, 8 January 2010 15:17 (fifteen years ago)

aha; i looked on oed and found 'to give (a person) curry: Austral. slang. To abuse, reprove, express anger at a person.', which confused me.

― CATBEAST 7777 (ledge), Friday, 8 January 2010 15:21 (fifteen years ago)

australians do not like curry; disgusting savages,

― Not a reactionary git, just an idiot. (darraghmac), Friday, 8 January 2010 15:23 (fifteen years ago)

Had got "ur" but was trying to make it e.g. "gourd" like something to do with "oh god", which was clearly not right on at least two levels

― ⍨ (a passing spacecadet), Friday, 8 January 2010 15:30 (fifteen years ago)

OK, ok,

Whines about original for Momus and his brother (7)

― nico anemic cinema icon (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 8 January 2010 15:41 (fifteen years ago)

whines about original to gain favour?

― Not a reactionary git, just an idiot. (darraghmac), Friday, 8 January 2010 15:43 (fifteen years ago)

Whine about original preparation of meat, fish, fruit, or vegetables, cooked with a quantity of bruised spices and turmeric, and used as a relish or flavouring, esp. for dishes composed of or served with rice.

― CATBEAST 7777 (ledge), Friday, 8 January 2010 15:53 (fifteen years ago)

curries!

― Not a reactionary git, just an idiot. (darraghmac), Friday, 8 January 2010 15:55 (fifteen years ago)

just a bit of feedback- that was a little easy.

― Not a reactionary git, just an idiot. (darraghmac), Friday, 8 January 2010 15:55 (fifteen years ago)

damn i thought longer clues were harder. btw actually it was curry, you idiot.

― CATBEAST 7777 (ledge), Friday, 8 January 2010 16:00 (fifteen years ago)

Games company angry about money awarded in law suit (7)

I thought this might be DAMAGES but ... not 100% sure why?

― Not the real Village People, Friday, 8 January 2010 19:39 (fifteen years ago)

SEGA+MAD reversed

damn i thought longer clues were harder. btw actually it was curry, you idiot.
roffle

― nico anemic cinema icon (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 9 January 2010 03:16 (fifteen years ago)

jesus harsh

― Not a reactionary git, just an idiot. (darraghmac), Saturday, 9 January 2010 03:40 (fifteen years ago)

Surely he was joking.

― lex submerge (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 9 January 2010 03:52 (fifteen years ago)

we can only hope. anyway, about time for a clue.

― Not a reactionary git, just an idiot. (darraghmac), Saturday, 9 January 2010 03:58 (fifteen years ago)

leading up to present day? (6)

― Not a reactionary git, just an idiot. (darraghmac), Saturday, 9 January 2010 04:01 (fifteen years ago)

A couple wild guesses: advent, portal. (I'm not good at these even after I see the answer but I'd like to get one right sometime)

― CaptainLorax, Saturday, 9 January 2010 05:09 (fifteen years ago)

SEGA+MAD reversed

Ah! I got damages and tried to work backwards, thinking it was GAMES + AD (?) rearranged.

― Not the real Village People, Saturday, 9 January 2010 07:04 (fifteen years ago)

btw yes darra I was joking. YOU IDIOT. (joke)

― CATBEAST 7777 (ledge), Saturday, 9 January 2010 18:36 (fifteen years ago)

cpt lorax- advent is correct.

ledge- the internet is a notoriously difficult medium to transmit sarcasm correctly & i firmly believe u should take this into account in future.

― Not a reactionary git, just an idiot. (darraghmac), Saturday, 9 January 2010 20:44 (fifteen years ago)

well that's a good idea

― Chelsea Rabbit Rapist (Noodle Vague), Saturday, 9 January 2010 20:47 (fifteen years ago)

Sweet

― CaptainLorax, Saturday, 9 January 2010 22:33 (fifteen years ago)

you guys crack me up.

― Not a reactionary git, just an idiot. (darraghmac), Sunday, 10 January 2010 22:22 (fifteen years ago)

Cracking up.

― lex submerge (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 10 January 2010 23:34 (fifteen years ago)

Like a worn-out shoe.

― lex submerge (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 10 January 2010 23:35 (fifteen years ago)

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=fCBm_IESaVA

― lex submerge (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 10 January 2010 23:35 (fifteen years ago)

Lost cello case returned, inside, to pick up (7)

― CATBEAST 7777 (ledge), Monday, 11 January 2010 09:55 (fifteen years ago)

collect

― Not a reactionary git, just an idiot. (darraghmac), Monday, 11 January 2010 10:12 (fifteen years ago)

― CATBEAST 7777 (ledge), Monday, 11 January 2010 10:18 (fifteen years ago)

Could they hold the basics together? (7)

― Not a reactionary git, just an idiot. (darraghmac), Monday, 11 January 2010 10:22 (fifteen years ago)

― CATBEAST 7777 (ledge), Wednesday, 13 January 2010 09:36 (fifteen years ago)

-t----s

― Not a reactionary git, just an idiot. (darraghmac), Wednesday, 13 January 2010 09:57 (fifteen years ago)

staples

― CATBEAST 7777 (ledge), Wednesday, 13 January 2010 09:58 (fifteen years ago)

easy when ya think about it :)

― CATBEAST 7777 (ledge), Wednesday, 13 January 2010 09:58 (fifteen years ago)

well i didn't want to say but yeah kinda.

― Not a reactionary git, just an idiot. (darraghmac), Wednesday, 13 January 2010 10:02 (fifteen years ago)

Turn in around nine - fancy being bored! (5)

― Individualism, alcoholism, collectivism, activism (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 13 January 2010 10:36 (fifteen years ago)

ennui

― CATBEAST 7777 (ledge), Wednesday, 13 January 2010 10:38 (fifteen years ago)

ennui xp if it's not cheeky

― Not a reactionary git, just an idiot. (darraghmac), Wednesday, 13 January 2010 10:39 (fifteen years ago)

yeah

― Individualism, alcoholism, collectivism, activism (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 13 January 2010 10:39 (fifteen years ago)

damn i was pleased with that too

― Individualism, alcoholism, collectivism, activism (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 13 January 2010 10:39 (fifteen years ago)

cos y'know with a resonable connection i'd have been first there.

― Not a reactionary git, just an idiot. (darraghmac), Wednesday, 13 January 2010 10:39 (fifteen years ago)

ok the timer's on...

Fancy queer is kinky with a going rate (9)

― CATBEAST 7777 (ledge), Wednesday, 13 January 2010 10:43 (fifteen years ago)

Feeling I spread around (7)

― Individualism, alcoholism, collectivism, activism (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 13 January 2010 10:47 (fifteen years ago)

despair

everything ok hon?

― CATBEAST 7777 (ledge), Wednesday, 13 January 2010 10:49 (fifteen years ago)

jeez seems like there's a lot going on in ledge's, and not enough to get hold of in noodle's.

― Not a reactionary git, just an idiot. (darraghmac), Wednesday, 13 January 2010 10:51 (fifteen years ago)

(i think noodle's probably using poetic licence, as 'happiness' is tough to parse)

― Not a reactionary git, just an idiot. (darraghmac), Wednesday, 13 January 2010 10:51 (fifteen years ago)

i was working on a "dour grey wednesday at work" theme

― Individualism, alcoholism, collectivism, activism (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 13 January 2010 11:57 (fifteen years ago)

Ledge's is Frequency.

Astronaut's head lost during blast-off - time to take a break (5)

― Parenthetic hound (woofwoofwoof), Wednesday, 13 January 2010 13:06 (fifteen years ago)

lunch?

― Not a reactionary git, just an idiot. (darraghmac), Wednesday, 13 January 2010 13:35 (fifteen years ago)

Yes, yes it is.

― Parenthetic hound (woofwoofwoof), Wednesday, 13 January 2010 13:51 (fifteen years ago)

bless this lateral attack, possibly during a breakdown? (8)

― Not a reactionary git, just an idiot. (darraghmac), Wednesday, 13 January 2010 14:05 (fifteen years ago)

(it's a little clumsy tbh)

― Not a reactionary git, just an idiot. (darraghmac), Wednesday, 13 January 2010 14:06 (fifteen years ago)

yeah it's clumsy, fine then.

r------e

― tired of my old display name (darraghmac), Monday, 18 January 2010 00:43 (fifteen years ago)

Can't get it yet, sorry.

Warhol-damaged actress (6)

― the clones of tldr funkenstein (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 18 January 2010 16:55 (fifteen years ago)

harlow

― CATBEAST 7777 (ledge), Monday, 18 January 2010 17:01 (fifteen years ago)

it's a b-less broadside. i think i was tired, tbh.

― david eli roth (darraghmac), Monday, 18 January 2010 17:04 (fifteen years ago)

that is so not a definition of crab dip

― ice cool HOOSicle (darraghmac), Tuesday, 19 January 2010 16:34 (Yesterday) Bookmark Suggest Ban Permalink

This from someone who thinks "during a breakdown" is a good definition of "roadside"

OH SNAP

― CATBEAST 7777 (ledge), Wednesday, 20 January 2010 09:33 (fifteen years ago)

anyway. this ones slightly unfair itself:

Two unknown terms translated in this problem (7)

― CATBEAST 7777 (ledge), Wednesday, 20 January 2010 09:57 (fifteen years ago)

jeez what a takedown.

― ice cool HOOSicle (darraghmac), Wednesday, 20 January 2010 10:55 (fifteen years ago)

i know, right

---t---

― take me to your lemur (ledge), Thursday, 21 January 2010 09:32 (fifteen years ago)

http://i50.photobucket.com/albums/f346/Triggerhappysrt/mysteryghost.gif

― Parenthetic hound (woofwoofwoof), Thursday, 21 January 2010 09:39 (fifteen years ago)

lol

― take me to your lemur (ledge), Thursday, 21 January 2010 09:46 (fifteen years ago)

two weeks pass...

Place I never go to eat has horrible grub with a pickled cucumber, not hot, inside (6, 4)

― take me to your lemur (ledge), Monday, 8 February 2010 11:24 (fifteen years ago)

Burger King!

Big game for fabulous bird-of-prey (5,4)

― nothing good came of it (woofwoofwoof), Monday, 8 February 2010 11:45 (fifteen years ago)

Super Bowl

― take me to your lemur (ledge), Monday, 8 February 2010 12:36 (fifteen years ago)

one month passes...

it's been a while

Float has wildebeest turning around in a state of discomfort after consuming too much booze (8)

― the big pink suede panda bear hurts (ledge), Sunday, 28 March 2010 14:40 (fifteen years ago)

should bumped it with this:

To bring back to life, always put intravenous drip in and flip over (6)

― the big pink suede panda bear hurts (ledge), Sunday, 28 March 2010 14:43 (fifteen years ago)

... hungover, but i don't know about the second one

― thomp, Sunday, 28 March 2010 14:47 (fifteen years ago)

revive?

― Jermaine Jenason (darraghmac), Sunday, 28 March 2010 14:53 (fifteen years ago)

ya revive

― Jermaine Jenason (darraghmac), Sunday, 28 March 2010 14:53 (fifteen years ago)

a doy

― thomp, Sunday, 28 March 2010 14:59 (fifteen years ago)

rootbeer? (wilde guess)

― CaptainLorax, Monday, 29 March 2010 02:37 (fifteen years ago)

nah thomp was correct. as was darra.

― the big pink suede panda bear hurts (ledge), Monday, 29 March 2010 08:57 (fifteen years ago)

ya i no i said that?

― Jermaine Jenason (darraghmac), Monday, 29 March 2010 09:17 (fifteen years ago)

ya sho nuff yo

― the big pink suede panda bear hurts (ledge), Monday, 29 March 2010 09:20 (fifteen years ago)

RIP a proper legend

http://www.irishtimes.com/newspaper/breaking/2010/0407/breaking29.html

― Jesse James Woods (darraghmac), Wednesday, 7 April 2010 16:06 (fifteen years ago)

"He never solved a crossword in his life" !!

― the big pink suede panda bear hurts (ledge), Wednesday, 7 April 2010 16:07 (fifteen years ago)

and a sample, if you like

http://www.irishtimes.com/games/crosswords/index.cfm?fuseaction=showsample&xwtype=C?via=rel

― Jesse James Woods (darraghmac), Wednesday, 7 April 2010 16:09 (fifteen years ago)

guinness clerk sent to zimbabwe in the '40's, made up crosswords for a living, died at work aged 92.

i mean, this is how you do it.

― Jesse James Woods (darraghmac), Wednesday, 7 April 2010 16:10 (fifteen years ago)

hang on it ain't cryptic!

― the big pink suede panda bear hurts (ledge), Wednesday, 7 April 2010 16:11 (fifteen years ago)

wait there's no way that's a crosaire

― Jesse James Woods (darraghmac), Wednesday, 7 April 2010 16:12 (fifteen years ago)

(xp)

― Jesse James Woods (darraghmac), Wednesday, 7 April 2010 16:12 (fifteen years ago)

http://www.irishtimes.com/games/crosswords/index.cfm?fuseaction=showsample&xwtype=C

― Jesse James Woods (darraghmac), Wednesday, 7 April 2010 16:12 (fifteen years ago)

Tomb opening for Irish compiler of crosswords (7)

― the big pink suede panda bear hurts (ledge), Wednesday, 7 April 2010 16:17 (fifteen years ago)

cryptic

― Jesse James Woods (darraghmac), Wednesday, 7 April 2010 16:22 (fifteen years ago)

yo. rip btw.

― the big pink suede panda bear hurts (ledge), Wednesday, 7 April 2010 16:26 (fifteen years ago)

Footballer in an unusual position (4)

― nasri like the wolf (onimo), Wednesday, 7 April 2010 20:42 (fifteen years ago)

if it's a footballer, then <shrug>

― the big pink suede panda bear hurts (ledge), Friday, 9 April 2010 08:46 (fifteen years ago)

bent

― Jesse James Woods (darraghmac), Friday, 9 April 2010 09:00 (fifteen years ago)

Footballer in an unusual position (4)

― you've been shite, son, in your daft pink boots (onimo), Friday, 9 April 2010 11:11 (fifteen years ago)

nani

― ailsa, Friday, 9 April 2010 11:13 (fifteen years ago)

hmph

― Jesse James Woods (darraghmac), Friday, 9 April 2010 11:17 (fifteen years ago)

out of shape footballer (4) would be a good one for Bent maybe? Dunno. I'm not v good at this.

― you've been shite, son, in your daft pink boots (onimo), Friday, 9 April 2010 11:20 (fifteen years ago)

nah i had a good idea the solution wasn't ever going to be bent, much like capello

― Jesse James Woods (darraghmac), Friday, 9 April 2010 11:23 (fifteen years ago)

Joker starts to bum Two-Face (5)

― the big pink suede panda bear hurts (ledge), Friday, 9 April 2010 21:58 (fifteen years ago)

janus

― A Century Of Elvin (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 9 April 2010 22:24 (fifteen years ago)

you know it

― the big pink suede panda bear hurts (ledge), Friday, 9 April 2010 22:39 (fifteen years ago)

I've started doing the guardian cryptic again after a looong break and am not finding it too bad (Brendan the other day was Daily Telegraph levels of easiness), although Araucaria seems to have got much harder than he used to be (GR much stupider obv). You know you're in trouble when you don't even understand the answers, or why they're the answers.

And those reverse clues w' anagram indicators in Wednesday's really got me confused.

Bacon and eggs etc as clue to RAF basket (6,9) = cooked breafast
Square clue for a padre? (6,6) = parade ground

That latter in particular drove me nuts.

― Remember me, but o! forget my feet (GamalielRatsey), Sunday, 18 April 2010 13:46 (Yesterday) Permalink

GamalielRatsey, this thread should really be called "This is the US crossword puzzle thread." For UK puzzles go here The official bored-at-work cryptic crossword pass it on thread. , although it has been relatively dead in recent times.

― Blecch Generation (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 18 April 2010 21:34 (Yesterday) Permalink

Ah, balls. Sorry. Saw the mention of the grauniad crossword upthread and got my wires crossed. Shall hie me away to the other thread. Thanks James.

― Remember me, but o! forget my feet (GamalielRatsey), Monday, 19 April 2010 06:42 (4 hours ago) Permalink

― thomp, Monday, 19 April 2010 10:45 (fifteen years ago)

i actually felt well clever when i worked out what araucaria was doing there. and then only managed to work out two of those clues.

― thomp, Monday, 19 April 2010 10:51 (fifteen years ago)

i feel like i do better with the harder guardian setters (as in: sometimes i get all of halfway through the grid) because at least they're sort of funny/interesting. i've filled in four clues in rufus today and i'm just wondering why i'd care

― thomp, Monday, 19 April 2010 10:53 (fifteen years ago)

There was some Araucaria chat upthread a few months ago:
The official bored-at-work cryptic crossword pass it on thread.

in which I sheepishly hinted that I find Araucarias massively offputting to get started on - obviously a v. smart guy, but I don't care for so many crossreferential clues limiting yr starting points, or for tricksy alphabetical themes which are his other schtick iirc, and as you've noted bad pun answers or impenetrable reverse clues for not particularly crosswordy phrases, most of which I don't get even from seeing the answer

(I have a book of his crosswords and I really like the 10 or so easy ones at the start before these things kick in. Probably just bitter that it's all way over my head)

― falling while carrying an owl (a passing spacecadet), Monday, 19 April 2010 10:59 (fifteen years ago)

i like easy araucarias. the U.S. states one the other week was good. i could actually do it. this was novel.

so today is actually Rover, not Rufus, which now I'm not looking for it to work like a Rufus I'm doing better. But it's kind of bad. 'A quarter of the year gone yellow with age' seems to be NO SPRING CHICKEN, which I guess is meant to be a cryptic def.? But seems to just work on some kind of approximate resemblance of meaning that I can't actually parse? Plus also 10a 'Cruel followers of a so-called marquis' - is this really just SADISTS? I kind of don't want to put it in because I want to be wrong.

― thomp, Monday, 19 April 2010 17:22 (fifteen years ago)

Argh. Don't like those either.

― Blecch Generation (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 19 April 2010 17:57 (fifteen years ago)

OK, I put a few answers in the grid and then just hit the reveal button for some others. Was also disappointed in "Familiar object of contemplation."

― Blecch Generation (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 19 April 2010 18:02 (fifteen years ago)

The no spring chicken one, I can sort of parse as "a quarter of the year gone" - one season has disappeared = No Spring. Chicken could conceivably be a shade of yellow (not one that would immediately spring to mind). Thus No Spring Chicken = with age (again, terrible phrasing).

The sadists one is just shit. Unless it's something else which I can't get.

― ailsa, Monday, 19 April 2010 18:05 (fifteen years ago)

http://fifteensquared.net/2010/04/19/guardian-24988-rover/#more-16737

― Blecch Generation (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 19 April 2010 18:07 (fifteen years ago)

I guess "chicken" is yellow as in cowardly but I didn't get that clue earlier and I don't like it now.

"Where directors get on together?" = boardrooms; "get on" -> "board", but (how) does "together" -> "rooms"?

― falling while carrying an owl (a passing spacecadet), Monday, 19 April 2010 19:43 (fifteen years ago)

Oops, sorry, now I look at Mr Blecch's link it explains that. Doesn't explain my query, but maybe it's obvious to everyone else...

― falling while carrying an owl (a passing spacecadet), Monday, 19 April 2010 19:44 (fifteen years ago)

Weak cryptic definitions are something of the guardian's forte iirc.

― the big pink suede panda bear hurts (ledge), Tuesday, 20 April 2010 08:02 (fifteen years ago)

Thanks for linking me over thomp. Agree with you about Rover yesterday - well, I was busy at work as well, which never helps for work avoidance, but I went through about half and it began to feel more like clerical work, which was the very thing I was trying to avoid!

Still by turns find Araucaria amazing, slightly dodgy, and occasionally unrewardingly irritating. And agree with what ledge said above about occasionally weak clueing as well. What was that Morally wrong, far from fair one last week? Answer was 'ugly'.

― Remember me, but o! forget my feet (GamalielRatsey), Tuesday, 20 April 2010 08:08 (fifteen years ago)

"Special instructions: Unfortunately the answer to clue 21 across is a misspelling. We said that the flying machine made from canes was a CESNA. This should have been CESSNA. Our apologies."

― Remember me, but o! forget my feet (GamalielRatsey), Tuesday, 20 April 2010 08:08 (fifteen years ago)

" Results 1 - 10 of about 182,000 for cesna. (0.37 seconds) "

― koogs, Tuesday, 20 April 2010 09:46 (fifteen years ago)

i do not think 'with age' or 'age' reasonably define NO SPRING CHICKEN. you can sort of see what they were going for but no. TUMMY BUTTON is just awful. today's looks better.

i think the weak-cryptic is just a tic for Rufus and Rover and one other.

― thomp, Tuesday, 20 April 2010 11:26 (fifteen years ago)

Glanced at today's Guardian but didn't get anywhere.

― Blecch Generation (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 20 April 2010 13:07 (fifteen years ago)

It's ok. Bit dull tbh. Pasquale is a nice clear setter, but a bit square.

― woof, Tuesday, 20 April 2010 13:54 (fifteen years ago)

does 1d refer to a particular person or is it a o_O ref to 'boss' in an SA accent?

― the big pink suede panda bear hurts (ledge), Tuesday, 20 April 2010 14:03 (fifteen years ago)

(black SA that is, not afrikaans)

― the big pink suede panda bear hurts (ledge), Tuesday, 20 April 2010 14:04 (fifteen years ago)

Having a look at it every ten minutes or so, done about half. Nothing massively inspiring. But that may just be because I haven't got the hard ones.

― Remember me, but o! forget my feet (GamalielRatsey), Tuesday, 20 April 2010 14:12 (fifteen years ago)

baas is afrikaans iirc?

― thomp, Tuesday, 20 April 2010 14:16 (fifteen years ago)

does 1d refer to a particular person or is it a o_O ref to 'boss' in an SA accent?

The latter, but it's a dictionary word (so it's double definition).

I had slow start on it, then it fell p quickly

― woof, Tuesday, 20 April 2010 14:19 (fifteen years ago)

thomp is correct.

― the big pink suede panda bear hurts (ledge), Tuesday, 20 April 2010 14:21 (fifteen years ago)

Managed about half tho was severely pressed for time today, so I'm letting myself off (I'm always finding reasons to let myself off - I'd forgotten this until I started them again recently.)

REALLY didn't get 16, even when it was clear what the answer was. Quite a good one tho... (I realised once I'd gone on to 15 squared)

'Maybe disco gate's sealed off at ten' (DANCE)

And, oh the shame, didn't get the ice poetry one, which rather hobbled me for the whole thing.

― Remember me, but o! forget my feet (GamalielRatsey), Tuesday, 20 April 2010 20:26 (fifteen years ago)

After struggling pathetically and making no headway at all with the Araucaria yesterday (even tho, looking at the answers today, it clearly wasn't him at his hardest), did 90% today's occasionally barely cryptic, Telegraph-style Logodaedalus in 15 minutes, in my head, while having a muffin and a cup of tea.

Example of level of clue - Chief criminal makes dog turn on priest (9)

― Remember me, but o! forget my feet (GamalielRatsey), Friday, 23 April 2010 14:30 (fifteen years ago)

Goodfellas?

― tomofthenest, Friday, 23 April 2010 15:07 (fifteen years ago)

Father Ted?

― Remember me, but o! forget my feet (GamalielRatsey), Friday, 23 April 2010 15:19 (fifteen years ago)

godfather

― just darraghmac tbh (darraghmac), Friday, 23 April 2010 15:23 (fifteen years ago)

didn't have the pleasure of doing it on my own, or it might have been a record for me too. it's nice to not have to try too hard (and still get nowhere) from time to time.

― the big pink suede panda bear hurts (ledge), Friday, 23 April 2010 23:24 (fifteen years ago)

Really hard to work out clues like this -

20 Independent state entertained by Jagger? (8)

― Remember me, but o! forget my feet (GamalielRatsey), Tuesday, 4 May 2010 10:25 (fifteen years ago)

You just think lol, ilx.

― Remember me, but o! forget my feet (GamalielRatsey), Tuesday, 4 May 2010 10:27 (fifteen years ago)

finished it today, that was one of the last ones we got.

― the big pink suede panda bear hurts (ledge), Tuesday, 4 May 2010 13:18 (fifteen years ago)

love this in in the grauniad today:

Throw shoe! Bugger invaded Iraq! (6,4)

― I had gained ten lewis (ledge), Wednesday, 12 May 2010 12:49 (fifteen years ago)

george bush?

― Black IP's (darraghmac), Wednesday, 12 May 2010 12:59 (fifteen years ago)

yup

― I had gained ten lewis (ledge), Wednesday, 12 May 2010 13:06 (fifteen years ago)

Steal the Spanish coin (6)

― this skit is ba-na-nas (onimo), Wednesday, 12 May 2010 13:10 (fifteen years ago)

nickel

― Generation Blecch (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 12 May 2010 14:17 (fifteen years ago)

too easy innit

― this skit is ba-na-nas (onimo), Wednesday, 12 May 2010 14:19 (fifteen years ago)

No, had to think a bit. Couldn't think of nick for a while since it's not used over here, and if I hadn't watched an old Life On Mars last night might have taken a while longer.

― Generation Blecch (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 12 May 2010 14:23 (fifteen years ago)

hmph got stuck on peseta and just couldn't get past it.

― Black IP's (darraghmac), Wednesday, 12 May 2010 14:26 (fifteen years ago)

pact for lib and cons in coital fix with nothing to gain (8)

― I had gained ten lewis (ledge), Wednesday, 12 May 2010 14:46 (fifteen years ago)

I want to say coalition but that's (9)

― this skit is ba-na-nas (onimo), Wednesday, 12 May 2010 15:05 (fifteen years ago)

crosswords are about verbal not numerical skill ok

you are right.

― I had gained ten lewis (ledge), Wednesday, 12 May 2010 15:06 (fifteen years ago)

Been thinking of asking jaymc about what construction software to use and making a little grid, but haven't got round to it yet.

― Generation Blecch (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 12 May 2010 16:34 (fifteen years ago)

do it do it

something i've been meaning to get round to for ages too.

― I had gained ten lewis (ledge), Wednesday, 12 May 2010 22:58 (fifteen years ago)

two weeks pass...

Sail close to the coast, says Spooner, and don't check in any baggage (4,7,4)

― sent from my neural lace (ledge), Tuesday, 1 June 2010 13:34 (fifteen years ago)

hand luggage only

― Not the real Village People, Tuesday, 1 June 2010 18:48 (fifteen years ago)

So removed from the Mona Lisa's enigmatic rendering as to appear beastly (6)

― sent from my neural lace (ledge), Wednesday, 2 June 2010 08:32 (fifteen years ago)

easy

a clue from last week's guardian went something like this:
Old Ted and new Ted get together. It's the end of things. (4, 5)

― koogs, Wednesday, 2 June 2010 08:54 (fifteen years ago)

that should've been 'a new ted' as the above is missing an 'a'

was 'heat death', btw.

― koogs, Monday, 7 June 2010 15:28 (fifteen years ago)

would not have gotten that!
one from my bumper book:
Given the gear, the Cockney said wittily (8)

― Not the real Village People, Tuesday, 8 June 2010 03:08 (fifteen years ago)

equipped

― May be half naked, but knows a good headline when he sees it (darraghmac), Tuesday, 8 June 2010 03:51 (fifteen years ago)

yup

― Not the real Village People, Tuesday, 8 June 2010 06:02 (fifteen years ago)

Base desires in the secret will threaten. (10)

― May be half naked, but knows a good headline when he sees it (darraghmac), Tuesday, 8 June 2010 06:51 (fifteen years ago)

intimidate

― sent from my neural lace (ledge), Tuesday, 8 June 2010 11:09 (fifteen years ago)

Silent hero remix anthem (5,5)

― this skit is ba-na-nas (onimo), Tuesday, 8 June 2010 14:11 (fifteen years ago)

three loins

― sent from my neural lace (ledge), Wednesday, 9 June 2010 08:40 (fifteen years ago)

Dally round the poster with all the answers, so it's rumoured (10)

― May be half naked, but knows a good headline when he sees it (darraghmac), Wednesday, 9 June 2010 11:11 (fifteen years ago)

allegedly + d

― Beware, I Hongro! (onimo), Wednesday, 9 June 2010 11:32 (fifteen years ago)

heh i should write shit down first i guess

― May be half naked, but knows a good headline when he sees it (darraghmac), Wednesday, 9 June 2010 11:41 (fifteen years ago)

haha i half-heartedly tried to work nabisco in there then gave up.

― sent from my neural lace (ledge), Wednesday, 9 June 2010 13:04 (fifteen years ago)

Measures mother takes to welcome the British lady in India (8)

― sent from my neural lace (ledge), Wednesday, 16 June 2010 11:08 (fifteen years ago)

my indian isn't great or anything, so i'm just gonna throw assessma at it and walk away

― Remember when Mr Banhart was a replicant? (darraghmac), Wednesday, 16 June 2010 11:19 (fifteen years ago)

About 485 results (0.20 seconds)
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1. [PDF]
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m. Assessment Services Department Serrfces ass cotisations £"£" ^^^^. POBd« 160 Caseposiate160 3s "^B^^H^ cl. SaintíQhn HB ULiW SaintJohn MB E2LJX9 2§ "f fi ...
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Photo Album, assessma aquaintance party, Oct 9, '08 4:12 PM for everyone. aarox.jpg. aarox2.jpg. In this album: Roxette Mae. Prev: leemar me and asnie ...
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www.jonesandjones.com/.../App_Visual_Resource_Assessmt_for_Hwy_Planning.pdf - Similar

― sent from my neural lace (ledge), Wednesday, 16 June 2010 11:22 (fifteen years ago)

hey, even in job interviews i'll admit to appalling laziness.

― Remember when Mr Banhart was a replicant? (darraghmac), Wednesday, 16 June 2010 11:30 (fifteen years ago)

also- googling yr prospective xword answers- naaaaah really?

― Remember when Mr Banhart was a replicant? (darraghmac), Wednesday, 16 June 2010 11:30 (fifteen years ago)

trying to figure out where you were coming from, now i realise you were just extemporising wildly.

― sent from my neural lace (ledge), Wednesday, 16 June 2010 11:33 (fifteen years ago)

flinging shit at a wall to see what sticks, basically

― Remember when Mr Banhart was a replicant? (darraghmac), Wednesday, 16 June 2010 11:40 (fifteen years ago)

anyone else wanna fling some shit?

Measures mother takes to welcome the British lady in India (8)

― sent from my neural lace (ledge), Thursday, 17 June 2010 09:29 (fifteen years ago)

i got nothing, obviously

― Remember when Mr Banhart was a replicant? (darraghmac), Thursday, 17 June 2010 09:31 (fifteen years ago)

i wanna say memsahib. but not sure why.

― koogs, Thursday, 17 June 2010 09:53 (fifteen years ago)

ems in ma.

leaving hib

― koogs, Thursday, 17 June 2010 09:54 (fifteen years ago)

welcome the British = Hi B

― ======<() bzbzbzbzbzzbzbzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzzbzbzzbzbzbzb (onimo), Thursday, 17 June 2010 09:55 (fifteen years ago)

hmmm

― Remember when Mr Banhart was a replicant? (darraghmac), Thursday, 17 June 2010 10:13 (fifteen years ago)

admittedly it's not as bad as my usual misspellings/counting letters incorrectly, but shurely GB is the standard there?

― Remember when Mr Banhart was a replicant? (darraghmac), Thursday, 17 June 2010 10:13 (fifteen years ago)

cf. BA, BP, BT, BBC, BMJ ...

― sent from my neural lace (ledge), Thursday, 17 June 2010 10:18 (fifteen years ago)

THE B IN BP DOESN'T STAND FOR ANYTHING

― Remember when Mr Banhart was a replicant? (darraghmac), Thursday, 17 June 2010 10:21 (fifteen years ago)

it's kinda been a 'thing' lately iirc

― Remember when Mr Banhart was a replicant? (darraghmac), Thursday, 17 June 2010 10:22 (fifteen years ago)

lol

― sent from my neural lace (ledge), Thursday, 17 June 2010 10:24 (fifteen years ago)

Short, romantic, and all the rest (3)

― ,,,,,,eeeeleon (darraghmac), Wednesday, 30 June 2010 15:55 (fifteen years ago)

etc ?

― thomp, Wednesday, 30 June 2010 16:07 (fifteen years ago)

i am really stumped with the two novelists in today's grauniad btw

― thomp, Wednesday, 30 June 2010 16:07 (fifteen years ago)

correctera

― ,,,,,,eeeeleon (darraghmac), Wednesday, 30 June 2010 16:07 (fifteen years ago)

"slut" is key.

don't get etc btw.

― postcards from the (ledge), Wednesday, 30 June 2010 16:09 (fifteen years ago)

It's short for et cetera

― ,,,,,,eeeeleon (darraghmac), Wednesday, 30 June 2010 16:11 (fifteen years ago)

peter cetera?

― postcards from the (ledge), Wednesday, 30 June 2010 16:11 (fifteen years ago)

it's the 'short, romantic' bit that's stumping me. sorry am thick.

― postcards from the (ledge), Wednesday, 30 June 2010 16:12 (fifteen years ago)

etcetera shortened, all the rest in 'the' romantic language. imo, probably

― ,,,,,,eeeeleon (darraghmac), Wednesday, 30 June 2010 16:13 (fifteen years ago)

yep. no complaints here.

― postcards from the (ledge), Wednesday, 30 June 2010 16:16 (fifteen years ago)

I think you'll find, actually, that the lengthy explanations provided at great time and possibly expense (in the opportunity cost sense) were actually on foot of your complaints. Actually.

― ,,,,,,eeeeleon (darraghmac), Wednesday, 30 June 2010 16:18 (fifteen years ago)

so what's 'getting nothing for being old and not being entertained' (8)

― thomp, Wednesday, 30 June 2010 16:22 (fifteen years ago)

is the 'so what's' part of it, or are you quoting a clue?

― ,,,,,,eeeeleon (darraghmac), Wednesday, 30 June 2010 16:26 (fifteen years ago)

quoting. today's paper. stuck. annoyed.

― thomp, Wednesday, 30 June 2010 16:27 (fifteen years ago)

any letters? I want us all on the same starting point here. also, stuck with blank canvas on this one.

― ,,,,,,eeeeleon (darraghmac), Wednesday, 30 June 2010 16:28 (fifteen years ago)

contempt?

― serious nonsense (CaptainLorax), Thursday, 1 July 2010 01:52 (fourteen years ago)

(mostly random guessing (i suck at these) so probably wrong here)

― serious nonsense (CaptainLorax), Thursday, 1 July 2010 01:54 (fourteen years ago)

I think you'll find, actually, that the lengthy explanations provided at great time and possibly expense (in the opportunity cost sense) were actually on foot of your complaints. Actually.

I do apologise, if I ever again feel like making a simple and polite request for elucidation I'll be sure to bite my tongue and live with my ignorance.

so what's 'getting nothing for being old and not being entertained' (8)

honorary = hoary around nor (nor=not, 'being entertained' some kind of indicator of container/contents apparently). btw this is the go-to place when stuck on grauniad or indie or ft:
http://fifteensquared.net/

― postcards from the (ledge), Thursday, 1 July 2010 08:38 (fourteen years ago)

a) Do that

b) Nobody asked for your internet-searched answer maaaayne

now giz' clue

― ,,,,,,eeeeleon (darraghmac), Thursday, 1 July 2010 09:17 (fourteen years ago)

got it with my (+colleagues) own pure brain power. would've finished the damn thing if it weren't for 11ac, stupid bloody obscure sheep breeds.

Tearjerker encapsulates something transcendental - well that's what I think! (7)

― postcards from the (ledge), Thursday, 1 July 2010 09:39 (fourteen years ago)

opinion

― I saw Mommy kissing Santa Cruz (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 1 July 2010 09:41 (fourteen years ago)

o - pi - nion

― I saw Mommy kissing Santa Cruz (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 1 July 2010 09:41 (fourteen years ago)

damnit really thought that one might have lasted longer than a minute

― postcards from the (ledge), Thursday, 1 July 2010 09:43 (fourteen years ago)

sorry, too much time on my hands this morning

― I saw Mommy kissing Santa Cruz (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 1 July 2010 09:43 (fourteen years ago)

Useful native Americans round Illinois (5)

― I saw Mommy kissing Santa Cruz (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 1 July 2010 09:46 (fourteen years ago)

utile?

― sometimes all it takes is a healthy dose of continental indiepop (tomofthenest), Thursday, 1 July 2010 10:20 (fourteen years ago)

is the right answer

― I saw Mommy kissing Santa Cruz (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 1 July 2010 10:22 (fourteen years ago)

^ tryin to imagine that delivered in deayton monotone but w/ hull acent

― ,,,,,,eeeeleon (darraghmac), Thursday, 1 July 2010 10:25 (fourteen years ago)

I have a fucked-up Black Country meets Hull accent tbh

― I saw Mommy kissing Santa Cruz (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 1 July 2010 10:27 (fourteen years ago)

i don't know what a black country accent sounds like- pls to list local celebs

― ,,,,,,eeeeleon (darraghmac), Thursday, 1 July 2010 10:30 (fourteen years ago)

Sounds like Brummie to the untrained ear but is different. Noddy Holder's accent is more Black Country than Brum. Lenny Henry too I think.

― I saw Mommy kissing Santa Cruz (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 1 July 2010 10:32 (fourteen years ago)

Robert Plant was born in West Brom but spent too long in the States obv.

― I saw Mommy kissing Santa Cruz (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 1 July 2010 10:32 (fourteen years ago)

i have only heard l henry speak at length out of those. generally in the period between recognising him and finding the remote, so my recollection is probably imperfect.

― ,,,,,,eeeeleon (darraghmac), Thursday, 1 July 2010 10:34 (fourteen years ago)

dally with erotic Spartan(13)

― sometimes all it takes is a healthy dose of continental indiepop (tomofthenest), Thursday, 1 July 2010 10:39 (fourteen years ago)

procrastinate

― ,,,,,,eeeeleon (darraghmac), Thursday, 1 July 2010 10:42 (fourteen years ago)

yep.

― sometimes all it takes is a healthy dose of continental indiepop (tomofthenest), Thursday, 1 July 2010 10:46 (fourteen years ago)

List of values, perhaps listed, probably valueless (10)

― ,,,,,,eeeeleon (darraghmac), Thursday, 1 July 2010 10:52 (fourteen years ago)

nihilistic?

― I saw Mommy kissing Santa Cruz (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 1 July 2010 12:14 (fourteen years ago)

not really on the right track there tbh

it may be a bit cryptic tbh, i'm sure ledge will be all up in arms about it

― ,,,,,,eeeeleon (darraghmac), Thursday, 1 July 2010 12:27 (fourteen years ago)

I have v. strict rules for clues meself, but only when I'm setting

― I saw Mommy kissing Santa Cruz (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 1 July 2010 12:29 (fourteen years ago)

logarithms

― I saw Mommy kissing Santa Cruz (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 1 July 2010 12:29 (fourteen years ago)

jeez i get a ? after 11 seconds?

― ,,,,,,eeeeleon (darraghmac), Thursday, 1 July 2010 12:30 (fourteen years ago)

they're both p good answers, if that keeps you motivated.

― ,,,,,,eeeeleon (darraghmac), Thursday, 1 July 2010 12:30 (fourteen years ago)

nah I was indicating it was a guess

― I saw Mommy kissing Santa Cruz (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 1 July 2010 12:31 (fourteen years ago)

how would you indicate assured certainty?

― ,,,,,,eeeeleon (darraghmac), Thursday, 1 July 2010 12:31 (fourteen years ago)

B-|

― ,,,,,,eeeeleon (darraghmac), Thursday, 1 July 2010 12:32 (fourteen years ago)

P---------

― ,,,,,,eeeeleon (darraghmac), Thursday, 1 July 2010 15:26 (fourteen years ago)

predictable?

― It's a rest day, WE WANT TO SHOP (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 1 July 2010 20:09 (fourteen years ago)

clearly not

― ,,,,,,eeeeleon (darraghmac), Thursday, 1 July 2010 23:02 (fourteen years ago)

more wrong answers: prospectus, priorities

― postcards from the (ledge), Friday, 2 July 2010 09:44 (fourteen years ago)

properties

hmmph fully expect a kicking now.

― ,,,,,,eeeeleon (darraghmac), Friday, 2 July 2010 09:48 (fourteen years ago)

triple cryptic def? first one the 'list' is superfluous. second one is good, i did think about listed buildings. third one like a comment on the credit crunch or something? if so it's just not true, i guess is my problem. overall i give it a C.

― postcards from the (ledge), Friday, 2 July 2010 09:55 (fourteen years ago)

'c' ur way to licking my balls

― ,,,,,,eeeeleon (darraghmac), Friday, 2 July 2010 09:59 (fourteen years ago)

http://4.bp.blogspot.com/_Y8m29ZLX5ag/SH2H2-nlJsI/AAAAAAAABNI/Y9bq9FfGNvQ/s400/TOUCHE+TURTLE+2.jpg

― postcards from the (ledge), Friday, 2 July 2010 10:01 (fourteen years ago)

ok, europe

― ,,,,,,eeeeleon (darraghmac), Friday, 2 July 2010 10:13 (fourteen years ago)

Bangs guest silly for a pain in the arse (7,3)

― Don't mention de Boer (Noodle Vague), Friday, 2 July 2010 10:51 (fourteen years ago)

lol sb

― Adge Cutler & the Özils (NickB), Friday, 2 July 2010 10:56 (fourteen years ago)

what have I done now?

― Don't mention de Boer (Noodle Vague), Friday, 2 July 2010 10:57 (fourteen years ago)

boom boom

― ,,,,,,eeeeleon (darraghmac), Friday, 2 July 2010 11:00 (fourteen years ago)

Only wrote that clue for the punchline tbh

― Don't mention de Boer (Noodle Vague), Friday, 2 July 2010 11:00 (fourteen years ago)

Payoff in Q4 attack? (9)

― ,,,,,,eeeeleon (darraghmac), Friday, 2 July 2010 11:04 (fourteen years ago)

punchline I LIKE

― postcards from the (ledge), Friday, 2 July 2010 11:08 (fourteen years ago)

punchline but why?

― Don't mention de Boer (Noodle Vague), Friday, 2 July 2010 11:09 (fourteen years ago)

Steps man joins Norwegian trio in response (4)

― Adge Cutler & the Özils (NickB), Friday, 2 July 2010 11:13 (fourteen years ago)

haha

― sometimes all it takes is a healthy dose of continental indiepop (tomofthenest), Friday, 2 July 2010 11:16 (fourteen years ago)

xxp q=queue

― postcards from the (ledge), Friday, 2 July 2010 11:16 (fourteen years ago)

Didn't think it was that funny tbh xp

― Adge Cutler & the Özils (NickB), Friday, 2 July 2010 11:17 (fourteen years ago)

oh dear this is a worrying trend

― ,,,,,,eeeeleon (darraghmac), Friday, 2 July 2010 11:18 (fourteen years ago)

punzzles

― ,,,,,,eeeeleon (darraghmac), Friday, 2 July 2010 11:18 (fourteen years ago)

crossword chuckles

― Adge Cutler & the Özils (NickB), Friday, 2 July 2010 11:20 (fourteen years ago)

anagroans

― ,,,,,,eeeeleon (darraghmac), Friday, 2 July 2010 11:21 (fourteen years ago)

quiptic

― postcards from the (ledge), Friday, 2 July 2010 11:22 (fourteen years ago)

Norwegian Mum turns up nothing, really.

― sometimes all it takes is a healthy dose of continental indiepop (tomofthenest), Friday, 2 July 2010 11:32 (fourteen years ago)

(6)

― sometimes all it takes is a healthy dose of continental indiepop (tomofthenest), Friday, 2 July 2010 11:32 (fourteen years ago)

i got nuthin. better be funny tho

― ,,,,,,eeeeleon (darraghmac), Friday, 2 July 2010 11:49 (fourteen years ago)

its a bit shit really. ILX-specific, probs too cryptic, and not funny. soz.

― sometimes all it takes is a healthy dose of continental indiepop (tomofthenest), Friday, 2 July 2010 12:54 (fourteen years ago)

hongro

― thomp, Sunday, 4 July 2010 16:34 (fourteen years ago)

i dinnae get it

Spooner doesn't have a landline in his lodging, but it won't stick in his craw (8, 6)

― postcards from the (ledge), Wednesday, 7 July 2010 15:46 (fourteen years ago)

---e---- f-----

― postcards from the (ledge), Thursday, 8 July 2010 09:13 (fourteen years ago)

wireless fsomething

― ,,,,,,eeeeleon (darraghmac), Thursday, 8 July 2010 10:38 (fourteen years ago)

nah

― postcards from the (ledge), Thursday, 8 July 2010 10:42 (fourteen years ago)

ok i can't take this rejection, you need to appreciate the brainstorm ideas i bring to the table and end this little dictatorship thing you've got going on imo

― ,,,,,,eeeeleon (darraghmac), Thursday, 8 July 2010 11:01 (fourteen years ago)

you need to up your game son, these half-formed excuses for solutions do no-one any favours

four of your letters aren't all bad tho fyi tbh fwiw

― postcards from the (ledge), Thursday, 8 July 2010 12:42 (fourteen years ago)

boneless fillet ?

boneless I'm sure of

― Puyol Live in a Yellow Submarine (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 8 July 2010 18:00 (fourteen years ago)

Yeah, got to be, phoneless billet. Nice one ledge :-)

― ailsa, Thursday, 8 July 2010 18:15 (fourteen years ago)

http://thepilver.files.wordpress.com/2009/06/csi-miami.jpg

― postcards from the (ledge), Friday, 9 July 2010 09:08 (fourteen years ago)

or something, never seen the show meself

― postcards from the (ledge), Friday, 9 July 2010 09:08 (fourteen years ago)

it's the LV dude does the cryptic 'supergenius' (ie cryptic) crosswords fwiw

― ,,,,,,eeeeleon (darraghmac), Friday, 9 July 2010 09:19 (fourteen years ago)

might as well put this here eh

Angel horsing around? Take her out for karaoke (9)

― postcards from the (ledge), Tuesday, 13 July 2010 15:32 (fourteen years ago)

stumped badly here tbh

― Everytime I hit 'submit post' the internet gets dumber (darraghmac), Tuesday, 13 July 2010 15:37 (fourteen years ago)

singalong

― embrace the flopping? no thanks (onimo), Tuesday, 13 July 2010 15:37 (fourteen years ago)

― postcards from the (ledge), Tuesday, 13 July 2010 15:38 (fourteen years ago)

anagram of angl osing (angel horsing with 'her' taken out)

― embrace the flopping? no thanks (onimo), Tuesday, 13 July 2010 15:38 (fourteen years ago)

v good

― Everytime I hit 'submit post' the internet gets dumber (darraghmac), Tuesday, 13 July 2010 15:39 (fourteen years ago)

two weeks pass...

So I went on holiday and did a ton of these? Here are the clues where even after reading the answer I don't get it, can anyone explain?

― Gravel Puzzleworth, Tuesday, 27 July 2010 21:23 (fourteen years ago)

go on

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Tuesday, 27 July 2010 21:25 (fourteen years ago)

Potter's finest work is to encourage Formosan aggression (8,5)

Confined next to a bull (5)

Writer's well after visit - Theo left to think positive (6)

Morbid fear one hates to have (6)

A singularly heavy blow given in embarrassment (4)

― Gravel Puzzleworth, Tuesday, 27 July 2010 21:28 (fourteen years ago)

WAIT WAIT I just got #3

Another one instead: Pillar of some mark to compositors (7)

― Gravel Puzzleworth, Tuesday, 27 July 2010 21:32 (fourteen years ago)

Answers in rot13:

rttfuryypuvan
vaare
vaxcbg (guvf vf gur bar V trg abj)
cubovn
bare
boryvfx
(translator here: http://tools.arantius.com/rot13 )

― Gravel Puzzleworth, Tuesday, 27 July 2010 21:33 (fourteen years ago)

ok let's get to work

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Tuesday, 27 July 2010 21:40 (fourteen years ago)

(Actually I'm back to not getting the third one, I get the simple definition but the cryptic bit *still* makes no sense)

― Gravel Puzzleworth, Tuesday, 27 July 2010 21:42 (fourteen years ago)

ettfuryypuvan spells out 'to encourage attack on state not beloved of taiwan' formosan aggression, also a delicate type of pottery

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Tuesday, 27 July 2010 21:43 (fourteen years ago)

vaare darts term

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Tuesday, 27 July 2010 21:43 (fourteen years ago)

Confined next to a bull = inner. The inner is the ring next to the bull in archery. Presume also inner = confined, sort of. Inner rage, that sort of thing?

The rest, cannot really explain. Not even the one you worked out. Have horrible explanation for this first, but it's really bad

Xpost, yeah, like what darragh just said

― ailsa, Tuesday, 27 July 2010 21:44 (fourteen years ago)

vaxcbg i only get the first part, the simple bit tbh

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Tuesday, 27 July 2010 21:45 (fourteen years ago)

the first, not this first. There's no way on God's green earth I'd have got it though, rather than just fitting an explanation to an already-solved clue.

― ailsa, Tuesday, 27 July 2010 21:45 (fourteen years ago)

'morbid fear one hates to have' is hardly cryptic at all tbh, not a good clue in that overthinking it would put you off imo

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Tuesday, 27 July 2010 21:46 (fourteen years ago)

singularly heavy blow- CONKERS BABY

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Tuesday, 27 July 2010 21:47 (fourteen years ago)

"given in embarrassment" though? These are horrible, btw.

― ailsa, Tuesday, 27 July 2010 21:48 (fourteen years ago)

Nice work on vaare.

rttfuryypuvan is outstanding work - how is anyone supposed to get that? I kept looking to make 'Peter Rabbit'

― Gravel Puzzleworth, Tuesday, 27 July 2010 21:49 (fourteen years ago)

boryvfx - term for a piece of kit one kept in the lower half of a compositors type case.

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Tuesday, 27 July 2010 21:50 (fourteen years ago)

(They're from the Daily Telegraph 1986 fwiw)

What is 'one hates to have' doing, though? I agree it could be nothing.

― Gravel Puzzleworth, Tuesday, 27 July 2010 21:51 (fourteen years ago)

given the answers, and google, it's quite easy to pick these apart- but if i'd been looking at them all weekend they'd prob have driven me soft.

tho, tbh, i think i would have gotten the first one.

crosaire, btw, is doable online at www.irishtimes.com, the unmatched (imo) king of the art.

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Tuesday, 27 July 2010 21:52 (fourteen years ago)

Aye, it's a punctuation mark

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Dagger_(typography)

xposts again

― ailsa, Tuesday, 27 July 2010 21:53 (fourteen years ago)

Wow - nice knowledge on boryvfx - I didn't even know what a compositor was.

― Gravel Puzzleworth, Tuesday, 27 July 2010 21:54 (fourteen years ago)

one hates to have- just clumsy imo, wouldn't kill myself worrying about it once i'd filled in the letters

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Tuesday, 27 July 2010 21:54 (fourteen years ago)

GOOGLE mayne, google!

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Tuesday, 27 July 2010 21:54 (fourteen years ago)

Are these all done apart from #3 now?

― Gravel Puzzleworth, Tuesday, 27 July 2010 21:55 (fourteen years ago)

Haha I used google on formosan aggression, then I still couldn't do it :(

Everyone agrees it's wrong to google when you're actually doing the thing, right?

― Gravel Puzzleworth, Tuesday, 27 July 2010 21:56 (fourteen years ago)

'given in embarrassment'

quite simply- none of my dictionaries and none of my brain cells and none of my internets can suggest even a single half-plausible explanatino for the remaining piece of this clue

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Tuesday, 27 July 2010 21:58 (fourteen years ago)

yeah googling is prob frowned upon while doing, tho perfectly acceptable after you've gotten it- else how d'you learn sure?

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Tuesday, 27 July 2010 21:58 (fourteen years ago)

I really can't make #3 work, I can sort of make bits of the clue bit fit, but not the whole thing, and not convincingly.

― ailsa, Tuesday, 27 July 2010 22:00 (fourteen years ago)

i guess you must 'hate' as a necessary condition of 'having' the third one- ?

though i would be much happier with 'fear' over hate, and that's already in the clue so slapdash at best imo

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Tuesday, 27 July 2010 22:01 (fourteen years ago)

ie you must hate *something* to have a phobia

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Tuesday, 27 July 2010 22:01 (fourteen years ago)

I have learned the word "emderatology" today though, which is nice.

xpost you can have a phobia without hatred though, so misdefinition just to give a double non-cryptic clue is totally misleading and wrong. There must be more to it than that. Where's the rest of the contributors to this thread when you need them?

― ailsa, Tuesday, 27 July 2010 22:03 (fourteen years ago)

i google

― thomp, Tuesday, 27 July 2010 22:04 (fourteen years ago)

araucaria or ximes had a quote about how the solver ought to be permitted 'a reasonable shelf of reference works'. eh. also, you know, sometimes you have PSALMANUGGLE or something and just need to go 'is this really the name of an extinct marsupial or am i wrong'

― thomp, Tuesday, 27 July 2010 22:05 (fourteen years ago)

btw, cryptics are the one thing I miss since I stopped buying print newspapers, but not enough to actually buy a book of puzzles or print any off or whatever, so I do love this thread very much indeed.

― ailsa, Tuesday, 27 July 2010 22:08 (fourteen years ago)

i treat it like scrabble rules (at least the scrabble rules at my house)- it goes in, in ink, before you get to check. no further stabs if wrong, and it stands forever as admonition

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Tuesday, 27 July 2010 22:09 (fourteen years ago)

http://www.irishtimes.com/games/crosswords/

ailsa, no excuses

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Tuesday, 27 July 2010 22:12 (fourteen years ago)

― ailsa, Tuesday, 27 July 2010 22:31 (fourteen years ago)

hmm wait it's asking for a login? never used to.

maybe i can get one.......

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Tuesday, 27 July 2010 22:46 (fourteen years ago)

ACtually, the one I'm doing is kind of shit. but thanks, is good to get the practice back in.

― ailsa, Tuesday, 27 July 2010 22:47 (fourteen years ago)

there's one you can do without logging in

― ailsa, Tuesday, 27 July 2010 22:47 (fourteen years ago)

well ok, but there used to be a trove. i think a mate may have a login but mods may have issues with me posting it or not?

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Tuesday, 27 July 2010 22:52 (fourteen years ago)

Off to bed now - thanks for the help! More tomorrow I fear.

Outstanding clues:

Writer's well after visit - Theo left to think positive (6)
Morbid fear one hates to have (6)
A singularly heavy blow given in embarrassment (4)

Answers:
vaxcbg
cubovn
bare

rot13er: http://www.faqintosh.com/risorse/en/othutil/webapps/rot13/

― Gravel Puzzleworth, Tuesday, 27 July 2010 23:03 (fourteen years ago)

writer's well- obvious. theo's left to think positive- will work on this bit!

morbid fears- yeah, unsatisfactory answer but i think this is just a bad clue.

bare- the single strike (think conker here for me) is clear- i've also tried linking 'embarrassment' with the 'heavy duty' aspect of the word, but no dice there.

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Tuesday, 27 July 2010 23:09 (fourteen years ago)

inkpot

theo's left to think positive

th ink eo pot

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Tuesday, 27 July 2010 23:11 (fourteen years ago)

the o's left to think positive

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Tuesday, 27 July 2010 23:12 (fourteen years ago)

hmm maybe something there?

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Tuesday, 27 July 2010 23:12 (fourteen years ago)

i'll just get a pencil shall i? :)

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Tuesday, 27 July 2010 23:12 (fourteen years ago)

I've got as far as thINKPOsitive, but it's not really working out for me much after that.

Yeah, single strike fine on those grounds, but again, not so much thereafter for me either. Can't even work out where to start.

xposts, yeah, something like that.

― ailsa, Tuesday, 27 July 2010 23:14 (fourteen years ago)

those kind of things should be kept for listener-type xwords imo. araucaria annoyed me today with a word for hartebeest which actually means wildebeest, except in some 200 year old taxonomy.

― no, you're dead right, it's a macaroon (ledge), Tuesday, 27 July 2010 23:30 (fourteen years ago)

oh come on, who hasn't gotten wildebeest/hartebeest mixed up lately? hot topic imo

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Tuesday, 27 July 2010 23:31 (fourteen years ago)

xxp you're forgetting the 'visit'.

― no, you're dead right, it's a macaroon (ledge), Tuesday, 27 July 2010 23:32 (fourteen years ago)

to think positive - theo visit = inkpot.

― no, you're dead right, it's a macaroon (ledge), Tuesday, 27 July 2010 23:35 (fourteen years ago)

leaves us with 'poe' from positive....

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Tuesday, 27 July 2010 23:35 (fourteen years ago)

ha!

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Tuesday, 27 July 2010 23:35 (fourteen years ago)

ok motivated to revisit the others now

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Tuesday, 27 July 2010 23:36 (fourteen years ago)

(sterling work btw)

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Tuesday, 27 July 2010 23:36 (fourteen years ago)

there a word for 'shame' with 'oner' in the middle?

― no, you're dead right, it's a macaroon (ledge), Tuesday, 27 July 2010 23:39 (fourteen years ago)

i think the phobia = hate thing is right - e.g. xenophobia, homophobia, generally manifest as hate not fear.

― no, you're dead right, it's a macaroon (ledge), Tuesday, 27 July 2010 23:41 (fourteen years ago)

dis oner

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Tuesday, 27 July 2010 23:41 (fourteen years ago)

Well done ledge.

I have been failing to find synonyms for embarrassment with "oner" in the middle for some time now, but I totally misread the inkpot one, so I don't trust my own judgement any more.

― ailsa, Tuesday, 27 July 2010 23:45 (fourteen years ago)

i'm gonna investigate as to whether as 'oner' orginated as a debt of shame? seems the most promising lead (working backwards from onerous)

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Tuesday, 27 July 2010 23:45 (fourteen years ago)

don't keep us in suspenders

― no, you're dead right, it's a macaroon (ledge), Wednesday, 28 July 2010 08:33 (fourteen years ago)

i got nothing

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Wednesday, 28 July 2010 09:03 (fourteen years ago)

Chambers gives 'a big lie' as a definition of 'oner': is that what's given in embarrassment?

― tetrahedron of space (woof), Wednesday, 28 July 2010 09:05 (fourteen years ago)

bit of a stretch.

not as much as trying to make 'er' = embarrassment, granted

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Wednesday, 28 July 2010 09:09 (fourteen years ago)

darra was maybe on the right track. from teh oed:

oner, v.

Obs.

Forms: lME onyr, lME-15 oner. [< classical Latin oner{amac}re ONERATE v. Compare EXONER v., ONERATE v.]

trans. To oppress or burden; to charge; spec. to levy a charge on.
a1500 W. LICHEFELD Complaint of God (Caius) 400 in Anglia (1911) 34 520 Full sore schulde thy enmyes be desesyd, And thou my{ygh}thtyst oner [c1450 Lamb. 853 ouer] them, as i onyr [c1450 Lamb. 853 ouer] the may. 1545 St. Papers Hen. VIII V. 409 Who be extreme in takinge of gressoms, and oneringe of rentes. 1545 G. JOYE Expos. Daniel (viii.) f. 145, Beholde withe how fewe single pure and easye institucions cryste orned & not onered his chirche. 1581 Protocol Bk. J. Scott (Edinb. Reg. House) f. 112, The landis of Ower Carinbie..is onerit and burdanit with ane {ygh}eirlie annuell rent [etc.]. a1600 (?c1535) tr. H. Boece Hist. Scotl. (1946) IV. iii. f.129, [The Romans] had neuer onerit thame with sic chargis as victouris mycht of resoun put to pepill vincust

― no, you're dead right, it's a macaroon (ledge), Wednesday, 28 July 2010 09:14 (fourteen years ago)

but i can't find anything to link that to shame/embarrassment specifically, as opposed to just 'burden of debt'- all the stuff you'd expect about legal terms in filing for bankruptcy etc, but it still seems like we're stretching to me.

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Wednesday, 28 July 2010 09:18 (fourteen years ago)

not as much as trying to make 'er' = embarrassment, granted

'Er' (ie 'errrrrrrr') as something spoken/given in embarassment feels ok, though - it's just I can't parse the clue to get the 'on'.

(These clues are horrible by the way - I'd be angry at them - messy, a bit confused.)

― tetrahedron of space (woof), Wednesday, 28 July 2010 09:25 (fourteen years ago)

i'd have agreed with you on the clues until ledge pulled the rug under our feet with positive theo, now i'm wary

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Wednesday, 28 July 2010 09:29 (fourteen years ago)

I knew ledge would come good. Shall I post more, or do people want to crack on with morbid fear/ given in embarassment?

― Gravel Puzzleworth, Wednesday, 28 July 2010 10:09 (fourteen years ago)

no more fear and embarrassment for me (i wish)

― no, you're dead right, it's a macaroon (ledge), Wednesday, 28 July 2010 10:15 (fourteen years ago)

more pls

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Wednesday, 28 July 2010 10:16 (fourteen years ago)

Isn't morbid fear parsed? It's just a really awkward clue, somewhere between double definition and &lit.

More!

― tetrahedron of space (woof), Wednesday, 28 July 2010 10:18 (fourteen years ago)

> Beholde withe how fewe single pure and easye institucions cryste orned & not onered his chirche.

were they having a sale on 'e's?

― koogs, Wednesday, 28 July 2010 10:21 (fourteen years ago)

A blooming spanish bayonet perhaps (5)
Firth of Forth rock fish (4)
One up on a major saddle (3)
Old enough to start earning immediately (4)
Practically everything here seems to be £1.99 (6,3)

― Gravel Puzzleworth, Wednesday, 28 July 2010 10:33 (fourteen years ago)

wait I really DO get #4 this time!

― Gravel Puzzleworth, Wednesday, 28 July 2010 10:36 (fourteen years ago)

lhppn
onff
pby
rabj
arneyl nyy

― Gravel Puzzleworth, Wednesday, 28 July 2010 10:38 (fourteen years ago)

ha i'm not touching those this morning, i think i broke my brain last night

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Wednesday, 28 July 2010 10:38 (fourteen years ago)

the major saddle is fairly straight fwd- one up on a major, a geographical feature between two hills.

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Wednesday, 28 July 2010 10:41 (fourteen years ago)

rabj is an archaic word for enough, first letter just stands for earnings (this may be an economic/accounting common abbrev but tbh i'm not sure)

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Wednesday, 28 July 2010 10:42 (fourteen years ago)

#1 - Spanish Bayonet is a variety of the answer

― tetrahedron of space (woof), Wednesday, 28 July 2010 10:43 (fourteen years ago)

sorry, of lhppn

― tetrahedron of space (woof), Wednesday, 28 July 2010 10:44 (fourteen years ago)

onff is double def.

― no, you're dead right, it's a macaroon (ledge), Wednesday, 28 July 2010 10:45 (fourteen years ago)

practically everything is straightforward enough, but tbh the nyy part i would have expected to be the roman numerals for 200 to make any sense. i'm prob missing something fairly straightforward

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Wednesday, 28 July 2010 10:45 (fourteen years ago)

yy = old ££

― tetrahedron of space (woof), Wednesday, 28 July 2010 10:47 (fourteen years ago)

ah ok

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Wednesday, 28 July 2010 10:50 (fourteen years ago)

first letter just stands for earnings (this may be an economic/accounting common abbrev but tbh i'm not sure)

'to start' tells you just to use the first letter.

― tetrahedron of space (woof), Wednesday, 28 July 2010 10:53 (fourteen years ago)

xxp congrats to woof for writing that far more succinctly and coherently than i could ever have done.

― no, you're dead right, it's a macaroon (ledge), Wednesday, 28 July 2010 10:53 (fourteen years ago)

fairy nuff

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Wednesday, 28 July 2010 10:55 (fourteen years ago)

Oh wow - forgot that 'yy' usage!

― Gravel Puzzleworth, Wednesday, 28 July 2010 10:55 (fourteen years ago)

So those are all done now!

More?

― Gravel Puzzleworth, Wednesday, 28 July 2010 10:57 (fourteen years ago)

no, i'm busy!

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Wednesday, 28 July 2010 11:00 (fourteen years ago)

xxp - ty, cncsn is the aim.

I too am trying to be busy. But I guess some more could just sit there, and no-one would have to look at them if they were worried abt getting the sack say.

― tetrahedron of space (woof), Wednesday, 28 July 2010 11:38 (fourteen years ago)

oh bollocks that's not how it works and you know it

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Wednesday, 28 July 2010 11:52 (fourteen years ago)

Junkie's dead: dictionary contains the answer? (6)

― tetrahedron of space (woof), Wednesday, 28 July 2010 12:03 (fourteen years ago)

addict

― we won't make a darraghmac out of a crisis (onimo), Wednesday, 28 July 2010 12:06 (fourteen years ago)

Quite right. Must stop. Prob shouldn't be scribbling 'junkie' and 'addict' on the corner of proofs I'm meant to be correcting.

― tetrahedron of space (woof), Wednesday, 28 July 2010 12:11 (fourteen years ago)

wait why did it stop?

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Friday, 30 July 2010 09:39 (fourteen years ago)

I lost the book.

I found the book.

Article in cornet shape pertaining to the clergy (9)
Perturbed about tinned fish (6)
Thoroughfare prepared for traffic (7)
Kind of sale sought by potter (9)
Part of Spain where some horseplay is in purpose (6)
Give patient attention or shout (5)

― Gravel Puzzleworth, Friday, 30 July 2010 14:16 (fourteen years ago)

Oops, #5 is "Part of Spain where some horseplay is in progress" (6), not 'purpose'

― Gravel Puzzleworth, Friday, 30 July 2010 14:21 (fourteen years ago)

pnabavpny (totally get this now :)
funxra
ebnqjnl
pyrnenapr
nentba
gerng

― Gravel Puzzleworth, Friday, 30 July 2010 14:22 (fourteen years ago)

got the first one anyway
got the wrong kind of fish for the 2nd, tripped me up!
third one very straightforward, kind of threw me tbh
don't get potter one at all! apart from the sale part.
don't get the shout part of the last one

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Friday, 30 July 2010 14:25 (fourteen years ago)

i'd have got th spain one but don't understand it tbh

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Friday, 30 July 2010 14:25 (fourteen years ago)

is #2 a type of tinned fish?

― Gravel Puzzleworth, Friday, 30 July 2010 14:26 (fourteen years ago)

Potter = snooker player

― tetrahedron of space (woof), Friday, 30 July 2010 14:26 (fourteen years ago)

Wow!

― Gravel Puzzleworth, Friday, 30 July 2010 14:27 (fourteen years ago)

#2 fa= chemical symbol for tin (don't think I've seen that before. Nice.)

― tetrahedron of space (woof), Friday, 30 July 2010 14:28 (fourteen years ago)

Wow!

Never mind get these right, I don't think I could ever even independently deduce half of these from the solutions.

― Gravel Puzzleworth, Friday, 30 July 2010 14:31 (fourteen years ago)

Can someone explain #3?

― Gravel Puzzleworth, Friday, 30 July 2010 14:31 (fourteen years ago)

but fa doesn't appear in answer? (am i being dumb here?)

i read the four central letters of the answer as the fish

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Friday, 30 July 2010 14:31 (fourteen years ago)

i think no 3 is almost not cryptic, unless i'm missing another *level* mayne

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Friday, 30 July 2010 14:32 (fourteen years ago)

tinned fish = type of fish inside chemical symbol for tin (sn)

spain one quite funny.

shout in the sense of 'it's your shout.'

― koogs, Friday, 30 July 2010 14:32 (fourteen years ago)

xposts

― koogs, Friday, 30 July 2010 14:33 (fourteen years ago)

oh FA why didn't you say!

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Friday, 30 July 2010 14:33 (fourteen years ago)

i'm meh on the shout aspect tbh

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Friday, 30 July 2010 14:34 (fourteen years ago)

"it's your treat"?

not cryptic clues always throw me, are they actually allowed?

― Gravel Puzzleworth, Friday, 30 July 2010 14:34 (fourteen years ago)

xps

Sorry, maybe sticking in rot13 is confusing things, fa=sn, so the fish is 'in' tin.

#5 horseplay = n ent + in progress = ba

― tetrahedron of space (woof), Friday, 30 July 2010 14:34 (fourteen years ago)

xp it's a double definition, that's legit.

― ledge, Friday, 30 July 2010 14:35 (fourteen years ago)

yes, when buying rounds in pubs. it's my shout - i'm buying these, these are my treat.

― koogs, Friday, 30 July 2010 14:36 (fourteen years ago)

Spain - think of a student ___ week, the main surviving example of this usage - like that one more than the rest but then it's the only one I got

(xposts, oh well)

― rah rah rah wd smash the oiks (a passing spacecadet), Friday, 30 July 2010 14:37 (fourteen years ago)

Still hate #3.

#5 amazing work!

― Gravel Puzzleworth, Friday, 30 July 2010 14:39 (fourteen years ago)

dropping 6 at a time turns this thread into some kind of piranha word puzzle frenzy, i love it.

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Friday, 30 July 2010 14:41 (fourteen years ago)

Ok new lot coming!

― Gravel Puzzleworth, Friday, 30 July 2010 14:42 (fourteen years ago)

Fashionable dress-silk (7)
Old watchman to hang fire (4)
Exceptionally bright light at the front (4)
Indeed name a hundred, already named! (9)
A drop of water that mars one's view (8)
Obliged to worry constantly about a wild horse (7)

― Gravel Puzzleworth, Friday, 30 July 2010 14:48 (fourteen years ago)

nynzbqr
jnvg
irel
qrabhaprq (this is the now-obligatory one I get as soon as I type it)
pngnenpg
zhfgnat

― Gravel Puzzleworth, Friday, 30 July 2010 14:50 (fourteen years ago)

#1 is double definition

― tetrahedron of space (woof), Friday, 30 July 2010 14:52 (fourteen years ago)

As is #2

― tetrahedron of space (woof), Friday, 30 July 2010 14:53 (fourteen years ago)

pretty archaic first def tho.

― ledge, Friday, 30 July 2010 14:54 (fourteen years ago)

i know, it says "old"

― ledge, Friday, 30 July 2010 14:54 (fourteen years ago)

these ones i'll admit to struggling with- i've tried looking up types of silk but only getting a similar spelling to the answer for the first one.

rest of em? baffled

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Friday, 30 July 2010 14:54 (fourteen years ago)

don't get #3, #5 is nice - double def basically.

― ledge, Friday, 30 July 2010 14:54 (fourteen years ago)

xps

Yeah it's listener/azed level arcane vocab - last definition in Chambers.

― tetrahedron of space (woof), Friday, 30 July 2010 14:55 (fourteen years ago)

indeed = in 'deed'

― ledge, Friday, 30 July 2010 14:55 (fourteen years ago)

i get the last one alright, i would not have seen the last three letters standalone before though?

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Friday, 30 July 2010 14:56 (fourteen years ago)

Is the idea that pngnenpg's are caused by drops of water?

― Gravel Puzzleworth, Friday, 30 July 2010 14:58 (fourteen years ago)

nah, cataract = waterfall

― ledge, Friday, 30 July 2010 14:59 (fourteen years ago)

i would not have seen the last three letters standalone before though?

not sure what you mean here?

― ledge, Friday, 30 July 2010 14:59 (fourteen years ago)

drop of water is just a double def - word comes from the Greek and then the Latin for water flowing downwards, think it meant "waterfall" in English too before it became a somewhat less pleasant thing

xp again dammit

― rah rah rah wd smash the oiks (a passing spacecadet), Friday, 30 July 2010 15:00 (fourteen years ago)

must -ang?

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Friday, 30 July 2010 15:00 (fourteen years ago)

many xps

Chambers (again) has that spelling for the kind of silk.

― tetrahedron of space (woof), Friday, 30 July 2010 15:00 (fourteen years ago)

xp, ang = nag anag? (lol.) 'worry constantly' = nag, 'about' = anag.

― ledge, Friday, 30 July 2010 15:01 (fourteen years ago)

christ #3 is more ridic vocab double def, irel = signalling or illuminating flare

― tetrahedron of space (woof), Friday, 30 July 2010 15:03 (fourteen years ago)

So 1 and 2 are obscure vocabulary for 'silk' and 'watchman' respectively?

But what is 'hang fire' doing?

― Gravel Puzzleworth, Friday, 30 July 2010 15:03 (fourteen years ago)

hadn't seen 'about' used to signify anagram before- it's always 're' in crosaire. fair enough

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Friday, 30 July 2010 15:04 (fourteen years ago)

xp
hmmm. Indirect anagrams usually considered unfair.

― tetrahedron of space (woof), Friday, 30 July 2010 15:04 (fourteen years ago)

But it does seem to be the best explanation.

― tetrahedron of space (woof), Friday, 30 July 2010 15:05 (fourteen years ago)

true, but the rest of it was easy enough so.

about as anag indicator is pretty standard, (move the letters) about.

hang fire = wait!

pretty sure i wouldn't have got 1 2 or 3 meself.

― ledge, Friday, 30 July 2010 15:06 (fourteen years ago)

3 is kind of a crummy clue in that case - it's either completely impossible or literally the first thing you'll try if you've memorised chambers somehow.

― Gravel Puzzleworth, Friday, 30 July 2010 15:06 (fourteen years ago)

Hang on - nag isn't a wild horse, so 'wild' must be the signifier? So what's 'about'?

― Gravel Puzzleworth, Friday, 30 July 2010 15:08 (fourteen years ago)

nag anag

Happy with "about" for anag, but surely the "wild horse" is being the whole-word definition?

I got the -stang as being "angst" about but then was stuck on "mu", and while it's used for various sciencey things I don't think any of them are "constant"s

am I barking up the wrong tree?

― rah rah rah wd smash the oiks (a passing spacecadet), Friday, 30 July 2010 15:08 (fourteen years ago)

mustang is a wild horse, nag is ang 'about', must is the 'obliged'

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Friday, 30 July 2010 15:08 (fourteen years ago)

OH RIGHT

― Gravel Puzzleworth, Friday, 30 July 2010 15:10 (fourteen years ago)

xps

Could maybe get 1, might need checked letters. The other two, not if it was a regular xword. Don't expect lunatic dictionary digging tests outside barred grids.

― tetrahedron of space (woof), Friday, 30 July 2010 15:10 (fourteen years ago)

Oh, I somehow dropped the "obliged" in my mental wranglings. Still don't really get it. Maybe knowing where all the bits come from is missing the point. It certainly would be with today's Telegraph crossword, dunno the 80s.

― rah rah rah wd smash the oiks (a passing spacecadet), Friday, 30 July 2010 15:11 (fourteen years ago)

All done? Alright, one more batch then.

― Gravel Puzzleworth, Friday, 30 July 2010 15:12 (fourteen years ago)

(Is the modern Telegraph considered terribly debased?)

― Gravel Puzzleworth, Friday, 30 July 2010 15:12 (fourteen years ago)

Wait, must + nag(anag) doesn't cover the "worry constantly", unless that's an anagram signifier, but we already have 2 potential anagram signifiers.

If I'm being very thick let me know and I'll shut up

― rah rah rah wd smash the oiks (a passing spacecadet), Friday, 30 July 2010 15:12 (fourteen years ago)

I dunno, my grandparents stopped buying it because a) the crossword had gone downhill and b) even they'd noticed it was a bit righty, so I thought so, and the few occasions I did the modern Telegraph crossword I could happily go through the whole thing thinking "this answer doesn't account for half the words in the clue, but it's a synonym of either the first or last word and it fits the letters I've got"

― rah rah rah wd smash the oiks (a passing spacecadet), Friday, 30 July 2010 15:14 (fourteen years ago)

...unlike this old Telegraph clue, where I can't get any of them, and when you give us the answers I'm still wondering where half the words went

― rah rah rah wd smash the oiks (a passing spacecadet), Friday, 30 July 2010 15:15 (fourteen years ago)

obliged = must, worry constantly = nag, about = anagram (of nag), wild horse = definition.

telegraph was hella easy last few times i tried, also overabundance of one type of clue (e.g. anags one day, hidden words the next) - but didn't think the clues were bad or wrong.

― ledge, Friday, 30 July 2010 15:15 (fourteen years ago)

I've forgotten how to write English and have to resort to posting 4 incoherent blasts in a row, it must be a Friday afternoon. No wonder I can't do crossword clues

― rah rah rah wd smash the oiks (a passing spacecadet), Friday, 30 July 2010 15:16 (fourteen years ago)

Thank you ledge, got it now, I can go home happy. Or I wish I could. 40 minutes...

― rah rah rah wd smash the oiks (a passing spacecadet), Friday, 30 July 2010 15:17 (fourteen years ago)

Think telegraph is usually easiest of the traditional broadsheet xwords (imo difficulty is more or less: Hard Guardians > Indie = Times > Easy Guardians >> Telegraph. Dunno abt FT or Standard)

― tetrahedron of space (woof), Friday, 30 July 2010 15:20 (fourteen years ago)

Where rosiest apples are displayed in peach cover-up? (4-5)
Foresight exhibited by the wearer of a necklace (4)
House value not appreciated by the council, possibly (10)
Something to which one is lately indebted (7)
Bang-on-time style of journalists (11)
Some racehorses of fibre (6)

― Gravel Puzzleworth, Friday, 30 July 2010 15:23 (fourteen years ago)

and the few occasions I did the modern Telegraph crossword I could happily go through the whole thing thinking "this answer doesn't account for half the words in the clue, but it's a synonym of either the first or last word and it fits the letters I've got"

WELL DUUUUH

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Friday, 30 July 2010 15:23 (fourteen years ago)

Wife is sick so I'm gonna head out & get stuff for her, answers when I come back, mad props to anyone who solves & explains in the meantime...

― Gravel Puzzleworth, Friday, 30 July 2010 15:23 (fourteen years ago)

now we're talking!

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Friday, 30 July 2010 15:25 (fourteen years ago)

freestyling while these are no doubt solved in the meantime

I'm thinking something about beards in first one maybe
Third one something about depreciation of a council house i guess
Fourth one funeral or some other cost of dying
something like starter's pistol

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Friday, 30 July 2010 15:33 (fourteen years ago)

i'm just free, free styling

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Friday, 30 July 2010 15:34 (fourteen years ago)

was thinking something about eden or similar for the first one? and/or maybe 'cover up' is the def.

― ledge, Friday, 30 July 2010 15:35 (fourteen years ago)

This got real.
Stable's a stretch, maybe, for the last one.

― tetrahedron of space (woof), Friday, 30 July 2010 15:44 (fourteen years ago)

So uh I'm a moron - Bang-on-time style of journalists is (9), not (11)

― Gravel Puzzleworth, Friday, 30 July 2010 15:54 (fourteen years ago)

sorry for being rubbish

― Gravel Puzzleworth, Friday, 30 July 2010 15:54 (fourteen years ago)

GRAHGHGHAGHA

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Friday, 30 July 2010 15:57 (fourteen years ago)

It still doesn't make any sense, though.

― Gravel Puzzleworth, Friday, 30 July 2010 15:58 (fourteen years ago)

word for hit, word for time, word for style maybe, def is journalists or style of journalists.

― ledge, Friday, 30 July 2010 16:00 (fourteen years ago)

yeah i can't front i'm not actually even close to any of these

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Friday, 30 July 2010 16:00 (fourteen years ago)

bang on time- detonator?

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Friday, 30 July 2010 16:02 (fourteen years ago)

"Ah Willie, Willie, was my love less worth
Than apples with their green leaves piled above?
I counted rosiest apples on the earth
Of far less worth than love."

nope.

― ledge, Friday, 30 July 2010 16:03 (fourteen years ago)

darragh - nope.

― Gravel Puzzleworth, Friday, 30 July 2010 16:06 (fourteen years ago)

i like the garden of eden angle but after that ....

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Friday, 30 July 2010 16:06 (fourteen years ago)

c'mon let's get some answers, i've got five minutes left here...

― ledge, Friday, 30 July 2010 16:11 (fourteen years ago)

doesn't really make sense as a cryptic clue, but is the journalist one "deadlines"?

― joe, Friday, 30 July 2010 16:12 (fourteen years ago)

fubc-sebag
ornq

― Gravel Puzzleworth, Friday, 30 July 2010 16:12 (fourteen years ago)

reporters?

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Friday, 30 July 2010 16:15 (fourteen years ago)

haqreengrq
neernef

― Gravel Puzzleworth, Friday, 30 July 2010 16:15 (fourteen years ago)

bead- i thought beady eyed, but tbh

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Friday, 30 July 2010 16:16 (fourteen years ago)

ercbegntr
fgevat

― Gravel Puzzleworth, Friday, 30 July 2010 16:16 (fourteen years ago)

alarmists?

― Chaim Poutine (NickB), Friday, 30 July 2010 16:16 (fourteen years ago)

damnit i THOUGHT the council house answer!

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Friday, 30 July 2010 16:16 (fourteen years ago)

shoulda got the journalists one tbf

― ledge, Friday, 30 July 2010 16:17 (fourteen years ago)

lately indebted one threw me but is a good clue

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Friday, 30 July 2010 16:17 (fourteen years ago)

wait did we get the journalists one yet?

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Friday, 30 July 2010 16:18 (fourteen years ago)

yup. xp might need that explained...

― ledge, Friday, 30 July 2010 16:18 (fourteen years ago)

i was close to it!

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Friday, 30 July 2010 16:19 (fourteen years ago)

i kinda get #2, don't get #1

― ledge, Friday, 30 July 2010 16:19 (fourteen years ago)

Journalists one is nice. Quite like the 4-5 too.

Crucial for #1: peach = betray, accuse

― tetrahedron of space (woof), Friday, 30 July 2010 16:20 (fourteen years ago)

^ my new thing learned for the day

― ledge, Friday, 30 July 2010 16:21 (fourteen years ago)

^ !

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Friday, 30 July 2010 16:22 (fourteen years ago)

Ohhhh.. #2: double def, front sight of a gun

― tetrahedron of space (woof), Friday, 30 July 2010 16:22 (fourteen years ago)

Yeah, I just looked up peach on thesaurus.com - still couldn't make it fit into an answer, right enough.

― ailsa, Friday, 30 July 2010 16:22 (fourteen years ago)

this is total new word def day for me. Wait! Very!

― tetrahedron of space (woof), Friday, 30 July 2010 16:23 (fourteen years ago)

still can't get #2 to parse but friday evening settling in at this stage

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Friday, 30 July 2010 16:24 (fourteen years ago)

Ey thanks and kudos to GP for this shot in the arm btw

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Friday, 30 July 2010 16:24 (fourteen years ago)

Cor, also did not know about bead = sight on a gun. This is very informative (and pretty obscure) stuff all round.

― ailsa, Friday, 30 July 2010 16:24 (fourteen years ago)

Can someone explain 'lately indebted'? I get #1 and the 'bang' one now, thanks guys.

― Gravel Puzzleworth, Friday, 30 July 2010 16:24 (fourteen years ago)

and i'd like to thank the makers of the chambers iphone app for helping me find these ridic words

― tetrahedron of space (woof), Friday, 30 July 2010 16:28 (fourteen years ago)

Lately indebted basically other way of saying overdue, no?

― ailsa, Friday, 30 July 2010 16:28 (fourteen years ago)

I think it's just an &lit: 'lately indebted' = late on your debts = arrears

― tetrahedron of space (woof), Friday, 30 July 2010 16:29 (fourteen years ago)

that was xp

― tetrahedron of space (woof), Friday, 30 July 2010 16:29 (fourteen years ago)

I knew bead = sight on gun, but didn't click.

yeah arrears just late on debt

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Friday, 30 July 2010 16:31 (fourteen years ago)

'wearer of a necklace' not really sure bout this part though

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Friday, 30 July 2010 16:32 (fourteen years ago)

necklaces have beads. sometimes. this is the weakest thing yet imo.

― ledge, Friday, 30 July 2010 16:33 (fourteen years ago)

yeah the rest of that batch are pretty solid clues tho

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Friday, 30 July 2010 16:37 (fourteen years ago)

How does the 'council' one work?

― Gravel Puzzleworth, Friday, 30 July 2010 16:45 (fourteen years ago)

you pay rates based on the value of your house as determined by the council, right?

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Friday, 30 July 2010 16:46 (fourteen years ago)

so if they 'don't appreciate' etc- underrated

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Friday, 30 July 2010 16:47 (fourteen years ago)

Ah, right, right. Good work everyone!

― Gravel Puzzleworth, Friday, 30 July 2010 16:47 (fourteen years ago)

well, it is actually, but thanks

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Friday, 30 July 2010 16:48 (fourteen years ago)

I'll try and paste the last batch of these sometime next week.

― Gravel Puzzleworth, Friday, 30 July 2010 16:48 (fourteen years ago)

V works in council housing section fyi V

― "It's far from 'lol' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Friday, 30 July 2010 16:48 (fourteen years ago)

dawn broke in not so poor a way as this (9)

i have the answer, can post in rot-13, but for the life of me the dawn broke part is as well to be a random addition.

― "It's far from 'loi' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Monday, 9 August 2010 22:02 (fourteen years ago)

aye, rot-13 it because I can't figure it, but might be able to figure it back?

― ailsa, Monday, 9 August 2010 22:09 (fourteen years ago)

i will be impressed

comin up

― "It's far from 'loi' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Monday, 9 August 2010 22:16 (fourteen years ago)

qrfgvghgr

― "It's far from 'loi' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Monday, 9 August 2010 22:18 (fourteen years ago)

OK, nothing leaping out at me. I can see the use of "broke", I can see "not so poor as way as this", but can't see how they would fit together at all?

Would put good money on ledge cracking it though.

― ailsa, Monday, 9 August 2010 22:23 (fourteen years ago)

dawn, i mean wtf?

― "It's far from 'loi' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Monday, 9 August 2010 22:26 (fourteen years ago)

Just stared at this for a whole episode of family guy. I got nuthin.

― ledge, Monday, 9 August 2010 22:45 (fourteen years ago)

as long as it's not just me and my bro tbh

― "It's far from 'loi' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Monday, 9 August 2010 23:38 (fourteen years ago)

Yeah, nothing here, and I tried it just after watching Sherlock, which should have given me the deductive skills to get it. Keep thinking the 'dawn' has to be an allusion of some kind.

o crap, wait, I sort of see - is it misdirecting then flagging up its own misdirection? ie dawn is *just* there to mislead on the sense of 'broke' (which serves as the definition, despite being mid-clue), then telling you 'the answer ≈ broke, but in another sense to do with poverty'.

That's an unacceptable clue by UK crossword standards imo.

― tetrahedron of space (woof), Tuesday, 10 August 2010 09:53 (fourteen years ago)

that reading would be as strange for crosaire as it would anywhere else though.

― "It's far from 'loi' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Tuesday, 10 August 2010 10:13 (fourteen years ago)

re: mid clue definitions though, tis an interesting point. it is possible to construct legitimate clues that way, and some barred-grid setters use them. you just have to try and stick the def inbetween two bits of wordplay (e.g. anag fodder, anag indicator), like so:

hero's a nag, when upset (5)

― ledge, Tuesday, 10 August 2010 10:24 (fourteen years ago)

well that's legit, but it's a hell of a jump from that (also 'a nag' deliberate or not?) to throwing in a random word with a sketchy indication to ignore it.

i don't think it's a runner in this instance, based on 15 odd years with these particular crosswords.

― "It's far from 'loi' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Tuesday, 10 August 2010 10:26 (fourteen years ago)

but why dawn? if it's just there as misdirection, then that's not on.

xpost

― ailsa, Tuesday, 10 August 2010 10:27 (fourteen years ago)

dawn broke in not so poor a way as this

destitute

― "It's far from 'loi' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Tuesday, 10 August 2010 10:30 (fourteen years ago)

i mean you'd be looking for 'dawn broke' as the puzzle piece to go along with the 'poor state' straight definition, it's as simple as that. just not.

― "It's far from 'loi' you were reared, boy" (darraghmac), Tuesday, 10 August 2010 10:31 (fourteen years ago)

agree that dawn-as-misdirection is an obscenity, but I just can't see any other way to account for it. But I'm not really convinced myself, & wld be happier if we found a poem by Thomas Moore about the Undestitute Sunrise or something.

& re mid-clue defs, yes that doesn't feel too bad if it's fairly easy & used in moderation, but I'm not used to it & frankly fear a world where defs can be anywhere and letter jumbles are separated from anagram indicators.

― tetrahedron of space (woof), Tuesday, 10 August 2010 10:58 (fourteen years ago)

two weeks pass...

Jagger and Johnson get Ailsa in a state (9)

― au secours madison (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 29 August 2010 19:07 (fourteen years ago)

louisiana

― Not the real Village People, Sunday, 29 August 2010 19:23 (fourteen years ago)

something i hastily constructed for a birthday card for my dad. not tricky, just a bit of fun.


  1___2
1|_|_|_|
 |_|X|_|
3|_|_|_|

Across
1 Hill start leads to hesitation and sound of motor spinning (3)
3 Irishman is apt to be confused (3)

Down
1 It's hard work to jump (3)
2 Join up in home town (3)

― ledge, Friday, 10 September 2010 10:25 (fourteen years ago)

ack, should be 'joined up'

― ledge, Friday, 10 September 2010 10:26 (fourteen years ago)

humoepat

― koogs, Friday, 10 September 2010 11:23 (fourteen years ago)

otm

― ledge, Friday, 10 September 2010 11:28 (fourteen years ago)

no shortage at the baker's ball (9)

soft one to get it rollin again

― illiterate mods are killing ilx (darraghmac), Thursday, 16 September 2010 15:59 (fourteen years ago)

ho ho

― ledge, Thursday, 16 September 2010 15:59 (fourteen years ago)

http://www.gutenberg.org/files/17216/17216-h/images/020-04.png

altho they look more like potatoes imo

― ledge, Thursday, 16 September 2010 16:00 (fourteen years ago)

yeah well get to it

― illiterate mods are killing ilx (darraghmac), Thursday, 16 September 2010 16:01 (fourteen years ago)

Public Relations acquire copy of The Times, say (5)

― ledge, Thursday, 16 September 2010 16:05 (fourteen years ago)

Paper?

― pissky in the jar (onimo), Thursday, 16 September 2010 16:09 (fourteen years ago)

http://3.bp.blogspot.com/_222t5surOxk/R6olVKh6M3I/AAAAAAAAAoE/HM21K7BCHuw/s400/hooray.gif

― ledge, Thursday, 16 September 2010 16:10 (fourteen years ago)

Orthodox type to convert natives all over the place, despite loss of holy book (12)

― ledge, Wednesday, 22 September 2010 14:30 (fourteen years ago)

aboriginals?

― i dont love everything, i love football (darraghmac), Wednesday, 22 September 2010 14:32 (fourteen years ago)

with a random letter at the end, like

― i dont love everything, i love football (darraghmac), Wednesday, 22 September 2010 14:33 (fourteen years ago)

most of all you're letting yourself down

― ledge, Wednesday, 22 September 2010 14:35 (fourteen years ago)

conservatives

― portrait of velleity (woof), Wednesday, 22 September 2010 14:39 (fourteen years ago)

without the s

― portrait of velleity (woof), Wednesday, 22 September 2010 14:39 (fourteen years ago)

the second s

― portrait of velleity (woof), Wednesday, 22 September 2010 14:39 (fourteen years ago)

ayup

― ledge, Wednesday, 22 September 2010 14:40 (fourteen years ago)

dealing with hounding press reporter, feel it was allowable in circumstances tbh

― i dont love everything, i love football (darraghmac), Wednesday, 22 September 2010 15:09 (fourteen years ago)

what was the baker one?

― Not the real Village People, Wednesday, 22 September 2010 15:27 (fourteen years ago)

a bun dance

― ledge, Wednesday, 22 September 2010 15:28 (fourteen years ago)

*groan, etc*

yeah i know but it's a crosaire standard and i thought it'd give ye a laugh

― i dont love everything, i love football (darraghmac), Wednesday, 22 September 2010 15:28 (fourteen years ago)

like it!

― Not the real Village People, Wednesday, 22 September 2010 15:37 (fourteen years ago)

maybe i'll do a bit of a trawl later and have a few like it to hand for again

― i dont love everything, i love football (darraghmac), Wednesday, 22 September 2010 15:47 (fourteen years ago)

yeah man we could always do with more activity here, don't mind if its cribbed from other sources.

― ledge, Wednesday, 22 September 2010 15:50 (fourteen years ago)

grand i dont do them every day but next time a few clues catch my eye i'll post em.

that said would welcome another batch of the ones Gravel Puzzleworth (?) posted before they were kinda hardcore

― i dont love everything, i love football (darraghmac), Wednesday, 22 September 2010 15:53 (fourteen years ago)

(bit iffy, this one)

Stolen small bed again (7)

― meta the devil you know (onimo), Wednesday, 22 September 2010 15:54 (fourteen years ago)

cribbed

― i dont love everything, i love football (darraghmac), Wednesday, 22 September 2010 15:58 (fourteen years ago)

― meta the devil you know (onimo), Wednesday, 22 September 2010 15:58 (fourteen years ago)

hmm could try to work in 'double bed' tbh

― i dont love everything, i love football (darraghmac), Wednesday, 22 September 2010 16:01 (fourteen years ago)

staying the french with cockney possession (7)

― i dont love everything, i love football (darraghmac), Wednesday, 22 September 2010 16:05 (fourteen years ago)

sorry,

not staying the french with cockney possession(7)

― i dont love everything, i love football (darraghmac), Wednesday, 22 September 2010 16:06 (fourteen years ago)

leaving

― When Redd Turns To Blecch (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 22 September 2010 16:06 (fourteen years ago)

pfft

took longer to come up with the fecking thing

― i dont love everything, i love football (darraghmac), Wednesday, 22 September 2010 16:07 (fourteen years ago)

Paul being annoying in today's guardian:

soldier, daft don (8)

― portrait of velleity (woof), Thursday, 23 September 2010 16:39 (fourteen years ago)

^ friend got that, I was all GRRRRR but :) but GRRRRR

― ledge, Thursday, 23 September 2010 16:52 (fourteen years ago)

Yeah, swore/laughed when I got it. Paul can be a real dick. My favourite setter.

1ac/d also great, but needs checked letters, and too long to enter on phone.

― portrait of velleity (woof), Thursday, 23 September 2010 16:59 (fourteen years ago)

what's the solution to soldier, daft don?

― No Good, Scrunty-Looking, Narf Herder (Gukbe), Thursday, 23 September 2010 17:02 (fourteen years ago)

I think that's kind of evil and breaking the unwritten rules

rot13 - pbzznaqb

― meta the devil you know (onimo), Thursday, 23 September 2010 17:23 (fourteen years ago)

― koogs, Thursday, 23 September 2010 17:49 (fourteen years ago)

i groaned audibly

― Not the real Village People, Thursday, 23 September 2010 17:52 (fourteen years ago)

This was in the grauniad yesterday. Two possible solutions - the proper one is a bit meh but my colleague came up with a better alternative, perhaps more suitable for Private Eye.

Do bird (4)

― ledge, Tuesday, 28 September 2010 13:38 (fourteen years ago)

Shag

― My glowbo's ain't half itchy (NickB), Tuesday, 28 September 2010 13:39 (fourteen years ago)

^ a bird with a bit of a hairdo

― My glowbo's ain't half itchy (NickB), Tuesday, 28 September 2010 13:41 (fourteen years ago)

the other one fwiw is (in rot13) ebbx.

― ledge, Tuesday, 28 September 2010 16:15 (fourteen years ago)

l∞l (8,4)

Corny but it came to me and i liked it so there

― l∞l (darraghmac), Tuesday, 12 October 2010 14:41 (fourteen years ago)

Absolute zero

― my strange quest for maynesonge (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 12 October 2010 14:44 (fourteen years ago)

Infinite jest

― my strange quest for maynesonge (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 12 October 2010 14:44 (fourteen years ago)

― l∞l (darraghmac), Tuesday, 12 October 2010 14:49 (fourteen years ago)

Araucaria worthy imo

― ledge, Saturday, 16 October 2010 21:05 (fourteen years ago)

Duh I only just got that one. Brilliant. (I was thinking the l l bit was the modulus, ffs me)

― Not the real Village People, Saturday, 16 October 2010 22:20 (fourteen years ago)

ha i'm glad it was at least better than james redd's unseemly speedy solving of it

― cant believe you sb'd me for that (darraghmac), Sunday, 17 October 2010 11:38 (fourteen years ago)

Truth be told I still don't get what the l l bit means.

― THE BOSS aka the steenspringer (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 17 October 2010 15:42 (fourteen years ago)

should have a !

― my sex drew back into itself tight and dry (abanana), Sunday, 17 October 2010 15:50 (fourteen years ago)

they stand for 'laugh' and 'loud' iirc, sorry it's no cleverer than that

― cant believe you sb'd me for that (darraghmac), Sunday, 17 October 2010 17:53 (fourteen years ago)

Haha oh dear, I needed the explanation there as well. Good one. (Same grid should obv have both |∞| (8,4) and |0| (8,4), ie james redd's first suggestion, for extra confusion.)

― anatol_merklich, Wednesday, 20 October 2010 10:46 (fourteen years ago)

Headless gnat and midge, in essence (6)

― Gumby vs. Bridezilla (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 29 October 2010 12:34 (fourteen years ago)

... nature

― thomp, Friday, 29 October 2010 12:38 (fourteen years ago)

Get better around midge (4)

― Gumby vs. Bridezilla (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 29 October 2010 13:20 (fourteen years ago)

cure

― koogs, Friday, 29 October 2010 13:23 (fourteen years ago)

Male midge, smelly (6)

― Neil S, Friday, 29 October 2010 13:38 (fourteen years ago)

manure

― a fucking abortion (onimo), Friday, 29 October 2010 14:16 (fourteen years ago)

yes!

― Neil S, Friday, 29 October 2010 14:17 (fourteen years ago)

Certain southern midge (4)

― a fucking abortion (onimo), Friday, 29 October 2010 14:18 (fourteen years ago)

sure.

100% soft midge (4)

― Gumby vs. Bridezilla (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 29 October 2010 14:19 (fourteen years ago)

pure

Wee Midge has one name (5)

― portrait of velleity (woof), Friday, 29 October 2010 14:27 (fourteen years ago)

(l∞l brilliant btw dmac)

― portrait of velleity (woof), Friday, 29 October 2010 14:29 (fourteen years ago)

for job security, midge sung last note of scale first - wrong note!

― thomp, Friday, 29 October 2010 14:32 (fourteen years ago)

oh wait that doesn't actually work, nevermind

― thomp, Friday, 29 October 2010 14:33 (fourteen years ago)

been sitting here for a while wondering what this obscure entomological term for midges is.

(i get it now)

― all the love sent up high to pledge won't reach the (ledge), Friday, 29 October 2010 15:13 (fourteen years ago)

FUN! begs midge (8)

― portrait of velleity (woof), Friday, 29 October 2010 15:19 (fourteen years ago)

Pleasure.

Midge not all that around red canal (7)

― Gumby vs. Bridezilla (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 29 October 2010 15:29 (fourteen years ago)

Urethra

Guiding lights caught nosy, muddled midges (9)

― portrait of velleity (woof), Friday, 29 October 2010 15:49 (fourteen years ago)

Synosures.

Too busy at work, someone else do one.

― Pork Pius V (GamalielRatsey), Friday, 29 October 2010 16:00 (fourteen years ago)

Oh balls - spelling. ignore me, I'm off to get drunk.

― Pork Pius V (GamalielRatsey), Friday, 29 October 2010 16:16 (fourteen years ago)

A deep sky blue, pure, he who proclaims "if I was a painter" reflects within (8)

― all the love sent up high to pledge won't reach the (ledge), Friday, 29 October 2010 23:13 (fourteen years ago)

(trying too hard, methinks)

― all the love sent up high to pledge won't reach the (ledge), Friday, 29 October 2010 23:14 (fourteen years ago)

i guess so. was drunk, sorry.

c------- fwiw

― all the love sent up high to pledge won't reach the (ledge), Sunday, 31 October 2010 22:36 (fourteen years ago)

cerulean?

― Uncharted: Nick Drake's Fortune (Noodle Vague), Sunday, 31 October 2010 22:37 (fourteen years ago)

Yeah I'm right, that works

― Uncharted: Nick Drake's Fortune (Noodle Vague), Sunday, 31 October 2010 22:37 (fourteen years ago)

yup.

― all the love sent up high to pledge won't reach the (ledge), Sunday, 31 October 2010 22:38 (fourteen years ago)

Pretend attitude (7)

― Uncharted: Nick Drake's Fortune (Noodle Vague), Sunday, 31 October 2010 22:40 (fourteen years ago)

Actress's costume adds nothing (5)

― Uncharted: Nick Drake's Fortune (Noodle Vague), Sunday, 31 October 2010 22:43 (fourteen years ago)

Pretend attitude (7)

posture?

― a fucking abortion (onimo), Tuesday, 2 November 2010 00:02 (fourteen years ago)

Posture is correct

― Owner of a Homely Face (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 2 November 2010 07:55 (fourteen years ago)

And "Garbo" for the other?

― what is he like? the guy's a juggalo, man (a passing spacecadet), Tuesday, 2 November 2010 09:28 (fourteen years ago)

Yeah well done

― Owner of a Homely Face (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 2 November 2010 15:49 (fourteen years ago)

Rubbish costume adds years (7)

― a fucking abortion (onimo), Tuesday, 2 November 2010 17:47 (fourteen years ago)

garbage

― ailsa, Tuesday, 2 November 2010 17:53 (fourteen years ago)

hey at least I tried!

(correct)

― a fucking abortion (onimo), Tuesday, 2 November 2010 18:02 (fourteen years ago)

Captain Fantastic, informally, originally, age-addled and turning to Jamaican music (6)

― xtc ep, etc (xp) (ledge), Monday, 8 November 2010 16:03 (fourteen years ago)

kinda ugh-ly clue imo

― xtc ep, etc (xp) (ledge), Monday, 8 November 2010 16:05 (fourteen years ago)

reggae. not that i understand the first part but Jamaican Music (6) narrows it down quite a bit...

― koogs, Monday, 8 November 2010 16:11 (fourteen years ago)

yeah, what can y'do <shrugs>

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Captain_Fantastic_and_the_Brown_Dirt_Cowboy

― xtc ep, etc (xp) (ledge), Monday, 8 November 2010 16:12 (fourteen years ago)

insect in favour of root vegetables - sticking his nose out? (11)

― thomp, Monday, 8 November 2010 16:12 (fourteen years ago)

protuberant

― xtc ep, etc (xp) (ledge), Monday, 8 November 2010 16:13 (fourteen years ago)

― thomp, Monday, 8 November 2010 16:15 (fourteen years ago)

in favour of=pro
tuber=root veg
insect=ant

― Pork Pius V (GamalielRatsey), Monday, 8 November 2010 16:18 (fourteen years ago)

i think he knows that...

― xtc ep, etc (xp) (ledge), Monday, 8 November 2010 16:19 (fourteen years ago)

heh

― thomp, Monday, 8 November 2010 16:26 (fourteen years ago)

Not approaching, not fitting. (8)

― cant believe you sb'd me for that (darraghmac), Monday, 8 November 2010 16:58 (fourteen years ago)

guh. obviously. xpost (just dealing with a remarkably recalcitrant trainee and brought my patronising hand-guiding to ilx. Apologies.)

― Pork Pius V (GamalielRatsey), Monday, 8 November 2010 17:09 (fourteen years ago)

detached?

― xtc ep, etc (xp) (ledge), Tuesday, 9 November 2010 12:16 (fourteen years ago)

― cant believe you sb'd me for that (darraghmac), Tuesday, 9 November 2010 12:30 (fourteen years ago)

anyone else feel guilty when someone guesses wrong?

― cant believe you sb'd me for that (darraghmac), Tuesday, 9 November 2010 12:30 (fourteen years ago)

nah i just think "idiots"

― xtc ep, etc (xp) (ledge), Tuesday, 9 November 2010 12:32 (fourteen years ago)

phew, i mean i dint wanna say but...

― cant believe you sb'd me for that (darraghmac), Tuesday, 9 November 2010 12:39 (fourteen years ago)

5 days, like

― cant believe you sb'd me for that (darraghmac), Saturday, 13 November 2010 00:58 (fourteen years ago)

clue?

― Not the real Village People, Saturday, 13 November 2010 02:56 (fourteen years ago)

Not approaching, not fitting. (8)

or d'you need more?

― cant believe you sb'd me for that (darraghmac), Saturday, 13 November 2010 19:24 (fourteen years ago)

I meant a letter or summat (NB I suck at these)

― Not the real Village People, Saturday, 13 November 2010 21:52 (fourteen years ago)

o i c.
**t***r**

― cant believe you sb'd me for that (darraghmac), Sunday, 14 November 2010 02:17 (fourteen years ago)

That's 9 letters!

― Not the real Village People, Sunday, 14 November 2010 02:34 (fourteen years ago)

its late...

Drop the last one!

― cant believe you sb'd me for that (darraghmac), Sunday, 14 November 2010 02:36 (fourteen years ago)

untoward?

― Smiley panda mixed moniker (7,4) (onimo), Sunday, 14 November 2010 15:08 (fourteen years ago)

― cant believe you sb'd me for that (darraghmac), Sunday, 14 November 2010 15:12 (fourteen years ago)

E.g. crash in skylab, my capsule recoils (6)

― xtc ep, etc (xp) (ledge), Wednesday, 17 November 2010 11:31 (fourteen years ago)

cymbal

― Smiley panda mixed moniker (7,4) (onimo), Wednesday, 17 November 2010 11:38 (fourteen years ago)

bingoe

― xtc ep, etc (xp) (ledge), Wednesday, 17 November 2010 11:49 (fourteen years ago)

Bet God in verse? Pay it in crowns, perhaps. (9, 4)

― Goths in Home & Away in my lifetime (darraghmac), Sunday, 28 November 2010 02:37 (fourteen years ago)

sovereign debt

― e.g. delegates at a set age (ledge), Sunday, 28 November 2010 23:40 (fourteen years ago)

Gahan's Mode rob backmasked sample from Osakan noise stalwarts (8)

― e.g. delegates at a set age (ledge), Monday, 29 November 2010 14:43 (fourteen years ago)

tl;dr

― koogs, Monday, 29 November 2010 14:45 (fourteen years ago)

boredoms

― thomp, Monday, 29 November 2010 15:48 (fourteen years ago)

oh wait

― thomp, Monday, 29 November 2010 15:48 (fourteen years ago)

you are right

― e.g. delegates at a set age (ledge), Monday, 29 November 2010 16:11 (fourteen years ago)

pretty easy imo but it just came to me and can't be bothered to work on it further.

cease and recommence unholy painting style (2-3)

― e.g. delegates at a set age (ledge), Thursday, 2 December 2010 15:25 (fourteen years ago)

Op-Art

― absinthe of malithe (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 2 December 2010 15:26 (fourteen years ago)

✓

― e.g. delegates at a set age (ledge), Thursday, 2 December 2010 15:31 (fourteen years ago)

A movement that starts before midnight and ends shortly after (4,4,9,3)

― e.g. delete via naivete (ledge), Monday, 6 December 2010 23:31 (fourteen years ago)

SNAFU: A movement that starts before midnight and ends shortly after (4,4,9,3)

― e.g. delete via naivete (ledge), Tuesday, 7 December 2010 10:54 (fourteen years ago)

----/s---/---------/-a-

― e.g. delete via naivete (ledge), Wednesday, 8 December 2010 14:34 (fourteen years ago)

SSDD...

― koogs, Wednesday, 8 December 2010 15:44 (fourteen years ago)

cryptic answers to cryptic questions? correct, probably.

― e.g. delete via naivete (ledge), Wednesday, 8 December 2010 15:46 (fourteen years ago)

ooh, I get it now. Good clue :-)

― ailsa, Wednesday, 8 December 2010 15:49 (fourteen years ago)

i'm trying to learn how cryptic xwds work

cease and recommence unholy painting style (2-3)

...

Op-Art

cease - stop
recommence - start
unholy - remove "St." (from both?)
painting style - the confirmation of the clue

sort of?

― progressive cuts (Tracer Hand), Wednesday, 8 December 2010 15:55 (fourteen years ago)

yep, good clue

― Goths in Home & Away in my lifetime (darraghmac), Wednesday, 8 December 2010 15:59 (fourteen years ago)

kind of time that gravel puzzleworth made with some more of his supercryptics, i'd say

― Goths in Home & Away in my lifetime (darraghmac), Wednesday, 8 December 2010 16:11 (fourteen years ago)

one month passes...

Metal point? Metal point. (4)

― nanoflymo (ledge), Tuesday, 25 January 2011 17:05 (fourteen years ago)

Tine.

V. good

― Cars and Freedom (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 25 January 2011 17:07 (fourteen years ago)

German man turns green (4)

― A Man Needs A Meme (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 26 January 2011 18:26 (fourteen years ago)

Lime. Or Emil. But lime makes more sense i think.

― nanoflymo (ledge), Thursday, 27 January 2011 10:19 (fourteen years ago)

four weeks pass...

Good Japanese artist, bad Irish singer (4)

― Roger "Destroyer" Kaputtnik (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 24 February 2011 05:31 (fourteen years ago)

bono

― CaptainLorax, Thursday, 24 February 2011 06:49 (fourteen years ago)

from the observer

How movie ends is unimaginative (5)

― koogs, Friday, 25 February 2011 15:45 (fourteen years ago)

damnit that was one of the three i couldn't get, after doing the rest in 15 mins.

― ledge, Friday, 25 February 2011 15:46 (fourteen years ago)

i have 4 left. most of which look like grep -i "^.s.r.n....$" /usr/share/dict/words would get them

― koogs, Friday, 25 February 2011 15:49 (fourteen years ago)

(make that 3 - carafe)

― koogs, Friday, 25 February 2011 15:50 (fourteen years ago)

(make that 2 - defect)

― koogs, Friday, 25 February 2011 15:51 (fourteen years ago)

(taverna)

― koogs, Friday, 25 February 2011 15:52 (fourteen years ago)

any letters for the one you're stuck with?

― ailsa, Friday, 25 February 2011 15:54 (fourteen years ago)

yes, half of them
.s.r.n.e.t
but all i can see is 'usernet'

Bitter line written in a hospital department (10)

― koogs, Friday, 25 February 2011 16:03 (fourteen years ago)

done (and without dictinary aid)

― koogs, Friday, 25 February 2011 16:05 (fourteen years ago)

huh, shoulda got that.

― ledge, Friday, 25 February 2011 16:09 (fourteen years ago)

astringent

― ailsa, Friday, 25 February 2011 16:14 (fourteen years ago)

Actually meant for this one though?

How movie ends is unimaginative (5)

― ailsa, Friday, 25 February 2011 16:14 (fourteen years ago)

at the time of asking it was

i . . . .

but was later

i . a . e

― koogs, Friday, 25 February 2011 16:31 (fourteen years ago)

oh boo for the pun

― Achillean Heel (darraghmac), Friday, 25 February 2011 16:33 (fourteen years ago)

idgi

― ledge, Friday, 25 February 2011 16:33 (fourteen years ago)

in an e

― Achillean Heel (darraghmac), Friday, 25 February 2011 16:37 (fourteen years ago)

― ledge, Friday, 25 February 2011 16:38 (fourteen years ago)

last one on sunday's everyman. fell to a dictionary attack... wasn't something i'd heard before.

Is coming back low, male in wind (6)

― koogs, Friday, 4 March 2011 14:19 (fourteen years ago)

i guessed, i googled, i was right.

there's a lot of winds out there http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Category:Winds

― ledge, Friday, 4 March 2011 14:22 (fourteen years ago)

Yeah, it's quite basic and obvious if you know a lot about winds. Which I don't.

― ailsa, Friday, 4 March 2011 15:11 (fourteen years ago)

but i do like those clues where you figure out how it works, and come up with a made-up word that turns out to be right.

― ledge, Friday, 4 March 2011 15:14 (fourteen years ago)

not seen 'low' used like that before

― koogs, Friday, 4 March 2011 15:22 (fourteen years ago)

that's how my dad used to play scrabble

― Achillean Heel (darraghmac), Friday, 4 March 2011 15:23 (fourteen years ago)

whats the answer btw? Hven't had the time to either puzzle it out nor go through wiki list

― Achillean Heel (darraghmac), Friday, 4 March 2011 15:25 (fourteen years ago)

simoom.

low = moo is definitely an old standard. hoary, even.

― ledge, Friday, 4 March 2011 15:26 (fourteen years ago)

would not have puzzled tbh

― Achillean Heel (darraghmac), Friday, 4 March 2011 15:28 (fourteen years ago)

not seen 'low' used like that before

Do they not have Away In A Manger in koogsy Christmasworld? "The cattle are lowing, the baby awakes..."

― ailsa, Saturday, 5 March 2011 08:40 (fourteen years ago)

in a crossword clue, perhaps

― Achillean Heel (darraghmac), Saturday, 5 March 2011 18:34 (fourteen years ago)

Low man in Nordic troll (6)

― on... imo (onimo), Tuesday, 8 March 2011 09:58 (fourteen years ago)

is is 'hattifattener'? 8)

― koogs, Tuesday, 8 March 2011 10:19 (fourteen years ago)

moomin?

― Achillean Heel (darraghmac), Tuesday, 8 March 2011 10:30 (fourteen years ago)

yes - I know these are easy but I like remixing clues just to keep my hand in

American uncle out back Nordic troll (6)

― on... imo (onimo), Tuesday, 8 March 2011 12:41 (fourteen years ago)

i dont understand

― Achillean Heel (darraghmac), Tuesday, 8 March 2011 12:43 (fourteen years ago)

some please explain it to me?

I am wearing only my underpants, also.

― Achillean Heel (darraghmac), Tuesday, 8 March 2011 12:47 (fourteen years ago)

― on... imo (onimo), Tuesday, 8 March 2011 12:49 (fourteen years ago)

two weeks pass...

This is not this (9)

― the '' key on my keybord is not working (darraghmac), Tuesday, 22 March 2011 16:22 (fourteen years ago)

white collar retirement? (4,6)

― the '' key on my keybord is not working (darraghmac), Tuesday, 22 March 2011 16:29 (fourteen years ago)

second one's "holy orders"?

― a SB-in' artist that been in the game for a minute (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 22 March 2011 16:32 (fourteen years ago)

hate to just say nope but nope

― the '' key on my keybord is not working (darraghmac), Tuesday, 22 March 2011 16:35 (fourteen years ago)

I think you'll agree my answer is better tho

― a SB-in' artist that been in the game for a minute (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 22 March 2011 16:37 (fourteen years ago)

i was gonna say

― the '' key on my keybord is not working (darraghmac), Tuesday, 22 March 2011 16:38 (fourteen years ago)

post office

― Suspicious Hive Minds (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 22 March 2011 18:58 (fourteen years ago)

― the '' key on my keybord is not working (darraghmac), Tuesday, 22 March 2011 19:17 (fourteen years ago)

This is not this (9)

halp

― ledge, Thursday, 24 March 2011 09:54 (fourteen years ago)

different?

― ailsa, Thursday, 24 March 2011 10:10 (fourteen years ago)

shit, forgot about it. It's too vague.

This is not this, if you can break it down (9)

― the '' key on my keybord is not working (darraghmac), Thursday, 24 March 2011 10:18 (fourteen years ago)

Shintoist

― Suspicious Hive Minds (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 24 March 2011 14:11 (fourteen years ago)

don't wanna be mr moany negative but Shinto isn't Zen, man

― a SB-in' artist that been in the game for a minute (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 24 March 2011 14:13 (fourteen years ago)

moan all you like, it's not shintoist

― the '' key on my keybord is not working (darraghmac), Thursday, 24 March 2011 14:37 (fourteen years ago)

that's okay then

― a SB-in' artist that been in the game for a minute (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 24 March 2011 14:38 (fourteen years ago)

Solveable?

― a SB-in' artist that been in the game for a minute (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 24 March 2011 14:39 (fourteen years ago)

v close, i mean obviously it's solveable, the clue is what it isnt

― the '' key on my keybord is not working (darraghmac), Thursday, 24 March 2011 14:47 (fourteen years ago)

eh ie insoluble

― the '' key on my keybord is not working (darraghmac), Thursday, 24 March 2011 14:48 (fourteen years ago)

dammit I sort of had that at the back of my head but my head wasn't playing ball

― a SB-in' artist that been in the game for a minute (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 24 March 2011 14:48 (fourteen years ago)

good clue!

― ledge, Thursday, 24 March 2011 15:02 (fourteen years ago)

eventually, maybe

― the '' key on my keybord is not working (darraghmac), Thursday, 24 March 2011 15:06 (fourteen years ago)

too vague for some noodles though

― the '' key on my keybord is not working (darraghmac), Thursday, 24 March 2011 15:06 (fourteen years ago)

head's a shed at the moment tbh

― a SB-in' artist that been in the game for a minute (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 24 March 2011 15:09 (fourteen years ago)

Two soldiers make a movie (5)

― Suspicious Hive Minds (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 24 March 2011 18:11 (fourteen years ago)

might be too American

― Suspicious Hive Minds (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 24 March 2011 18:19 (fourteen years ago)

Giant

― ailsa, Thursday, 24 March 2011 18:22 (fourteen years ago)

― Suspicious Hive Minds (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 24 March 2011 18:24 (fourteen years ago)

immediate punishment for a lazy dessert - 7,4

― the '' key on my keybord is not working (darraghmac), Friday, 25 March 2011 02:00 (fourteen years ago)

I know "spotted dick" isn't right but I just wanted to post it for lulz

― a SB-in' artist that been in the game for a minute (Noodle Vague), Friday, 25 March 2011 02:01 (fourteen years ago)

haaaa

― the '' key on my keybord is not working (darraghmac), Friday, 25 March 2011 02:02 (fourteen years ago)

i swear luv, i must have caught it off the deity in charge of dessert effort

― the '' key on my keybord is not working (darraghmac), Friday, 25 March 2011 02:04 (fourteen years ago)

instant whip

― Not the real Village People, Friday, 25 March 2011 05:51 (fourteen years ago)

yip

― the salmon of procrastination (darraghmac), Friday, 25 March 2011 13:10 (fourteen years ago)

Greetings, found my way here from the dead cryptic thread. (Thought this one was specifically for creating your own and passing it on, but I'll stick my general noob queries/befuddlements here.)

So, if you haven't seen, The Nation has 5 puzzlers vying to replace the late Frank Lewis:

http://www.thenation.com/article/159126/five-vie-puzzlers-mantle?page=full

I solved my first-ever complete puzzle today (Nestor Nightspree's) but I gather from online pundits that this one was easier than the norm, and not particularly well written.

― Partyin', partyin', fun fun fun fun (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 29 March 2011 20:31 (fourteen years ago)

finished nestor's (except for the bismarck clue). pretty facile, but not unfair. never come across that spelling of 'cigaret' before though.

― and the hint of parp (ledge), Wednesday, 30 March 2011 15:25 (fourteen years ago)

Yeah, facile's the skill level I'm at at present. (This still took me a couple days, off and on.)

― Partyin', partyin', fun fun fun fun (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 30 March 2011 15:42 (fourteen years ago)

well you beat me, if you got the bismarck one!

― and the hint of parp (ledge), Wednesday, 30 March 2011 15:45 (fourteen years ago)

never come across that spelling of 'cigaret' before though.

Watch Countdown More.

― ailsa, Wednesday, 30 March 2011 16:04 (fourteen years ago)

would that i could...

― and the hint of parp (ledge), Wednesday, 30 March 2011 16:08 (fourteen years ago)

don't worry it'll still be going when you've retired

― a SB-in' artist that been in the game for a minute (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 30 March 2011 21:07 (fourteen years ago)

how to dispose of a gospel (6)

― the salmon of procrastination (darraghmac), Thursday, 31 March 2011 15:06 (fourteen years ago)

I want to say remark, but not sure I can justify that meaning "how to dispose"

― ailsa, Thursday, 31 March 2011 15:31 (fourteen years ago)

i'd like to see you do that, certainly

― the salmon of procrastination (darraghmac), Thursday, 31 March 2011 16:48 (fourteen years ago)

Nah, for "not sure I can" read "I definitely can't"

― ailsa, Thursday, 31 March 2011 17:11 (fourteen years ago)

something about a "john"?

― Gukbe, Thursday, 31 March 2011 17:12 (fourteen years ago)

nope

it's at this stage i begin to agonize over my clue tbh

― the salmon of procrastination (darraghmac), Thursday, 31 March 2011 17:20 (fourteen years ago)

renews

― thomp, Thursday, 31 March 2011 17:30 (fourteen years ago)

remark, reluke, rebook, resomethingorother

― thomp, Thursday, 31 March 2011 17:31 (fourteen years ago)

nope

― the salmon of procrastination (darraghmac), Thursday, 31 March 2011 17:34 (fourteen years ago)

that last one doesn't even fit ffs

― the salmon of procrastination (darraghmac), Thursday, 31 March 2011 17:35 (fourteen years ago)

aretha ( sounds like urethra?)

― Phred "Psonic" Psmith (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 31 March 2011 17:36 (fourteen years ago)

i mean lol

― the salmon of procrastination (darraghmac), Thursday, 31 March 2011 17:38 (fourteen years ago)

when has one of my clues ever been so erudite

― the salmon of procrastination (darraghmac), Thursday, 31 March 2011 17:39 (fourteen years ago)

dispel?

― ailsa, Thursday, 31 March 2011 19:36 (fourteen years ago)

golpes! (It's a bilingual answer-clue combo)

― Phred "Psonic" Psmith (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 31 March 2011 19:50 (fourteen years ago)

remove

― cold hands of monkeys on my heart (CaptainLorax), Thursday, 31 March 2011 21:01 (fourteen years ago)

way too much credit tbh. I can hear the groans for this one already

― the salmon of procrastination (darraghmac), Thursday, 31 March 2011 21:01 (fourteen years ago)

Just get it over with and tell us.

― Phred "Psonic" Psmith (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 31 March 2011 21:03 (fourteen years ago)

forget - forge it

― cold hands of monkeys on my heart (CaptainLorax), Thursday, 31 March 2011 21:07 (fourteen years ago)

Please baby baby please

― Ministry of Geir (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 31 March 2011 21:08 (fourteen years ago)

p----t

― the salmon of procrastination (darraghmac), Thursday, 31 March 2011 21:14 (fourteen years ago)

pulpit!

― a SB-in' artist that been in the game for a minute (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 31 March 2011 21:18 (fourteen years ago)

haha

― a SB-in' artist that been in the game for a minute (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 31 March 2011 21:18 (fourteen years ago)

andy carroll-like strike rate, this lad

― the salmon of procrastination (darraghmac), Thursday, 31 March 2011 21:22 (fourteen years ago)

Nodding Colonel, we hear, leads soldier (6)

From 3 years back, unsolved apparently.

― a SB-in' artist that been in the game for a minute (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 31 March 2011 21:25 (fourteen years ago)

and by way of a remix:

Silent soldier heard freak (6)

― a SB-in' artist that been in the game for a minute (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 31 March 2011 21:30 (fourteen years ago)

not a clue

― the salmon of procrastination (darraghmac), Friday, 1 April 2011 21:43 (fourteen years ago)

eh, that's not actually a criticism of the clue, which realise it looks like

― the salmon of procrastination (darraghmac), Friday, 1 April 2011 21:44 (fourteen years ago)

first one begins with a n, second one begins with a m

― a SB-in' artist that been in the game for a minute (Noodle Vague), Saturday, 2 April 2011 05:49 (fourteen years ago)

2nd one: mutant

― Not the real Village People, Saturday, 2 April 2011 05:56 (fourteen years ago)

correct

― a SB-in' artist that been in the game for a minute (Noodle Vague), Saturday, 2 April 2011 05:57 (fourteen years ago)

yay!

― Not the real Village People, Saturday, 2 April 2011 05:58 (fourteen years ago)

sure the other one is something to do with nut but i just can't get it.

finished (well more or less) the next two of those nation crosswords. they're getting harder, but not much better. some good clues, some bad, pretty average over all. *spoiler* '44' as a definition for 'barack obama' is a real teeth-grinder.

― and the hint of parp (ledge), Wednesday, 6 April 2011 13:46 (fourteen years ago)

u are on the right track and the other clue shd help and a dictionary also

― cockroach shakespeare (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 6 April 2011 14:22 (fourteen years ago)

nutant (hurray for dictionaries!)

― ailsa, Wednesday, 6 April 2011 14:34 (fourteen years ago)

:) CORRECT love that word

― cockroach shakespeare (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 6 April 2011 14:36 (fourteen years ago)

kinda horrible but fed up staring at it. also easy i daresay.

For jellyfish stew: puree with gusto and serve with turnover slice raw on a muffin (10, 3-1-3)

― and the hint of parp (ledge), Friday, 15 April 2011 10:16 (fourteen years ago)

Portuguese man'o'war.

Haven't looked at the cryptic bit yet, but feeling pretty solid on jellyfish... (10, 3-1-3)

― portrait of velleity (woof), Friday, 15 April 2011 10:25 (fourteen years ago)

clue starts well, but 'turnover slice raw on a muffin' is fugly, in sense and for wordplay.

― portrait of velleity (woof), Friday, 15 April 2011 10:31 (fourteen years ago)

Wait did you write that? Sorry if I was rude I thought it was from a newspaper.

― portrait of velleity (woof), Friday, 15 April 2011 10:35 (fourteen years ago)

struggles over the line imo

― the salmon of procrastination (darraghmac), Friday, 15 April 2011 10:36 (fourteen years ago)

nah i wrote it and yeah it's fugly :( what would you suggest?

― and the hint of parp (ledge), Friday, 15 April 2011 10:36 (fourteen years ago)

jellyfish- 10, 3'1 3

― the salmon of procrastination (darraghmac), Friday, 15 April 2011 10:37 (fourteen years ago)

doesnt lend itself to cryptic tbh, as it's so recognisable

― the salmon of procrastination (darraghmac), Friday, 15 April 2011 10:39 (fourteen years ago)

but if the clue were a thing of beauty...

― and the hint of parp (ledge), Friday, 15 April 2011 10:40 (fourteen years ago)

Things aren't simple beyond the grave, I see. (7)

― the salmon of procrastination (darraghmac), Friday, 15 April 2011 10:42 (fourteen years ago)

ok so yes it looks a lot better when I actually have to come up with something

For jellyfish stew: puree with gusto and serve to an American heavy metal band from Auburn, New York formed in 1980, noted for such albums as Into Glory Ride (10, 3-1-3)

― portrait of velleity (woof), Friday, 15 April 2011 10:50 (fourteen years ago)

print it!

― and the hint of parp (ledge), Friday, 15 April 2011 10:52 (fourteen years ago)

No wait something to do with the cooking instructions and 'warm on a' to supply the rest of the anagram letters.

― portrait of velleity (woof), Friday, 15 April 2011 10:54 (fourteen years ago)

i'm still keen on 'raw on a muffin' tbh, that's where i started from.

― and the hint of parp (ledge), Friday, 15 April 2011 10:58 (fourteen years ago)

i'd start with

'o'

Could have a lot of fun with that

― the salmon of procrastination (darraghmac), Friday, 15 April 2011 11:06 (fourteen years ago)

Oh, I like the puree + gusto anag. 'raw on a m' -> manowar is nice, it's just that turnover slice that feels awkward.... umm 'add muffin top, serve raw on a turnover'?

― portrait of velleity (woof), Friday, 15 April 2011 11:13 (fourteen years ago)

not getting muffin ref tbh

― the salmon of procrastination (darraghmac), Friday, 15 April 2011 11:19 (fourteen years ago)

muffin
marmalade
macaroni
minestrone
milk
meringue
mustard
marzipan
mayonnaise
m&ms
milky way
mousse
mints
meat
marshmallows
maple
marinade
molasses
margarine

― and the hint of parp (ledge), Friday, 15 April 2011 11:22 (fourteen years ago)

dash of Martini. dash of mead. dash of metheglin.

― portrait of velleity (woof), Friday, 15 April 2011 11:31 (fourteen years ago)

i dunno what that's the ingredient list for but would i fuck be eating it

― the salmon of procrastination (darraghmac), Friday, 15 April 2011 11:34 (fourteen years ago)

but it's got jellyfish

― portrait of velleity (woof), Friday, 15 April 2011 11:37 (fourteen years ago)

there's not always room for jellyfish

― the salmon of procrastination (darraghmac), Friday, 15 April 2011 11:47 (fourteen years ago)

From The Nation again. I'm gonna spoil it and just post the answer too, 'cause I'm new and still trying to figure out if some of the cluing is typical or just wtf:

What shows up repeatedly in this puzzle: frequently, that guy with long, low, backwards underwear. (5,2,3,4)

It was a fruit themed puzzle, so once I got that (5) was Fruit, the rest led me to "Of The Loom."

Okay, so:

frequently = oft
that guy = he
low backwards = oom (groan!)
underwear = fruit of the loom

But what the hell is he doing with "long?" Is there a standard abbreviation that leads me to just include an L? I have no idea...

― Hardcore Bangage (Dan Peterson), Monday, 18 April 2011 15:57 (fourteen years ago)

yeah I think he's using "l" as an abbreviation for long. I've seen it done, but I find it a bit cheap when setters overdo the one letter abbreviations

― A Zed and Two Nults (Noodle Vague), Monday, 18 April 2011 15:59 (fourteen years ago)

i think so, tho you'd nearly want to have solved it first before working it out.

Ps a lot of cryptic clues are like this

― i've got blingees on my fisters (darraghmac), Monday, 18 April 2011 16:00 (fourteen years ago)

I suppose you could cite e.g. LP. He (or she) had my fave clue in all the five, fwiw:

Swinger's unsightly nude lump (8)

― standing on the shoulders of pissants (ledge), Monday, 18 April 2011 16:00 (fourteen years ago)

pendulum

― A Zed and Two Nults (Noodle Vague), Monday, 18 April 2011 16:01 (fourteen years ago)

actually that was in the next one.

― standing on the shoulders of pissants (ledge), Monday, 18 April 2011 16:01 (fourteen years ago)

yeah not hard but it raised a grin.

― standing on the shoulders of pissants (ledge), Monday, 18 April 2011 16:01 (fourteen years ago)

xxxxp

a lot of bad cryptic clues are like this. imo an abbreviation is only legit if it's a common usage eg SI units

― A Zed and Two Nults (Noodle Vague), Monday, 18 April 2011 16:02 (fourteen years ago)

Took l-for-long as being trouser-sizing-derived. But yeah, NV otm, too many single letter abbrevs cheap - make for unsatisfying, fiddly clues (see also things like the Doctor collection – dr, md, dd, gp, mo, mb etc etc)

― portrait of velleity (woof), Monday, 18 April 2011 16:13 (fourteen years ago)

Good, so we're basically in agreement that L for long is a cheap shot? I just kinda think if I manage to solve the line and STILL don't know what the setter was thinking, it's pretty vague. That Cosima Coinpott puzzle had a few groaners; overall I didn't care for it.

― Hardcore Bangage (Dan Peterson), Monday, 18 April 2011 16:32 (fourteen years ago)

Here's another one I didn't quite understand:

Exclude upper-class sign in groove. (4,3)

― Hardcore Bangage (Dan Peterson), Monday, 18 April 2011 17:37 (fourteen years ago)

RULE OUT = R((U+LEO)UT

― under the pollcano (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 18 April 2011 17:44 (fourteen years ago)

I'm dense, I'm still not understanding U+LEO.

― Hardcore Bangage (Dan Peterson), Monday, 18 April 2011 17:49 (fourteen years ago)

U=upper-class, LEO=astrological sign of the lion

― under the pollcano (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 18 April 2011 17:51 (fourteen years ago)

Again the single-letter thing. U = upper-class? Is this a British-ism, a cryptic-ism, or...?

― Hardcore Bangage (Dan Peterson), Monday, 18 April 2011 17:54 (fourteen years ago)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U_and_non-U_English

― emil.y, Monday, 18 April 2011 17:57 (fourteen years ago)

Pretty standard. Some might prefer it to be clued like "University head," or "Urban chief" or something, although "University" is commonly abbreviated U, so "University" is a legitimate stand alone clue for "U."

― under the pollcano (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 18 April 2011 17:58 (fourteen years ago)

OK, just looked at that link.

― under the pollcano (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 18 April 2011 17:59 (fourteen years ago)

University Head I would have gotten. This from the Wiki for "U English" I have never heard of in my life:

"This was a reflection of the anxieties of the middle class in 1950s Britain

Thanks for the education!

― Hardcore Bangage (Dan Peterson), Monday, 18 April 2011 18:03 (fourteen years ago)

Seriously, being very new to this I am a bit in awe of you folks. How many puzzles do you have to do before "upper-class = U and sign denotes zodiac denotes LEO" becomes your standard thought process?

I've got one more from that Coinpott puzzle:

Actor Eric and Newton are well-known in tropical country. (6,8)

I got Actor Eric, and I got the conclusion, but still don't understand what Newton is doing in there.

― Hardcore Bangage (Dan Peterson), Monday, 18 April 2011 18:35 (fourteen years ago)

Banana Republic

― Neil S, Monday, 18 April 2011 18:40 (fourteen years ago)

Newton = n, are = a, re. public?

― Neil S, Monday, 18 April 2011 18:42 (fourteen years ago)

I evidently have a lot to learn about single letter abbreviations!

― Hardcore Bangage (Dan Peterson), Monday, 18 April 2011 18:46 (fourteen years ago)

N/Newton is an SI unit

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Newton_%28unit%29

― THE MAN (onimo), Monday, 18 April 2011 18:50 (fourteen years ago)

Okay, thanks, I got that, belatedly, but I'm still confused.

BANA + N + ??? + well-known = PUBLIC.

Neil says above are = A?

― Hardcore Bangage (Dan Peterson), Monday, 18 April 2011 18:56 (fourteen years ago)

The International System of Units[1] (abbreviated SI from French: Système international d'unités[2]) is the modern form of the metric system

Haha, I'm American, we told the metric system to bugger off years ago...

― Hardcore Bangage (Dan Peterson), Monday, 18 April 2011 18:57 (fourteen years ago)

in that clue are = are, right?

bana/n/are/public
eric/newton/are/well-known

― portrait of velleity (woof), Monday, 18 April 2011 19:05 (fourteen years ago)

Thank you, I'm truly appreciating the input. But holy hell, I never realized this re: SI

The system has been nearly globally adopted. Three principal exceptions are Burma (Myanmar), Liberia, and the United States.

― Hardcore Bangage (Dan Peterson), Monday, 18 April 2011 19:07 (fourteen years ago)

& yes, the abbreviations are prob the biggest hurdle for a lot of people starting cryptics - there's a large but finite set of them, and they're very offputting, especially the traditional ones that, I think, would not be guessable (eg city = ec).

It just sounds total voodoo nerdery when you have to explain one of those clues to someone: 'Well, the sailor, that's AB, able-bodied has a pound, that's L in old money, and he's in church, CE, Church of England, yes I know we say C of E, it just is CE. So cable'

Plenty of setters are manageable without having instant recall for all of them; some setters lean on them hard, and I don't usually enjoy their puzzles as much; and yeah it took me a good while (years) of off-and-on solving to get to know the abbrevs (though you can get quickly to recognising where there's probably a stupid abbreviation in a clue).

― portrait of velleity (woof), Monday, 18 April 2011 19:28 (fourteen years ago)

you can get quickly to recognising where there's probably a stupid abbreviation in a clue

This is it - you might not know the abbreviations but you can get to the point where you go "well, I need one more letter, and it's got to come from one of these three words" and try the first letter of them all.

(Obviously if you have all but one letter then you probably know the answer anyway, but a thought process a bit like the above does occur when you're trying out possible word fragments, especially if you get to know that the setter likes to use these things.)

― dimension hatris (a passing spacecadet), Monday, 18 April 2011 19:40 (fourteen years ago)

I've been reading up on US units for force, mass, etc. and I think they're just being awkward. Slug!

― every day I'm (onimo), Monday, 18 April 2011 19:43 (fourteen years ago)

>>>sailor, that's AB, able-bodied

Mind = blown.

― Hardcore Bangage (Dan Peterson), Monday, 18 April 2011 19:49 (fourteen years ago)

It just sounds total voodoo nerdery when you have to explain one of those clues to someone:

oh yeah, i get this all the time, but i do have some converts amongst friends at this stage.

with repeated practice at any one setter you'll start to learn their little piquancies

eg crosaire- 'father' can be da, pa, or pp, prob others i can think of, for instance

― i've got blingees on my fisters (darraghmac), Monday, 18 April 2011 20:59 (fourteen years ago)

>>>sailor, that's AB, able-bodied
Mind = blown.

Ha, I knew that but I didn't know what the letters actually meant, thanks.

has a pound, that's L in old money

The one that used to confuse me was 'L' clued as "student" because that what is put on student driver cars, the 'L' being short for "learner."

― under the pollcano (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 18 April 2011 21:06 (fourteen years ago)

^^^ okay, that's voodoo nerdery for sure. (and does not translate to USA.) You mean a sticker with an L on it?

― Hardcore Bangage (Dan Peterson), Monday, 18 April 2011 21:15 (fourteen years ago)

>>>sailor, that's AB, able-bodied
Mind = blown.

Wait, I've entered the world of folk etymology - it is sailor, but it just stands for able seaman apparently.

v true about getting to know setters - Araucaria seems impossible when beginning (people always complain about him - I think it's strange clues + memorable name (+ my Guardian reader social circle)), but once you get to know him he's a pussycat (sure, yes, kind of annoying pussycat with sudden spikes in viciousness & belief that popular songs of the 1930s are fair pop culture references).

― portrait of velleity (woof), Monday, 18 April 2011 21:15 (fourteen years ago)

http://obdrive.com/images/L_Plates_rip_104.gif

― i've got blingees on my fisters (darraghmac), Monday, 18 April 2011 21:16 (fourteen years ago)

Wikipedia says AB stands for "ABle"

― under the pollcano (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 18 April 2011 21:22 (fourteen years ago)

oh, yes, that's what I was aiming to correct myself to, AB = sailor because short form of rank is AB, but AB(le seaman), not A(ble) B(odied).

I suspect abbreviations favour one style of setting and solving - the adding + subtracting coded letters game is part (along with letter frequency reasoning etc) of why a lot of the best solvers are maths and logic types, not straight verbal people.

― portrait of velleity (woof), Monday, 18 April 2011 21:38 (fourteen years ago)

Maths and logic = totally not me. I liked this one a lot:

Popular, healthy Republican? Bill Clinton claimed he was not one. (7)

― Hardcore Bangage (Dan Peterson), Monday, 18 April 2011 21:54 (fourteen years ago)

inhaler

Not bad

― i've got blingees on my fisters (darraghmac), Monday, 18 April 2011 22:24 (fourteen years ago)

All this stuff about abbreviations and no talk of cricket? C for caught crops up a lot, B for bowled less often. Not to mention leg=on=side(=off)

Another one I've only started getting to grips with recently, pi=pious=good.

― standing on the shoulders of pissants (ledge), Tuesday, 19 April 2011 08:32 (fourteen years ago)

and Run Out crops up almost weekly. (the aforementioned arroyo had 'run out' in the clue)

― koogs, Tuesday, 19 April 2011 08:39 (fourteen years ago)

gtf with ur cricket, how's that for abbrvtn

― i've got blingees on my fisters (darraghmac), Tuesday, 19 April 2011 08:56 (fourteen years ago)

^otm

― every day I'm (onimo), Tuesday, 19 April 2011 10:53 (fourteen years ago)

Quick silver in reference to anger (4)

― every day I'm (onimo), Tuesday, 19 April 2011 10:57 (fourteen years ago)

(I know mine are always easy - I use this thread to practice new things that come up in discussions, like abbrvtns)

― every day I'm (onimo), Tuesday, 19 April 2011 10:58 (fourteen years ago)

RAGE

― standing on the shoulders of pissants (ledge), Tuesday, 19 April 2011 10:58 (fourteen years ago)

(Did something too similar to this upthread, but thinking about abbrevs...)

Spendthrift has expression of amusement in constant attendance (10)

― portrait of velleity (woof), Tuesday, 19 April 2011 11:07 (fourteen years ago)

Araucaria used to be my hero btw, but I think he doesn't use a lot of the cheeseball tricks like abbrevs etc

― A Zed and Two Nults (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 19 April 2011 11:18 (fourteen years ago)

i do like the chemical symbol abbreviations, especially the ones that aren't just short versions of the full names.

― koogs, Tuesday, 19 April 2011 11:23 (fourteen years ago)

i think chemical symbols and SI units are completely legit, it's the "crossword only" abbrevs that fuck me off

― A Zed and Two Nults (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 19 April 2011 11:26 (fourteen years ago)

it's all legit, embrace the freestyle jazz of the unfettered clue imo

― i've got blingees on my fisters (darraghmac), Tuesday, 19 April 2011 11:32 (fourteen years ago)

xxxp

Yeah, he's one of the truly great setters I think - he and Paul are my daily favourites.

Love Ximenean/Non-Ximenean setters beef:

Pasquale and I eventually meet for supper in a pub south of the Thames. I ask him about his criticism of Araucaria, and his face lights up. "I've got the prize puzzle," he says, "on Saturday. Have a look at it. It's my comment on some of Araucaria's clues."
The prize puzzle in the Guardian is mostly set by Araucaria, but sometimes others get a look-in. Bunthorne may have one a month. Enigmatist from time to time. Occasionally Paul. And now Pasquale.
"Do the puzzle," he says. And then, as all setters do from time to time, he has a moment of doubt about the clue. "It's a quotation," he adds, "a bit obscure. But it is in the dictionary. I think people will get it. I think it will be all right." ("All right" is an expression setters use frequently, as a euphemism for "fair".)
And so I get the paper and look eagerly for the clue, which is: "See cluer's use of rare, silly pseudo-lingo - absurd nonsense from 4 (10, 5, 5, 5, 9)". I can see the reprimand. Silly pseudo-lingo and all that. But the quote? I have a moment of doubt. If this is to be a good clue, then both the solution and the surface meaning must feed each other. It will not do for the answer to have nothing to do with "cluers" and their (alleged) silly pseudo-lingo. It must somehow complete the story.
And when I get it, of course, it does.
The answer to 4 down in this puzzle is Chomsky. So we can put that into the clue: "See cluer's use of rare, silly pseudo-lingo - absurd nonsense from Chomsky (10, 5, 5, 5, 9)". Something Chomsky said, then, and an anagram indicated by "absurd".
The answer is COLOURLESS GREEN IDEAS SLEEP FURIOUSLY, an anagram of "See cluer's use of rare, silly pseudo-lingo". This, many Guardian solvers will know, is the sentence with which Noam Chomsky announced his arrival as a force to be reckoned with in the field of linguistics, the example he chose to demonstrate that sentence might be grammatical without being meaningful. The reprimand is complete. "Good grief," says Araucaria when I ask him. "Was that about me? I did solve the puzzle - I don't always - but it passed me by completely."

― portrait of velleity (woof), Tuesday, 19 April 2011 11:34 (fourteen years ago)

Grauniad today was horrible. Mostly just 'cause it was hard and deliberately extra-misleading, but the few unfair or tortuous clues really rubbed salt in.

― standing on the shoulders of pissants (ledge), Tuesday, 19 April 2011 13:05 (fourteen years ago)

Spendthrift has expression of amusement in constant attendance (10)

Profligate

― ailsa, Tuesday, 19 April 2011 13:17 (fourteen years ago)

haha brilliant

― A Zed and Two Nults (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 19 April 2011 13:18 (fourteen years ago)

btw, if sailor/seaman isn't AB, it's usually tar. if you do loads of cryptics, you learn to recognise these things (see also GI or ant for soldier)

― ailsa, Tuesday, 19 April 2011 13:18 (fourteen years ago)

i have no probs with AB or GI or ant but the former is probly quite britishes-centric

― A Zed and Two Nults (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 19 April 2011 13:22 (fourteen years ago)

Thanks again for all your input. It helps me realize that there are a TON of permissible single and double letter abbreviations (I've mostly just run into simple ones like cardinal directions) and many are going to be eye-rollingly obscure to an American neophyte.

And also "deliberately extra-misleading...unfair or tortuous clues" may very well prevent me from solving some puzzles altogether. All good to know.

― Hardcore Bangage (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 19 April 2011 13:59 (fourteen years ago)

As a relative beginner myself, I find the Observer Everyman crossword pitched at a good level, and is definitely helping with harder (e.g. Guardian daily cryptic) crosswords.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/crosswords/everyman/

― Neil S, Tuesday, 19 April 2011 14:43 (fourteen years ago)

Yes! It was an entry drug for me.

― portrait of velleity (woof), Tuesday, 19 April 2011 14:46 (fourteen years ago)

thirded, although i actually learnt at my parents' knee with the lol oxford mail.

― standing on the shoulders of pissants (ledge), Tuesday, 19 April 2011 14:47 (fourteen years ago)

my dad swears he only gets the Daily Mail for the crossword, which is where i learnt, but it used to be a pretty dope crossword, a lot harder/funner than the Telegraph/first half of the week Graun

― A Zed and Two Nults (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 19 April 2011 14:49 (fourteen years ago)

I didn't appreciate the Guardian ramped up in difficulty over the course of the week...

― Neil S, Tuesday, 19 April 2011 14:50 (fourteen years ago)

i haven't done them with any studiousness for years, but monday-tuesday used to be pish, sometimes you'd get an Auraucaria on a Wed if you were lucky, thursday thru saturday were worth fucking with

― A Zed and Two Nults (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 19 April 2011 14:54 (fourteen years ago)

iirc (haven't been daily solver for a while) it thought of it as follows:
Mon: almost always Rufus - easy, jokey (but annoying, stopped doing it)
Tues-thurs: unpredictable
Fri: harder
Saturday: themes, stunts, games; often hard.

but xpost Noodle's version sounds about right too, maybe it always Thursday that Enigmatist would turn up and slap me around.

― portrait of velleity (woof), Tuesday, 19 April 2011 14:59 (fourteen years ago)

irish times crosaire is what i was raised with and stick with

― i've got blingees on my fisters (darraghmac), Tuesday, 19 April 2011 15:04 (fourteen years ago)

(xposts) Just took my first stab at an Observer Everyman. Not too bad, and the few I didn't get I could at least see how the setter came up with the answer. (Is "the classic English humorous book, Three Men in a Boat by Jerome K. Jerome" really classic, like, you know the name of the dog in it?

One I'm still unclear on:

Settler on island wearing revolver (8)

― Hardcore Bangage (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 19 April 2011 17:23 (fourteen years ago)

colonist

on island = on is, another shitty abbreviation imo

― A Zed and Two Nults (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 19 April 2011 17:25 (fourteen years ago)

And revolver is Colt?

― Hardcore Bangage (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 19 April 2011 17:27 (fourteen years ago)

yep

― A Zed and Two Nults (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 19 April 2011 17:28 (fourteen years ago)

"wearing" tells you that the colt is wrapped around the "onis" bit

― A Zed and Two Nults (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 19 April 2011 17:28 (fourteen years ago)

Yeah, I actually figured out the 'wearing' but ON IS threw me, and Colt for revolver just seemed like, really?

― Hardcore Bangage (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 19 April 2011 17:30 (fourteen years ago)

oh the name of the dog in 3 Men in a Boat is Montmorency, and I've never read the book. it is pretty classic among Britishes who like Literature i think.

― A Zed and Two Nults (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 19 April 2011 17:34 (fourteen years ago)

Fredericks, say, involved in a run out from gully (6)

― Hardcore Bangage (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 19 April 2011 17:47 (fourteen years ago)

(i mentioned that one above - cheating spanish words)

today's guardian, one for all you abbreviation haters:
Smooth on the feet at 50, in love with life's extremes: classy gent (8)
(one of 3 i have so far)

― koogs, Tuesday, 19 April 2011 18:02 (fourteen years ago)

I still have to have this page to refer to when I do most clues:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Crossword_abbreviations

― Not the real Village People, Tuesday, 19 April 2011 18:05 (fourteen years ago)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Roy_Fredericks

"Roy Clifton Fredericks (11 November 1942, Blairmont, British Guiana – 5 September 2000, New York, U.S.) was a West Indian cricketer who played from 1968 to 1977."

so ROY "involved in" A RO = ARROYO = gully in spanish.

― koogs, Tuesday, 19 April 2011 18:05 (fourteen years ago)

Fuck's sake, that's ridiculous. I don't even know American sports names and I'm supposed to know a West Indian cricketer, leave aside the Spanish.

― Hardcore Bangage (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 19 April 2011 18:11 (fourteen years ago)

That whole Wikipedia entry might as well be written in Martian afaic.

― Hardcore Bangage (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 19 April 2011 18:12 (fourteen years ago)

arroyo is used in English often enough to be fair I think but Roy Fredericks is ridic and I'm a cricket fan

― A Zed and Two Nults (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 19 April 2011 18:45 (fourteen years ago)

No, I'm with you on ARROYO. I'm drawing the line at A RO being appended to a name I'm supposed to guess from RUN OUT. That's several levels of O_o

Listen to me, the expert after doing these things for six months...

― Hardcore Bangage (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 19 April 2011 18:52 (fourteen years ago)

well it's from an English paper isn't it? My only thought for Fredericks was Frankie but then i started wondering if it was some kinda pun on Freds or something

― A Zed and Two Nults (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 19 April 2011 18:53 (fourteen years ago)

Dan Peterson, your l0u1s jagg3r routine may start to weary in a bit.

― under the pollcano (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 19 April 2011 18:57 (fourteen years ago)

Sorry, I retract my testiness (and it's actually more astonishment if anyone deciphered that one.)

Run out = cricket. I *am* genuinely trying to learn.

― Hardcore Bangage (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 19 April 2011 19:04 (fourteen years ago)

why so cranky jr&b?

― i've got blingees on my fisters (darraghmac), Tuesday, 19 April 2011 19:12 (fourteen years ago)

"seasonal allergies"

― under the pollcano (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 19 April 2011 19:36 (fourteen years ago)

one thing I wd say, Dan, as a serial non-finisher of crosswords, an awful lot of clues from most setters don't require impossible knowledge (although you'll fear that each one you can't get does) and that with a bit of momentum in a puzzle, you'll probably surprise yourself with how much you can do. And well, when I see the next day that the clue needed some knowledge I didn't have, then I tend to shrug my shoulders. The worst ones are the ones you know you should have got and cause you to shout damn you all to hell in public. What I'm saying is that a good deal of satisfaction is to be gained from just getting a lot of clues - completion is immensely satisfying, but rather like cricket (wtf that Roy Fredericks clue?) the process can be enjoyed without there being a decisive ending.

― Fizzles the Chimp (GamalielRatsey), Tuesday, 19 April 2011 20:25 (fourteen years ago)

^^^ gradually getting this, yes. I'm used to US crosswords, where even if a solution is ridiculously arcane, a dictionary or some googling for the name of an obscure actor or athlete can help me complete the puzzle. I realize from online comments re: the Everyman puzzle that there are certain clues/solutions/bits of wordplay that have puzzlers far more experienced than I unable to solve, or arguing why an answer is what it is.

― Hardcore Bangage (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 19 April 2011 20:58 (fourteen years ago)

Of course I say that, but not being able to get a couple of clues can also drive you to the verge of madness.

― Fizzles the Chimp (GamalielRatsey), Tuesday, 19 April 2011 21:04 (fourteen years ago)

> (wtf that Roy Fredericks clue?)

yes, was a bit of a stinker. but there are always two parts to every clue and you often have some of the letters from other solutions. had i known that an arroyo was a gutter then i wouldn't've needed to know the history of west indian cricket.

have started the last two guardian crosswords online (only buy paper on friday and that's usually beyond me). not doing too well. few cricket questions on those as well. Dicky Bird etc.

― koogs, Wednesday, 20 April 2011 09:54 (fourteen years ago)

yeah wasn't really happy with that use of dickie bird. a dickie-bird is, traditionally, a small bird. so what's a great small bird? just doesn't work, imo.

― standing on the shoulders of pissants (ledge), Wednesday, 20 April 2011 10:00 (fourteen years ago)

great tit? (tit also being small bird, great tit being a kind of tit)

doing these online using the guardian's applet thing i've realised you can brute force it using the 'Check' button - just fill it all in with As and press check - all the correct As will remain in place...

― koogs, Wednesday, 20 April 2011 10:45 (fourteen years ago)

tit would work, but it's not the answer.

― standing on the shoulders of pissants (ledge), Wednesday, 20 April 2011 10:48 (fourteen years ago)

bring it to the relationship probs thread son

― i've got blingees on my fisters (darraghmac), Wednesday, 20 April 2011 10:59 (fourteen years ago)

was a blatant attempt for quoted-out-of-context glory tbh

― standing on the shoulders of pissants (ledge), Wednesday, 20 April 2011 11:04 (fourteen years ago)

could have made it a little more graceful in deference to thread imo

― i've got blingees on my fisters (darraghmac), Wednesday, 20 April 2011 11:08 (fourteen years ago)

stick a bit of that lubricant up your bum backwards, you fruit (7)

― standing on the shoulders of pissants (ledge), Wednesday, 20 April 2011 11:40 (fourteen years ago)

didnt solve it, lol'd anyway

― i've got blingees on my fisters (darraghmac), Wednesday, 20 April 2011 11:45 (fourteen years ago)

--L-A--

― standing on the shoulders of pissants (ledge), Thursday, 21 April 2011 10:00 (fourteen years ago)

sultana

― koogs, Thursday, 21 April 2011 10:30 (fourteen years ago)

― standing on the shoulders of pissants (ledge), Thursday, 21 April 2011 10:36 (fourteen years ago)

utter rubbish tbh, booo etc

― i've got blingees on my fisters (darraghmac), Thursday, 21 April 2011 10:37 (fourteen years ago)

I don't quite get all of that.

I thought of this on the train this morning and liked it.
Scope of anger management (5)

― every day I'm (onimo), Thursday, 21 April 2011 10:42 (fourteen years ago)

ha i rly want to set that as a clue now.

― i've got blingees on my fisters (darraghmac), Thursday, 21 April 2011 10:42 (fourteen years ago)

xp range

― Neil S, Thursday, 21 April 2011 10:43 (fourteen years ago)

xxp that lubricant in anus, reversed. you may quibble with the extraneous 'your'.

― standing on the shoulders of pissants (ledge), Thursday, 21 April 2011 10:45 (fourteen years ago)

ok with slight amendments tbf

future rubbish, boo etc tbh - 5,2,2

― i've got blingees on my fisters (darraghmac), Thursday, 21 April 2011 10:49 (fourteen years ago)

Ah, I was looking for anal rather than anus.

(out of context bait right there)

(calling your own out of context postings stops it happening, right?)

range is correct.

― every day I'm (onimo), Thursday, 21 April 2011 10:52 (fourteen years ago)

That sultana v nice, I got stuck repeatedly trying to get KY or a bit of oil in ass.
'botch to be'?

― portrait of velleity (woof), Thursday, 21 April 2011 11:11 (fourteen years ago)

ya, throwaway effort, and prob ought to have been hyphenated now i look again

― i've got blingees on my fisters (darraghmac), Thursday, 21 April 2011 11:19 (fourteen years ago)

3 away from finishing the big easter saturday guardian crossword.

Galloway's people profess no other partiality (7,2,7)

R E S P E C T | O . | P . . . O . S

(is that last bit an anagram of 'professno'?)

Organs for the crowd (5)

P . E . .

(plebs?)

Flowers in the shade (4-4)

. . . . | P . N .

― koogs, Monday, 25 April 2011 14:05 (fourteen years ago)

respect of persons

which makes that R . . . | P . N .

― koogs, Monday, 25 April 2011 14:07 (fourteen years ago)

RIVE PINS?

― Hardcore Bangage (Dan Peterson), Monday, 25 April 2011 14:36 (fourteen years ago)

(Groping guess based on the painting Pins sur la rive by Georges Lacombe.)

― Hardcore Bangage (Dan Peterson), Monday, 25 April 2011 14:52 (fourteen years ago)

rose pink, something like that?

― portrait of velleity (woof), Monday, 25 April 2011 15:02 (fourteen years ago)

and press

― portrait of velleity (woof), Monday, 25 April 2011 15:04 (fourteen years ago)

Tried to download Easter Guardian, forgetting that it would break my iPhone

― ELO ENO ONO (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 25 April 2011 15:14 (fourteen years ago)

thankyou. not sure i understand either entirely but...

(and if anyone else needs a solution just let me know)

― koogs, Monday, 25 April 2011 18:51 (fourteen years ago)

I think: roses & pinks both kinds of flower, 'rose pink' a shade. Nice, I think. organs = 'organs of the press', press = crowd. Not as sold on that one.

― portrait of velleity (woof), Monday, 25 April 2011 20:38 (fourteen years ago)

is 'pink' a kind of flower? that's the bit i'm iffy with.

― koogs, Tuesday, 26 April 2011 09:28 (fourteen years ago)

yeah it is

― A Zed and Two Nults (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 26 April 2011 09:49 (fourteen years ago)

[citation needed]

― koogs, Tuesday, 26 April 2011 09:52 (fourteen years ago)

pink1 noun 1 a light or pale-red colour, between red and white. 2 an annual or perennial plant, eg a carnation or sweet william, which has stems with swollen nodes, grass-like bluish-green leaves and flowers with a tubular calyx and five spreading toothed or slightly frilled pink, red, white, purple, yellow, orange or variegated petals

― A Zed and Two Nults (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 26 April 2011 09:53 (fourteen years ago)

thanks

was looking for yesterday's on the guardian site and a search for april 2011 gave me this, from 1932!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/crosswords/cryptic/597

(did they reprint it?)

― koogs, Tuesday, 26 April 2011 10:04 (fourteen years ago)

actually,

25 Website for domestic servant? (4,4)

did they have websites in 1932?

― koogs, Tuesday, 26 April 2011 10:07 (fourteen years ago)

there are also clues referring to the "Fab Four" and "Nixon" so i suspect the date's wrong

― A Zed and Two Nults (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 26 April 2011 11:09 (fourteen years ago)

still stuck on four in the lower regions of saturday's araucaria.

― standing on the shoulders of pissants (ledge), Tuesday, 26 April 2011 13:06 (fourteen years ago)

PIG EON

― koogs, Tuesday, 26 April 2011 13:50 (fourteen years ago)

pod, train, town, and bird, are the problems here.

― standing on the shoulders of pissants (ledge), Tuesday, 26 April 2011 13:53 (fourteen years ago)

the pod is odd - 2nd half of it's easy

town i still can't figure out, but wikipedia gives you the answer. i wonder whether you can spell it a different way that matches the clue better.

american bird. you will kick yourself.

is the train the writer one? think that's another kicker.

― koogs, Tuesday, 26 April 2011 13:58 (fourteen years ago)

-NE- BEAN, i figure. not up on my opera centres though.

American bird - as in a broad? A dame?

― standing on the shoulders of pissants (ledge), Tuesday, 26 April 2011 14:00 (fourteen years ago)

OH IT'S A FUCKING HIDDEN WORD

― standing on the shoulders of pissants (ledge), Tuesday, 26 April 2011 14:02 (fourteen years ago)

PULLMAN

snap bean? idgi

― standing on the shoulders of pissants (ledge), Tuesday, 26 April 2011 14:04 (fourteen years ago)

These (including koogs' post yesterday) are not really convincing me of Araucaria's genius, which iirc everyone else itt was quite determined of

just sayin etc

― dimension hatris (a passing spacecadet), Tuesday, 26 April 2011 14:10 (fourteen years ago)

Intermittent genius, I would say. It can be hard to see the genius in a well-written and totally legit clue when you've been banging your head against it for hours. Otoh I'm not so impressed with convoluted 20+ letter anagrams, especially when there's no definition part in the clue. That "six clues are of a kind and not further defined" thing can fuck off imo.

― standing on the shoulders of pissants (ledge), Tuesday, 26 April 2011 14:43 (fourteen years ago)

snap bean is a thing, and american thing. SNAPE being a place they do opera, B from born, AN from AN.

yes, tinamou? who knew!

i got the theme by pure luck, just thought of something that fit, the (1, 9, 5, 6) one.

― koogs, Tuesday, 26 April 2011 14:54 (fourteen years ago)

> These (including koogs' post yesterday) are not really convincing me of Araucaria's genius

yeah, these are the dregs though. that said, PLACIDNESS?

― koogs, Tuesday, 26 April 2011 14:57 (fourteen years ago)

xp we got "the glass" (already had 'the', + good girl), and bingo.

― standing on the shoulders of pissants (ledge), Tuesday, 26 April 2011 14:59 (fourteen years ago)

today's guardian:

Be cool and calm when hot in lilac, unfortunately getting cross (7)

(clue straightforward, but am a bit o_O about the answer)

― koogs, Friday, 29 April 2011 20:21 (fourteen years ago)

I got the answer but don't get the "unfortunately" bit

― Not the real Village People, Friday, 29 April 2011 23:39 (fourteen years ago)

I quite liked "Fancy lad and me tied knot! (4,9)"

― Not the real Village People, Friday, 29 April 2011 23:41 (fourteen years ago)

i am failing badly at the bottom half of yesterday's crossword, including the fancy lad, despite it being an obvious anagram. (that said, 50% is 45% more than i usually manage on weekdays)

and the 'unfortunately' bit is just another anagram indicator - anagram(lilac+h)+x

― koogs, Saturday, 30 April 2011 09:36 (fourteen years ago)

Hint for that one: it is topical, innit.

I breezed through the top half, very unusual for me especially on a Friday, and then my delusion of genius was destroyed by the bottom half. Have since finished it by cheating on several of the bottom half clues and mostly gone "ohh, of course", with a couple of "blimey, I'd never have got that but it works", so nothing desperately unfair or annoying.

Liked the puzzle on the whole, but maybe that was just because of the ego boost of the top half!

― russ conway's game of life (a passing spacecadet), Saturday, 30 April 2011 10:32 (fourteen years ago)

that 'be cool and calm' answer fun. Got it & figured it would be Paul, the scamp. Didn't see the paper but will have a shot at it online now.

Oh man it's saturday I could buy the times and spend the entire bank holiday trying to do the listener.

― portrait of velleity (woof), Saturday, 30 April 2011 10:35 (fourteen years ago)

Hot to catch a girl with nothing on? (5)

I got the answer, LASSO, but do you think 'hot' was a typo for 'how' or am I missing something? (Trying to work 'hot' in hung me up for way longer than it should have!)

― Hardcore Bangage (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 4 May 2011 13:51 (fourteen years ago)

Must be a typo.

― standing on the shoulders of pissants (ledge), Wednesday, 4 May 2011 14:04 (fourteen years ago)

Also:

What one is supposed to view isn't stated, but agitation is obvious when something does. (6)

SEETHE.

'When something does' led me to believe the word would would end in S (it was unchecked.) Again, I'm probably just quibbling because I spent too long on it, but "when something... SEETHE?" Something SEETHES. "When something does seethe" I guess, but I thought that was pretty clunky. Liked the SEE THE part, though.

― Hardcore Bangage (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 4 May 2011 14:21 (fourteen years ago)

it's a clunky clue. every word should count precisely imo

― bell hops (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 4 May 2011 18:04 (fourteen years ago)

That's been part of my problem, as a novice, is figuring out "is that standard, or fair?" Thanks for letting me ask questions, this forum has been helpful.

Here's one I actually quite liked, and solved rather easily:

Everything I put a label on the wrong way, otherwise it might end up as baggage, or a purse. (9)

ALLIGATOR

I understood "All I tag, else." But it's okay to have the letter "I" in the clue just be included in the answer like that?

― Hardcore Bangage (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 4 May 2011 18:42 (fourteen years ago)

it's int he cluse- all I TAG

― socks & pwns may break my bwns (darraghmac), Wednesday, 4 May 2011 18:43 (fourteen years ago)

wow look at that

― socks & pwns may break my bwns (darraghmac), Wednesday, 4 May 2011 18:43 (fourteen years ago)

"Everything I put a label on" is ALL I TAG so the I isn't random

― socks & pwns may break my bwns (darraghmac), Wednesday, 4 May 2011 18:44 (fourteen years ago)

No not random, but I just = I. I suppose you would need to do that sometimes, now that I think of it.

― Hardcore Bangage (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 4 May 2011 18:50 (fourteen years ago)

it's kosher alright

― socks & pwns may break my bwns (darraghmac), Wednesday, 4 May 2011 18:51 (fourteen years ago)

Yeah, better that than trying to cram iodine into the clue.

― Hardcore Bangage (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 4 May 2011 18:54 (fourteen years ago)

trying to cram iodine into anything is just a bad option #rules4lyfe

― socks & pwns may break my bwns (darraghmac), Wednesday, 4 May 2011 18:56 (fourteen years ago)

Ha! Just one more from my puzzle this week:

Where you might find Irish whiskey, though the grammar of the girl appeared to be crude. (7)

SHEBEEN. Great word I had never encountered before! But is he getting 'grammar of the girl' from the idea that 'she been' should supposedly be 'she's been' or 'she'd been' or something? Even though for instance, 'where has she been' is grammatically fine?

― Hardcore Bangage (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 4 May 2011 19:11 (fourteen years ago)

well 9/10 times 'she been' is gonna be bad grammar tbf

― socks & pwns may break my bwns (darraghmac), Wednesday, 4 May 2011 19:17 (fourteen years ago)

Yeah, okay, I guess 'appeared to be' would cover the exceptions.

― Hardcore Bangage (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 4 May 2011 19:22 (fourteen years ago)

for me that's still quite ugly tho:

"Where you might find Irish whiskey" = shebeen, fair enough
"though" = doesn't clue anything I don't think. really good cluers avoid adding words that only make the clue appear grammatical
"the grammar of the girl appeared to be" = she been, but this is a bit ugly and again great clues shd be meticulously sensible, logical. this is a bit too vague for me
"crude" = fair enough in the context of what went before, it at least explains why the slightly vague bit is what it is

― bell hops (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 4 May 2011 19:31 (fourteen years ago)

you can argue that if the clue is gettable or mostly makes sense then it's okay, but from a point of aesthetics there should be no wasted words anywhere

― bell hops (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 4 May 2011 19:33 (fourteen years ago)

There's an added layer of difficulty when shebeen is a totally unfamiliar word. I figured that out with crosswordsolver.org, then backtracked to try to figure out the secondary cluing. And when I'm still unsure exactly what's going on, that's when I throw it up to the ilx ninjas.

― Hardcore Bangage (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 4 May 2011 19:44 (fourteen years ago)

I liked this one from today's Guardian:

Fat cat or animated dog caught stool pigeon (9)

― Neil S, Wednesday, 4 May 2011 19:48 (fourteen years ago)

Plutocrat

nice

― bell hops (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 4 May 2011 19:51 (fourteen years ago)

Good use of cricketing terminology!

― Neil S, Wednesday, 4 May 2011 19:52 (fourteen years ago)

This one was good too IMO, also today's Guardian:

March about Stoke Poges when king is deposed (5-4)

― Neil S, Wednesday, 4 May 2011 19:57 (fourteen years ago)

Goose Step :)

― bell hops (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 4 May 2011 20:01 (fourteen years ago)

you're on fire! took me ages of pondering to get that...

― Neil S, Wednesday, 4 May 2011 20:02 (fourteen years ago)

once you twigged the anagram it wasn't too bad. the hardest clues are the ones where you can't work out yr line of attack i think

― bell hops (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 4 May 2011 20:06 (fourteen years ago)

Good use of cricketing terminology!

That's where the c comes from?! I've been learning via puzzles in The Nation, and Frank Lewis being American I haven't run into cricket abbrevs.

― Hardcore Bangage (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 4 May 2011 20:09 (fourteen years ago)

c = caught, that is.

― Hardcore Bangage (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 4 May 2011 20:09 (fourteen years ago)

Yeah, "c" for caught is an abbreviation used on cricket scoreboards, so it's widely used and accepted in UK crosswords

― bell hops (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 4 May 2011 20:10 (fourteen years ago)

further sources of confusion: Bowled = b; run out = ro; stumped = st

― Neil S, Wednesday, 4 May 2011 20:11 (fourteen years ago)

not out = no

don't think you'd have much use for lbw

― bell hops (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 4 May 2011 20:16 (fourteen years ago)

Joint, English, strangely out leg before wicket? (5)

― Neil S, Wednesday, 4 May 2011 20:17 (fourteen years ago)

lol ok

― bell hops (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 4 May 2011 20:18 (fourteen years ago)

Guarantee Jimmy will take a meditative chant (7)

― ledge, Friday, 6 May 2011 10:47 (fourteen years ago)

promise

― abbottabadass (onimo), Friday, 6 May 2011 11:18 (fourteen years ago)

aye

― ledge, Friday, 6 May 2011 12:25 (fourteen years ago)

was racking my brains as to why Jimmy = prise, then it struck me...

― Neil S, Friday, 6 May 2011 12:43 (fourteen years ago)

Eccentric Scotsman puts his finished documents here, by the sound of it (5)

― ledge, Monday, 9 May 2011 14:06 (fourteen years ago)

Seriously annoyed with this clue from Paul in the guardian prize btw:

Into smacking, if I then propose shaking, the results should confirm it (3,5,2,2,3,7)

ans: The proof is in the pudding.

THE PROOF IS NOT IN THE FUCKING PUDDING

― ledge, Tuesday, 10 May 2011 09:33 (fourteen years ago)

lol outré.

― portrait of velleity (woof), Tuesday, 10 May 2011 09:41 (fourteen years ago)

lol

― ledge, Tuesday, 10 May 2011 09:47 (fourteen years ago)

That is nice. I usually am terrified of clues with scots things in them ('Hamish's cradle', 'Classy In Inverness' etc etc). There's one most weeks in Azed & it just means a bloody war of attrition and then dictionary mining to find a dialect word or strange spelling I'll immediately forget.

― portrait of velleity (woof), Tuesday, 10 May 2011 09:55 (fourteen years ago)

just had a look at that prize & god paul can be irritating.

In North America, island, island, island, island capital (7)

Fun, but next to no surface sense.

― portrait of velleity (woof), Tuesday, 10 May 2011 10:41 (fourteen years ago)

can't see the problem with that pudding clue. or the answer.

(it's the kind of clue i get by the word sizes rather than the anagram though)

― koogs, Tuesday, 10 May 2011 11:56 (fourteen years ago)

there's no such phrase as "the proof is in the pudding".

"the proof of the pudding is in the eating" wouldn't fit across a standard sized crossword i guess.

― objectionable petty a-hole (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 10 May 2011 12:00 (fourteen years ago)

have you tried googling recently?

was always 'proof is in the pudding' at ours - the ingredients are all well and good but the proof is in the finished result.

― koogs, Tuesday, 10 May 2011 12:02 (fourteen years ago)

1st google result

http://www.phrases.org.uk/meanings/proof-of-the-pudding.html

"That longer version makes sense at least, whereas the shortened version really doesn't mean anything"

― ledge, Tuesday, 10 May 2011 12:15 (fourteen years ago)

only seems to work with a truncated phrase but...

http://ngrams.googlelabs.com/chart?content=proof%20is%20in%20the%20pudding%2Cpudding%20is%20in%20the%20eating&corpus=0&smoothing=1&year_start=1800&year_end=2008

― ledge, Tuesday, 10 May 2011 12:20 (fourteen years ago)

i look at that graph and i see a massive decline for the one, the other going from strength to strength. it's just a matter of time... 8)

― koogs, Tuesday, 10 May 2011 12:35 (fourteen years ago)

"proof" doesn't mean "evidence" in this sense either, but "test", i.e. "the test of whether the pudding is any good is in its taste and not other considerations"

― objectionable petty a-hole (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 10 May 2011 12:57 (fourteen years ago)

would be ok with this if Paul had set a themed enraging/divisive-phrases crossword - 'proof is in the pudding', 'another think coming', 'literally a viking' etc etc

― portrait of velleity (woof), Tuesday, 10 May 2011 13:12 (fourteen years ago)

we should do one.

― koogs, Tuesday, 10 May 2011 13:18 (fourteen years ago)

*cough* "another think coming" is uncontroversial and correct

― objectionable petty a-hole (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 10 May 2011 13:37 (fourteen years ago)

You know where to take it.

― portrait of velleity (woof), Tuesday, 10 May 2011 13:42 (fourteen years ago)

what a fantastic thread.

i am sleep-deprived and can't do any of today's guardian, sigh.

― thomp, Tuesday, 10 May 2011 13:56 (fourteen years ago)

proof is in the another vikink coming

― socks & pwns may break my bwns (darraghmac), Tuesday, 10 May 2011 14:00 (fourteen years ago)

i'm doing better than usual at today's guardian

Blend or brew or fictional small family member? (8)

― koogs, Tuesday, 10 May 2011 14:47 (fourteen years ago)

Borrower :)

― objectionable petty a-hole (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 10 May 2011 14:49 (fourteen years ago)

v good

― socks & pwns may break my bwns (darraghmac), Tuesday, 10 May 2011 14:53 (fourteen years ago)

(wasn't mine. is Brummie from today's guardian)

― koogs, Tuesday, 10 May 2011 15:04 (fourteen years ago)

need 2 from today's guardian:

12A Powdered bottom (6) _ R _ U _ _

3D One unknown to get into firm danger (6) _ A _ A _ _

(the last letters are the same, the rest are unches)

― koogs, Tuesday, 10 May 2011 17:05 (fourteen years ago)

ground

― socks & pwns may break my bwns (darraghmac), Tuesday, 10 May 2011 17:08 (fourteen years ago)

hazard?

― Fizzles the Chimp (GamalielRatsey), Tuesday, 10 May 2011 17:10 (fourteen years ago)

ah, with a-z to do with unknown somehow?

― socks & pwns may break my bwns (darraghmac), Tuesday, 10 May 2011 17:12 (fourteen years ago)

that's what I was thinking. it's how I get most clues tbh, vague hand-waving.

― Fizzles the Chimp (GamalielRatsey), Tuesday, 10 May 2011 17:14 (fourteen years ago)

yes and yes, thanks (and so obvious when you know)

i suck at dual definition clues.

z often used in algebra to denote an unknown variable. (or x or y)

― koogs, Tuesday, 10 May 2011 17:15 (fourteen years ago)

on a very bad day i resort to vague handwriting, just so onlookers think i've solved it

― socks & pwns may break my bwns (darraghmac), Tuesday, 10 May 2011 17:15 (fourteen years ago)

One = A (ie singular)

― koogs, Tuesday, 10 May 2011 17:16 (fourteen years ago)

x would have been the obvious algebra substitution but ok

― socks & pwns may break my bwns (darraghmac), Tuesday, 10 May 2011 17:16 (fourteen years ago)

you're so one-dimensional 8)

― koogs, Tuesday, 10 May 2011 17:18 (fourteen years ago)

on a very bad day i resort to vague handwriting, just so onlookers think i've solved it

a little flourish before and after I find helps with that.

― Fizzles the Chimp (GamalielRatsey), Tuesday, 10 May 2011 17:20 (fourteen years ago)

mr beanism

― socks & pwns may break my bwns (darraghmac), Tuesday, 10 May 2011 17:46 (fourteen years ago)

Puzzle by Pasquale/Quixote/Don Manley in the New York Times this weekend.

― stars on 45 my destination (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 14 May 2011 21:47 (fourteen years ago)

Just did it. It was enjoyable, pretty easy.

Finally did puzzle that won The Nation contest. Very nice. Those guys edited a book of insanely hard variety cryptics, National Puzzler's League Cryptic Crosswords, which is now out of print, but can be found on the web for free.

― stars on 45 my destination (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 14 May 2011 22:49 (fourteen years ago)

And NON-U was an answer in last Saturday's NY Times puzzle to the clue "Bourgeois, to a Brit."

― stars on 45 my destination (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 14 May 2011 22:57 (fourteen years ago)

We have so much to learn from each other, as a wise man recently said.

― stars on 45 my destination (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 14 May 2011 22:59 (fourteen years ago)

i've never properly understood the U and non-U thing, it's something to do with some bollocks snobbery from some snidey middle class git in the 1930s or something i think

― wanking on the moon (Noodle Vague), Saturday, 14 May 2011 23:23 (fourteen years ago)

Nancy Mitford word list of social shibboleths was it?

― Fizzles the Chimp (GamalielRatsey), Sunday, 15 May 2011 04:32 (fourteen years ago)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/U_and_non-U_English

"U and non-U English usage, with U standing for upper class, and non-U representing the aspiring middle classes, were part of the terminology of popular discourse of social dialects (sociolects) in 1950s Britain and New England. The debate did not concern itself with the speech of the working classes, which in many instances used the same words as the upper class."

― koogs, Sunday, 15 May 2011 07:50 (fourteen years ago)

(ie what fizzles said)

― koogs, Sunday, 15 May 2011 07:53 (fourteen years ago)

lol at today's guardian

http://www.guardian.co.uk/crosswords/cryptic/25326

― koogs, Thursday, 19 May 2011 16:55 (fourteen years ago)

nood vague, it's part of a whole contrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrrroversy that's summarised in a book 'noblesse oblige' with contributions from a mitford and a waugh and a linguist/sociology wonk. the l/s/w. wrote some lazy half-serious piece about 'u' and 'non-u' usage - like for a roast or something - and mitford wrote a piece about how these were important and serious things and the last bastion of the genteel and waugh wrote a piece going 'tch' and shaking his head but basically agreeing. if you read it you will want to kill everyone involved

― thomp, Thursday, 19 May 2011 17:06 (fourteen years ago)

which is why i've not read it :D

― taking ilxers out with a flurry of butthurt (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 19 May 2011 18:02 (fourteen years ago)

spoilers (aforementioned crossword was based on ivor novello awards. 'scouting for girls', 'kylie minogue', 'plan b' etc. trendy vicar...)

― koogs, Friday, 20 May 2011 09:44 (fourteen years ago)

did pretty badly at that, considering. colleague got scouting and plan b but none of us got the kylie anag. got everything everything by deduction but i'm not sure i've ever heard of them, certainly never heard them.

i'd always imagined the ivor novello as some kind of poncey 'high culture' awards, seems like they're just another brits.

― England's banh mi army (ledge), Friday, 20 May 2011 09:58 (fourteen years ago)

kind of like a Geir-ified Brits iirc

― taking ilxers out with a flurry of butthurt (Noodle Vague), Friday, 20 May 2011 10:19 (fourteen years ago)

criteria for winning = melody, whiteness

― Neil S, Friday, 20 May 2011 10:20 (fourteen years ago)

tinie and dizzee are white?

― koogs, Friday, 20 May 2011 10:23 (fourteen years ago)

They didn't win the Ivor Novello award though did they?

― Neil S, Friday, 20 May 2011 10:47 (fourteen years ago)

Tinie Tempah won Best Contemporary Song, Dizzee Rascal won the Inspiration Award.

― the goon is in the gutter (onimo), Friday, 20 May 2011 10:57 (fourteen years ago)

wtf get out get out get out

― ♪♫ hey there lamp post, feelin' whiney ♪♫ (darraghmac), Friday, 20 May 2011 11:00 (fourteen years ago)

i only knew that because i was googling for crossword answers - i am old.

― koogs, Friday, 20 May 2011 11:04 (fourteen years ago)

never been so outraged at a thread hijack you savages

― ♪♫ hey there lamp post, feelin' whiney ♪♫ (darraghmac), Friday, 20 May 2011 11:06 (fourteen years ago)

Cross word (8)

― the goon is in the gutter (onimo), Friday, 20 May 2011 12:12 (fourteen years ago)

outraged

― ♪♫ hey there lamp post, feelin' whiney ♪♫ (darraghmac), Friday, 20 May 2011 12:14 (fourteen years ago)

crucifix

― sometimes all it takes is a healthy dose of continental indiepop (tomofthenest), Friday, 20 May 2011 12:14 (fourteen years ago)

Crucifix is right. Outraged works as well I suppose.

― the goon is in the gutter (onimo), Friday, 20 May 2011 12:24 (fourteen years ago)

better, tbh

― ♪♫ hey there lamp post, feelin' whiney ♪♫ (darraghmac), Friday, 20 May 2011 12:26 (fourteen years ago)

incorrect word (all caps) (5)

― the goon is in the gutter (onimo), Friday, 20 May 2011 12:27 (fourteen years ago)

sorry guys :-(

― Neil S, Friday, 20 May 2011 12:38 (fourteen years ago)

WRONG

― ♪♫ hey there lamp post, feelin' whiney ♪♫ (darraghmac), Friday, 20 May 2011 12:39 (fourteen years ago)

thought that myself, but couldn't work out why?

― Neil S, Friday, 20 May 2011 12:40 (fourteen years ago)

just a rejoinder to me, i think. All caps for common ilx emphasis

Tho i'd of gone wiv RONG myself

― ♪♫ hey there lamp post, feelin' whiney ♪♫ (darraghmac), Friday, 20 May 2011 12:43 (fourteen years ago)

^ TWA indicating correctness (3)

― the goon is in the gutter (onimo), Friday, 20 May 2011 13:14 (fourteen years ago)

otm

― ♪♫ hey there lamp post, feelin' whiney ♪♫ (darraghmac), Friday, 20 May 2011 13:18 (fourteen years ago)

this was neat (observer, sunday)

Flat in which Frenchman entertains girlfriend? (4-1-4)

― koogs, Tuesday, 24 May 2011 09:13 (fourteen years ago)

---- - a - ----

― England's banh mi army (ledge), Wednesday, 25 May 2011 14:17 (fourteen years ago)

probably

― England's banh mi army (ledge), Wednesday, 25 May 2011 14:17 (fourteen years ago)

dammit i thought it was pied-a-terre yesterday but gave it up cos of the number of letters

― Deeez Nuuults (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 25 May 2011 14:20 (fourteen years ago)

but i think you meant (4-1-5) koogs which would allow for pie - date - erre

― Deeez Nuuults (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 25 May 2011 14:20 (fourteen years ago)

arse, i do. yes, pierre with date in the middle.

sunday's xword still only half finished, worst performance in a while.

― koogs, Wednesday, 25 May 2011 14:36 (fourteen years ago)

Learned today:
EXTRA = non-batted cricket run
IOM = Isle of Man

― Spirit of the Me Hive (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 30 May 2011 00:49 (fourteen years ago)

HINNY = Geordie or Scots tearm of endearment, variant of "Honey"

― Spirit of the Me Hive (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 30 May 2011 00:57 (fourteen years ago)

Nocuous cluing that makes me rationally angry: under-defining, e.g. 'condition' for narcolepsy. Yeah thanks a bunch, that's really gonna help me get the word.

I'm also increasingly weary of the 20+ word anagrams and charades beloved of Araucaria and Paul. If I get them at all, it's because of the definition and checked letters, and I don't even bother to go back and figure out how the rest of it worked.

― England's banh mi army (ledge), Tuesday, 31 May 2011 14:13 (fourteen years ago)

agree about overlong anagrams or mangling clues just to fit in a belaboured definition

Elegance of clue is the sign of a quality setter imo

― ♪♫ hey there lamp post, feelin' whiney ♪♫ (darraghmac), Tuesday, 31 May 2011 14:18 (fourteen years ago)

I've complained about this before but Araucaria's prize crossword at the weekend was exactly what I hate about Araucaria: of 26 clues, 11 directly referred to 22A and 3 others referred to clues from that 11, so if you can't get 22A then that's over half the puzzle wiped out for you

(all the across clues were references and 2 of the down clues - I suppose the idea is that even if you can't get that clue you should still aim to get the down clues with no filled-in letters to help, and then guess at the other words from the letters until you have some idea what the across clues are about, but I'm afraid I don't work that way)

anyway I'm just bitter because I do like some of his work on the rare occasions I can get a way in, but not finding that way in is very frustrating

― sambal dalek (a passing spacecadet), Tuesday, 31 May 2011 14:48 (fourteen years ago)

so tempted to post 'lol aw diddums' but tbh that does sound infuriating.

Anywhere i can sample one of these?

― ♪♫ hey there lamp post, feelin' whiney ♪♫ (darraghmac), Tuesday, 31 May 2011 14:50 (fourteen years ago)

http://www.guardian.co.uk/crosswords/prize/25334

I agree about the frustration when you can't get find a way in, but I do go in for the solving-in-reverse method and and if you manage to figure out the key it can be even more satisfying than just getting it straight.

― England's banh mi army (ledge), Tuesday, 31 May 2011 14:56 (fourteen years ago)

i got 22A without really understanding the answer. reverse burlesque?

― koogs, Tuesday, 31 May 2011 15:14 (fourteen years ago)

'maybe head; = definition; BT = telecommunicators, which leaves ODYPAR or RAPYDO backwards... yeah i got nuthin'.

― England's banh mi army (ledge), Tuesday, 31 May 2011 15:17 (fourteen years ago)

it's Parody

― banter panchali (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 31 May 2011 15:18 (fourteen years ago)

wait what was the clue?

Parody did jump out as the anagram but i was lost looking for context.

― ♪♫ hey there lamp post, feelin' whiney ♪♫ (darraghmac), Tuesday, 31 May 2011 15:20 (fourteen years ago)

is RAPYDO a word? cos all google's getting me is python modules and flickr user names

xp, ok. i think.

― koogs, Tuesday, 31 May 2011 15:20 (fourteen years ago)

Maybe head of telecommunicators accepting inverted burlesque (4,4)

― England's banh mi army (ledge), Tuesday, 31 May 2011 15:20 (fourteen years ago)

ODY - PAR

inverted, it is a meaning of "burlesque"

― banter panchali (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 31 May 2011 15:21 (fourteen years ago)

not wholly satisfying i agree

― banter panchali (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 31 May 2011 15:21 (fourteen years ago)

So 'inverted' means cut in half and swap around, rather than the more usual backwards. That's the kind of thing that makes me grrr. - who knew I was such a traditionalist.

― England's banh mi army (ledge), Tuesday, 31 May 2011 15:23 (fourteen years ago)

hmm. Is this fucker an overclever fucker i wonder

― ♪♫ hey there lamp post, feelin' whiney ♪♫ (darraghmac), Tuesday, 31 May 2011 15:24 (fourteen years ago)

Chop stick? Start to chop up sticks (6)

(1A in today's guardian and solved in the time it took to read. a fluke. but i like its repetition)

― koogs, Friday, 3 June 2011 10:23 (fourteen years ago)

Do not GIS for the answer if at work.

― England's banh mi army (ledge), Friday, 3 June 2011 10:56 (fourteen years ago)

knew all those years playing the hobbit on the spectrum would pay off...

― koogs, Friday, 3 June 2011 13:28 (fourteen years ago)

Noob help again, thanks:

Poison part-time love and principal sweet-heart (8) = PTOMAINE.

part-time = PT
principal = MAIN

I'm guessing the "heart" of sweet is the middle letter, but where is the setter getting the O?

― The hoppiest hop hopper now with xtra hops (Dan Peterson), Friday, 3 June 2011 13:56 (fourteen years ago)

love = 0 (tennis)

― England's banh mi army (ledge), Friday, 3 June 2011 13:59 (fourteen years ago)

That was quick! This is a common referent, I gather?

― The hoppiest hop hopper now with xtra hops (Dan Peterson), Friday, 3 June 2011 14:01 (fourteen years ago)

very.

― England's banh mi army (ledge), Friday, 3 June 2011 14:02 (fourteen years ago)

ty. One other:

City's key in sink. (7) = SEATTLE

I get "settle" but the A?

― The hoppiest hop hopper now with xtra hops (Dan Peterson), Friday, 3 June 2011 14:07 (fourteen years ago)

Musical key of 'A'

Did anyone mention the "duck" in cricket yet?

Chop stick? Start to chop up sticks (6)

I got the answer to this but didn't really understand how it worked even after I read fifteensquared, especially the "up sticks." Oh wait, now I see.

Really liked this one from same puzzle:
9a Grandma who supposes erroneously (5)

― Pwn of Blood (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 3 June 2011 14:08 (fourteen years ago)

'note' also used for c d e f g a b. always struck me as a bit weak, this one, but it's technically fair.

― England's banh mi army (ledge), Friday, 3 June 2011 14:09 (fourteen years ago)

note can also be do, re, mi etc

― koogs, Friday, 3 June 2011 14:11 (fourteen years ago)

This is somewhat helpful for septics- sorry, Americans- from Peter Biddlecombe: http://www.biddlecombe.demon.co.uk/yagcc/YAGCC7.html

― Pwn of Blood (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 3 June 2011 14:14 (fourteen years ago)

OK, still don't quite know why you need first "Chop" in that clue.

― Pwn of Blood (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 3 June 2011 14:14 (fourteen years ago)

am sure a determined yank setter could throw a few ~~googlies~~ ... screwballs? to british solvers.

xp hmm can see the chop, now not sure about the first stick. i suppose 'chop stick' is a kind of definition by example.

― England's banh mi army (ledge), Friday, 3 June 2011 14:20 (fourteen years ago)

I learned a new word usage this morning: pet = A fit of bad temper or pique.
intr.v. pet·ted, pet·ting, pets
To be sulky and peevish

Dictionary says origin unknown. I've never heard this in America. Is this used in Britain?

― The hoppiest hop hopper now with xtra hops (Dan Peterson), Friday, 3 June 2011 14:27 (fourteen years ago)

Not at all common nowadays. 'In a bit of a pet', I think I've read, and possibly heard in, Derby was it?

― Fizzles the Chimp (GamalielRatsey), Friday, 3 June 2011 14:32 (fourteen years ago)

The whole clue was kind of a groaner imo: Pet perhaps in "Fudge-Nut" mart (7) = TANTRUM.

Obsolete usage of pet (and "in a bit of a pet" seems to me more sulky and not raging tantrum-y.) Plus, "fudge" is not needed for the anagram, or is it telling me to "fudge" the letters? Bleh.

― The hoppiest hop hopper now with xtra hops (Dan Peterson), Friday, 3 June 2011 14:37 (fourteen years ago)

Now I think the "chop stick" is playing on the two definitions of the answer. So the clue has two definitions for the answer- which are antonyms!- and then the wordplay. Maybe.

― Pwn of Blood (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 3 June 2011 14:43 (fourteen years ago)

I think you're right! That's pretty nice.

― England's banh mi army (ledge), Friday, 3 June 2011 14:44 (fourteen years ago)

Was hard for the mind to grasp it all.

This site also might be useful, run by Orlando/Cincinnus, I believe: http://bestforpuzzles.com/cryptic-crossword-dictionary/l/love.html

― Pwn of Blood (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 3 June 2011 15:03 (fourteen years ago)

Aha, "fudge" IS an anagram indicator! My puzzle also used cream as an anagram indicator, which was new to me. That site looks great, thanks!

― The hoppiest hop hopper now with xtra hops (Dan Peterson), Friday, 3 June 2011 15:25 (fourteen years ago)

Sure, no problem.

― Pwn of Blood (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 3 June 2011 15:59 (fourteen years ago)

Starting to appreciate why the rules are different in the US and the UK.

― Valuable New Polish Film Posters (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 3 June 2011 20:36 (fourteen years ago)

That 'U' thing featured in that same Guardian puzzle:
18d: Posh policeman defending article that's put online? (6)

― Valuable New Polish Film Posters (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 4 June 2011 11:20 (fourteen years ago)

Also, the debut puzzle by the two new setters at The Nation is here: http://www.thenation.com/article/161070/our-new-puzzlers-debut-puzzle-no-3197

― Valuable New Polish Film Posters (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 4 June 2011 11:47 (fourteen years ago)

u plo(a)d

― koogs, Saturday, 4 June 2011 11:49 (fourteen years ago)

Yup. Had no idea who PC Plod was.

― Valuable New Polish Film Posters (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 4 June 2011 11:56 (fourteen years ago)

This was painful today: You've arrived in London- it's a waste to get out of the tube! (4)

― Onimosapien (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 6 June 2011 15:56 (fourteen years ago)

Starting to appreciate why the rules are different in the US and the UK.

Just wow, posh policeman = U PLOD.

― The hoppiest hop hopper now with xtra hops (Dan Peterson), Monday, 6 June 2011 17:01 (fourteen years ago)

You've arrived in London- it's a waste to get out of the tube! (4)

not a clue. letters?

― England's banh mi army (ledge), Wednesday, 8 June 2011 08:25 (fourteen years ago)

Oh. I think I see now. Urea? (you're 'ere?)

― portrait of velleity (woof), Wednesday, 8 June 2011 08:58 (fourteen years ago)

gor blimey

― ledge, Wednesday, 8 June 2011 09:00 (fourteen years ago)

fun surface, but definition is a bit too tortuous for me. Also, never keen on that cockney drop-an-aitch thing.

― portrait of velleity (woof), Wednesday, 8 June 2011 09:06 (fourteen years ago)

Of the finger shovel good for Rastas (7)

― James & Bobby Quantify (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 15 June 2011 15:23 (fourteen years ago)

Digital. I got one!

― Duke Manfist: Action Hero (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 15 June 2011 15:25 (fourteen years ago)

Gunslinger carries hearing protection (8)

― i love the smell of facepalm in the morning (ledge), Friday, 17 June 2011 13:02 (fourteen years ago)

*thinks* dang I could've made that a bit wordier

― i love the smell of facepalm in the morning (ledge), Friday, 17 June 2011 13:03 (fourteen years ago)

earplugs

― thomp, Friday, 17 June 2011 13:05 (fourteen years ago)

i'm so easy

― i love the smell of facepalm in the morning (ledge), Friday, 17 June 2011 13:09 (fourteen years ago)

Did you guys see this one the other day:

Golden gun author? (6)

― Cowsill Communication (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 21 June 2011 21:47 (fourteen years ago)

is that right?

― the waitress and the frogbs (darraghmac), Tuesday, 21 June 2011 21:50 (fourteen years ago)

Is what right?

Maybe it was
Gold gun author? (6)

― Cowsill Communication (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 21 June 2011 21:51 (fourteen years ago)

nm i'm not even in the game lately

― the waitress and the frogbs (darraghmac), Tuesday, 21 June 2011 21:54 (fourteen years ago)

Austen.

― Fizzles the Chimp (GamalielRatsey), Wednesday, 22 June 2011 05:11 (fourteen years ago)

― Cowsill Communication (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 22 June 2011 05:14 (fourteen years ago)

I get so few I have to jump in when I get one. Reminds me of when a visit to my grandparents involved a drowsy post-lunch word game of some sort - you had to get as Manu words of a type beginning with a certain letter - and when something like 'parts of the body beginning with V' came up my hitherto somnolent little brother suddenly excitedly bawled out at the top of his voice VAGINA!

'Ooh, I suppose it is, dear, yes' said my grandmother.

― Fizzles the Chimp (GamalielRatsey), Wednesday, 22 June 2011 05:17 (fourteen years ago)

To be fair to him, some little thought was required before we could come up with some non-vagina parts of the body beginning with V.

― Fizzles the Chimp (GamalielRatsey), Wednesday, 22 June 2011 05:18 (fourteen years ago)

vestibule

― i love the smell of facepalm in the morning (ledge), Wednesday, 22 June 2011 08:23 (fourteen years ago)

vertebrae

― j/k lacan (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 22 June 2011 08:24 (fourteen years ago)

vulva

― koogs, Wednesday, 22 June 2011 08:48 (fourteen years ago)

vagus nerve

― j/k lacan (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 22 June 2011 08:50 (fourteen years ago)

vitreous humour

― i love the smell of facepalm in the morning (ledge), Wednesday, 22 June 2011 08:54 (fourteen years ago)

vienna sausage

― i love the smell of facepalm in the morning (ledge), Wednesday, 22 June 2011 08:56 (fourteen years ago)

I said 'ventricle' thoughtfully and took a sip of sherry iirc.

― Fizzles the Chimp (GamalielRatsey), Wednesday, 22 June 2011 11:41 (fourteen years ago)

vas deferens

― koogs, Wednesday, 22 June 2011 12:16 (fourteen years ago)

Gold gun author?

Sten shows up quite frequently in American crosswords; baffled the hell out of me the first few times until I realized it's one of those "Asta"-type words that setters seem to love. (See also: Snee.)

― Duke Manfist: Action Hero (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 22 June 2011 13:57 (fourteen years ago)

Or Smee

― SB Sorrow (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 22 June 2011 14:18 (fourteen years ago)

Bob Marley hits foot? (6)

― SB Sorrow (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 22 June 2011 14:50 (fourteen years ago)

Or:
Marley hits foot? (6)

so you might think it has something to do with Scrooge and clumsy chain-rattling specters.

― SB Sorrow (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 22 June 2011 14:51 (fourteen years ago)

legend

― ledge, Wednesday, 22 June 2011 14:53 (fourteen years ago)

mythic tale of ilx poster dropping dime and losing all (6)

― SB Sorrow (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 22 June 2011 14:55 (fourteen years ago)

speaking of, quite enjoyed this lightly themed guardian a few weeks ago.

― portrait of velleity (woof), Wednesday, 22 June 2011 14:58 (fourteen years ago)

Think there was a recent one in which that ilx poster was the answer. Maybe was Independent.

― SB Sorrow (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 22 June 2011 15:00 (fourteen years ago)

Sulky quality encountered downtown? (9)

― Have not gotten over my dancing phase (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 28 June 2011 19:47 (fourteen years ago)

also:

Soft piece, tiny piece (8)

Cross-fills are: _A_T_C_E, which should make the solution pretty obvious, but I'm still not understanding the why.

― Have not gotten over my dancing phase (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 28 June 2011 20:01 (fourteen years ago)

P = Soft (music)
Article = Piece (journalism)

― SB OK (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 28 June 2011 20:04 (fourteen years ago)

Wow, my brain totally did not go in either of those directions!

― Have not gotten over my dancing phase (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 28 June 2011 20:08 (fourteen years ago)

"Soft" clueing P is a common-ish crossword practice so I was looking for it.

― SB OK (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 28 June 2011 20:11 (fourteen years ago)

Not getting this one either:

Landlord is a drag after the first (5)

― Have not gotten over my dancing phase (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 28 June 2011 20:13 (fourteen years ago)

struggling with that one, have you got any letters?

― SB OK (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 28 June 2011 20:43 (fourteen years ago)

O_N_R, which seems obvious too, but I'm not getting the cluing.

The other, sulky, one is P_T_L_N_E which again is very apparent, but the cluing is perplexing me.

― Have not gotten over my dancing phase (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 28 June 2011 21:02 (fourteen years ago)

a drag = "downer", all letters after the first = "owner"

petulance dunno why yet

― SB OK (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 28 June 2011 21:05 (fourteen years ago)

oh i see, it's to do with Petula Clark.

― you don't exist in the database (woof), Tuesday, 28 June 2011 21:08 (fourteen years ago)

HAHA xpost:

If it somehow has something to do with Petula Clark my head will explode.

― Have not gotten over my dancing phase (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 28 June 2011 21:08 (fourteen years ago)

feel like it should be annoying me that, but in fact it's just making me find 'Petula' a really weird name. petula petula petula.

― you don't exist in the database (woof), Tuesday, 28 June 2011 21:10 (fourteen years ago)

haha don't stare at it too long. i feel like that clue is slightly iffy, can only assume it's positing "Petula-nce" as a joke coinage

― SB OK (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 28 June 2011 21:12 (fourteen years ago)

yeah, it's iffy whimsy, jocular adjective from 'petula' i think.

Sounds gynecological to me now. petula majora.

― you don't exist in the database (woof), Tuesday, 28 June 2011 21:15 (fourteen years ago)

what was the clue

― Chunks on strippers is the game of my frog (darraghmac), Tuesday, 28 June 2011 21:18 (fourteen years ago)

Sulky quality encountered downtown? (9)

― SB OK (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 28 June 2011 21:19 (fourteen years ago)

lazy tbh

― Chunks on strippers is the game of my frog (darraghmac), Tuesday, 28 June 2011 21:21 (fourteen years ago)

Yeah, Petula-nce is really horrible.

RE: "Is a drag" = downer, I've discovered I really suck at having to first think of a word and then drop letters off. I had one over the weekend:

Transported unwrapped sketch (5). The answer was ROUGH, and even after I got it through process of elimination, I didn't understand why. (BROUGHT minus B & T.) Maybe I'll get better in time, but those are my least favorite.

― Have not gotten over my dancing phase (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 28 June 2011 21:26 (fourteen years ago)

they are often tough i think because the clue is less tight, i couldn't get near downer/owner until you'd given me the letters.

― SB OK (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 28 June 2011 21:27 (fourteen years ago)

my light is green, perhaps, when my insect is perfect (5)

― Chunks on strippers is the game of my frog (darraghmac), Tuesday, 28 June 2011 23:19 (fourteen years ago)

i clean cut in order to instruct (9)

― VIRGIN ROO (darraghmac), Sunday, 10 July 2011 01:47 (thirteen years ago)

inculcate

― Safe European HOOS (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 10 July 2011 01:49 (thirteen years ago)

ya i know

― VIRGIN ROO (darraghmac), Sunday, 10 July 2011 01:49 (thirteen years ago)

but we needed a kickstart dont u think

smart minge? i'm not being clear, it's a mixup (10)

― VIRGIN ROO (darraghmac), Sunday, 10 July 2011 01:50 (thirteen years ago)

lol i shouldn't set clues when i'm tired

― VIRGIN ROO (darraghmac), Sunday, 10 July 2011 09:12 (thirteen years ago)

Stammering?

― Also unknown as Zora (Surfing At Work), Sunday, 10 July 2011 09:24 (thirteen years ago)

what about that insect

― ledge, Monday, 11 July 2011 08:18 (thirteen years ago)

counting on you guys tbh it was a crosaire i couldnt finish

― who shivs a git (darraghmac), Monday, 11 July 2011 08:29 (thirteen years ago)

I thought "amber"

― Neil S, Monday, 11 July 2011 08:29 (thirteen years ago)

Trying to think of insecty words featuring the letters "I go" but can only think of "imago", which might work with "perfect", but, err. Anyone got any straws to clutch at?

(like the thought of "I'm-a go" but assume it's a bit too modern and American - tiptoe around the racial elephant - for the Irish Times)

― sticky crisco (a passing spacecadet), Monday, 11 July 2011 09:31 (thirteen years ago)

no that's it i think

― Everyday is a Whining Choad (Noodle Vague), Monday, 11 July 2011 09:35 (thirteen years ago)

not American: "my light is green" = "I'm a go"

― Everyday is a Whining Choad (Noodle Vague), Monday, 11 July 2011 09:35 (thirteen years ago)

so not "I'm-a" but "a go" = can go

― Everyday is a Whining Choad (Noodle Vague), Monday, 11 July 2011 09:36 (thirteen years ago)

i think that is it, though i don't think they're aiming for "i'm-a go", but "i'm a go"

oh, xpost

― thomp, Monday, 11 July 2011 09:37 (thirteen years ago)

i got 'i'm a go' but didn't bother looking up 'imago' lol lazy

― who shivs a git (darraghmac), Monday, 11 July 2011 09:42 (thirteen years ago)

ah, I suppose that works (file under things nobody I know says)

hooray etc

― the ascent of nyan (a passing spacecadet), Monday, 11 July 2011 10:27 (thirteen years ago)

Been burned by IMAGO before.

Did anyone do that Mersey Beat themed Guardian a few weeks ago?

― Let Them Eat Rickroll (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 11 July 2011 14:11 (thirteen years ago)

do the grauniad most days but don't recall that one.

― ledge, Monday, 11 July 2011 14:30 (thirteen years ago)

i quite liked

"Seat of empire (7)"

― koogs, Monday, 18 July 2011 09:30 (thirteen years ago)

Ottoman!

― Neil S, Monday, 18 July 2011 09:32 (thirteen years ago)

From Sunday's Everyman:

Special peers, triumvirate reforming economic policy (11)

― Neil S, Tuesday, 19 July 2011 12:59 (thirteen years ago)

Perestroika, nice

― don't be so dayo (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 19 July 2011 13:07 (thirteen years ago)

Lots of possible avenues of enquiry with the way the clue is set, but the solution makes perfect sense. Very satisfying!

― Neil S, Tuesday, 19 July 2011 13:10 (thirteen years ago)

SPOILERS!

― koogs, Tuesday, 19 July 2011 13:13 (thirteen years ago)

Sorry koogs, I was unusually (by my standards) quick to answer your clue...

― Neil S, Tuesday, 19 July 2011 13:29 (thirteen years ago)

(i meant 'perestroika'. i had the ....s.r.i.a but...)

― koogs, Tuesday, 19 July 2011 13:42 (thirteen years ago)

aha sorry!

― Neil S, Tuesday, 19 July 2011 13:44 (thirteen years ago)

so, how is your knowledge of oil terminals? i think i prefer the cricket clues...

Volume so staggering around large oil terminal (6,3)

obvious anagram, but the answer's a proper noun meaning that it could be anything.

― koogs, Tuesday, 26 July 2011 09:12 (thirteen years ago)

and as for 26 across...

O? (4,6)

(please, no spoilers)

― koogs, Tuesday, 26 July 2011 09:14 (thirteen years ago)

I had trouble with the oil terminal clue too, the answer is this though (link disguised to avoid spoilers!) http://bit.ly/opPoJ8

― Neil S, Tuesday, 26 July 2011 09:24 (thirteen years ago)

Annoyingly it's not a direct anagram either...

― Neil S, Tuesday, 26 July 2011 09:26 (thirteen years ago)

ha, hadn't spotted that. i just wiki'd up a list of oil terminals and picked the obvious one.

― koogs, Tuesday, 26 July 2011 09:40 (thirteen years ago)

what letters do you have for the "O" clue? I've had an idea...

― Neil S, Tuesday, 26 July 2011 10:20 (thirteen years ago)

two more than i had this morning, but it's still in the wilderness there in the bottom right.

. o . e / . e . . . .

― koogs, Tuesday, 26 July 2011 11:10 (thirteen years ago)

Ah. I get it.
http://bit.ly/3ufq3S

― you don't exist in the database (woof), Tuesday, 26 July 2011 11:19 (thirteen years ago)

love letter

― a million anons (onimo), Tuesday, 26 July 2011 11:20 (thirteen years ago)

beaten to the punch

― a million anons (onimo), Tuesday, 26 July 2011 11:21 (thirteen years ago)

spoiler alert!

― Neil S, Tuesday, 26 July 2011 11:21 (thirteen years ago)

Uh isn't this the thread for answering crossword clues? Seems a bit pointless to not answer them.

― a million anons (onimo), Tuesday, 26 July 2011 11:22 (thirteen years ago)

koogs specifically said no spoilers above...

― Neil S, Tuesday, 26 July 2011 11:24 (thirteen years ago)

ah ok, sorry koogs

(though why post? just sharing the pain?)

― a million anons (onimo), Tuesday, 26 July 2011 11:26 (thirteen years ago)

no spoilers is a bit against the spirit of this thread, but I assumed it was something to do with Everyman being a prize crossword.

― you don't exist in the database (woof), Tuesday, 26 July 2011 11:28 (thirteen years ago)

now we know the answer, why "love letter"? "letter" I can see, obv...

― Neil S, Tuesday, 26 July 2011 11:30 (thirteen years ago)

love (tennis) = 0 = O.

― you don't exist in the database (woof), Tuesday, 26 July 2011 11:30 (thirteen years ago)

aha of course!

― Neil S, Tuesday, 26 July 2011 11:31 (thirteen years ago)

'no spoilers' is a bit of an ask when posting a clue itt tbf

― CH3C(O)N(CH3)2 (darraghmac), Tuesday, 26 July 2011 12:15 (thirteen years ago)

> but I assumed it was something to do with Everyman being a prize crossword.

not really. i like to do these myself* it's just that it usually takes me til thursday before i give up on it.

* actually, not true. will happpily do them in the pub on a sunday. but that's real people, not internet mentalists (no offence!)

> no spoilers is a bit against the spirit of this thread,

i posted it because it was unusual.

not sure i like the answer though. 0 is not a letter and O is not 0.

― koogs, Tuesday, 26 July 2011 12:43 (thirteen years ago)

is there another thread?

― koogs, Tuesday, 26 July 2011 12:44 (thirteen years ago)

for unusual crossword clues you don't want solved?

― koogs, Tuesday, 26 July 2011 12:44 (thirteen years ago)

not sure i like the answer though. 0 is not a letter and O is not 0.

I agree, but then I don't have a problem with it being reversed and "love" signifying "O" (think that was mentioned upthread somewhere).

― a million anons (onimo), Tuesday, 26 July 2011 12:45 (thirteen years ago)

I liked this one from today's Guardian:

Language sounding like a vegetable when drunk (7)

― Neil S, Tuesday, 26 July 2011 12:52 (thirteen years ago)

(s(w(e(d)i)s)h)

― koogs, Tuesday, 26 July 2011 13:42 (thirteen years ago)

nope

― Neil S, Tuesday, 26 July 2011 13:43 (thirteen years ago)

but close

― Neil S, Tuesday, 26 July 2011 13:43 (thirteen years ago)

SPOILER DO NOT CLICK
???

― a million anons (onimo), Tuesday, 26 July 2011 14:12 (thirteen years ago)

yes well done!

― Neil S, Tuesday, 26 July 2011 14:48 (thirteen years ago)

Shouldn't (mightn't?) this clue Language sounding like a vegetable when drunk (7) have a ? at the end to signify its groan-inducing punniness?

― An influential prophet from Denton, Texas (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 26 July 2011 15:15 (thirteen years ago)

i don't get the real answer (mine was better!)

― koogs, Tuesday, 26 July 2011 15:25 (thirteen years ago)

(hint) Shay, buddy, can you shpare a quarter for a drink?

― An influential prophet from Denton, Texas (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 26 July 2011 15:26 (thirteen years ago)

koogs, I had same problem - answer is not title of linked article, but in second sentence.

― you don't exist in the database (woof), Tuesday, 26 July 2011 15:29 (thirteen years ago)

Work in church and you may wear it (4)

I think I have the answer, but can't work out part of the logic- can anyone help?

― Neil S, Monday, 1 August 2011 14:59 (thirteen years ago)

work = op (opus), church = ce (church of england). Not quite sure what it is that you would be wearing though...

― ledge, Monday, 1 August 2011 15:01 (thirteen years ago)

I thought the solution was "cape", though the above fits. is "ap" an SI unit of some sort?

― Neil S, Monday, 1 August 2011 15:06 (thirteen years ago)

where is KBP when we need him?

― Neil S, Monday, 1 August 2011 15:07 (thirteen years ago)

to "wear it" is to cope, perhaps?

― Neil S, Monday, 1 August 2011 15:07 (thirteen years ago)

that was my best guess.

― ledge, Monday, 1 August 2011 15:11 (thirteen years ago)

i knew this, honestly, but i've just looked it up to be certain:

cope2 noun a long sleeveless cape worn by clergy on ceremonial occasions. verb (coped, coping) to dress in a cope.
ETYMOLOGY: 13c: from Latin capa.

― i'm sorry for whatever (Noodle Vague), Monday, 1 August 2011 16:57 (thirteen years ago)

I was pretty ennhhhh about "to wear it is to cope" but that's good.

― Sugar-coated Satan Sandwich (Dan Peterson), Monday, 1 August 2011 17:16 (thirteen years ago)

I think that's the same meaning that's used for cope-stone as well - to cover.

― Fizzles the Chimp (GamalielRatsey), Tuesday, 2 August 2011 08:17 (thirteen years ago)

two weeks pass...

just general guardian setter chatter, but didn't realise Araucaria had been on Desert Island Discs recently. And enjoying Paul's blog.

― you don't exist in the database (woof), Friday, 19 August 2011 09:09 (thirteen years ago)

oh, I found out about that because a friend (& v occasional poster here) has started a cryptic blog at the guardian. Here's clue of the week from that:

Attempt to prevent child's precious unit trust being misappropriated (6, 11)

― you don't exist in the database (woof), Friday, 19 August 2011 10:24 (thirteen years ago)

That blog looks like it should be good, I've subscribed.

― Neil S, Friday, 19 August 2011 10:33 (thirteen years ago)

I quite liked this one that was in a novel I was reading

Butcher has ox tongue (5)

― ^^^ this (onimo), Friday, 19 August 2011 10:41 (thirteen years ago)

From today's Araucaria (I'm always inordinately pleased when I get even one of his clues!):

Semi-automated nun? (8, 2, 5)

― Neil S, Friday, 19 August 2011 12:49 (thirteen years ago)

perngher bs unovg

― ^^^ this (onimo), Friday, 19 August 2011 13:15 (thirteen years ago)

pardon?

― Neil S, Friday, 19 August 2011 13:19 (thirteen years ago)

I rot13'd it as I'm not sure on how spoiler sensitivity works here these days.

http://www.rot13.com/

― ^^^ this (onimo), Friday, 19 August 2011 13:24 (thirteen years ago)

aha I see, nice site, and correct answer, well done!

― Neil S, Friday, 19 August 2011 13:45 (thirteen years ago)

cricketer's answer to question fed if bails dislodged (4, 5)

grrr

― koogs, Monday, 22 August 2011 12:17 (thirteen years ago)

Asif Iqbal

(needed to do some googling there!)

― ailsa, Monday, 22 August 2011 13:26 (thirteen years ago)

yes, not so much a name, more a bad hand at scrabble.

― koogs, Monday, 22 August 2011 13:28 (thirteen years ago)

(from yesterday's observer btw)

― koogs, Monday, 22 August 2011 13:30 (thirteen years ago)

yeah I go that, particularly nasty one if you don't know about cricket.

― Neil S, Monday, 22 August 2011 13:39 (thirteen years ago)

four weeks pass...

last one for sunday's everyman.

Couturier isn't rich, radio broadcast (9, 4)

(i have 7 of the letters and it's still making no sense)

― koogs, Wednesday, 21 September 2011 13:56 (thirteen years ago)

dior, baby.

― ledge, Wednesday, 21 September 2011 14:01 (thirteen years ago)

broadcast as an anag signifier?

― onimo, Wednesday, 21 September 2011 14:02 (thirteen years ago)

yup. originally a farming term for sowing or scattering seed.

Yearning for inside knowledge of cuisine (7)

― ledge, Wednesday, 21 September 2011 14:03 (thirteen years ago)

cooking?

― Louis Jaha (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 21 September 2011 14:12 (thirteen years ago)

our survey says buh-bahhhh

― ledge, Wednesday, 21 September 2011 14:14 (thirteen years ago)

kitchen

― Louis Jaha (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 21 September 2011 14:18 (thirteen years ago)

brain a bit flat this week, honest

― Louis Jaha (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 21 September 2011 14:18 (thirteen years ago)

i see now i was trying to solve 8,5 rather than 9,4 and was scratching my head over a word that was

N _ I _ R

― koogs, Wednesday, 21 September 2011 14:33 (thirteen years ago)

yearning normally = yen but not helping here

― ban this sick stunt (anagram), Wednesday, 21 September 2011 14:35 (thirteen years ago)

NV has already grabbed the brass ring.

― ledge, Wednesday, 21 September 2011 14:35 (thirteen years ago)

http://bestforpuzzles.com/cryptic-crossword-dictionary/anagram-indicators/

wow @ how many of these there are.

Boiled?

― onimo, Wednesday, 21 September 2011 14:55 (thirteen years ago)

nice site, but yeah i daresay a full list of potential anag indicators would be near limitless. can easily come up some not in that list: fabulously, facetiously, factorised, faked, farcical...

― ledge, Wednesday, 21 September 2011 15:02 (thirteen years ago)

yeah, think of vegetables bubbling about in a pot they get pretty mixed up

― Louis Jaha (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 21 September 2011 15:03 (thirteen years ago)

rubbish!

― talking heads, quiet smith (darraghmac), Wednesday, 21 September 2011 15:04 (thirteen years ago)

just thinking about a set of base concepts for anag indicators, of which others would be synonyms:

rearrange (duh) - 'boil' a rather poetic version
destroy
construct (!)
false
insane
strange
drunk (or is that under 'insane?)

forget it. i am no roget.

― ledge, Wednesday, 21 September 2011 15:13 (thirteen years ago)

Had a clever one recently: Skin cherry top in papier-mache (7)

― Prostetnic Vogon Limbaugh (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 21 September 2011 15:15 (thirteen years ago)

epicarp

― Louis Jaha (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 21 September 2011 15:28 (thirteen years ago)

Good lord. Would have needed Chambers in hand + many filled-in letters for that.

― ledge, Wednesday, 21 September 2011 15:31 (thirteen years ago)

had the letters for the anagram but never heard of the word

― ban this sick stunt (anagram), Wednesday, 21 September 2011 15:32 (thirteen years ago)

i had it for a bit and miscounted the letters. something to do with fruit iirc

― Louis Jaha (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 21 September 2011 15:32 (thirteen years ago)

Man, you guys are good! New word for me. At any rate, using "mache" as "chewed up" as anagram indicator was neat.

― Prostetnic Vogon Limbaugh (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 21 September 2011 15:34 (thirteen years ago)

yeah i mightn't've picked up on that so quick if we hadn't already been discussing anagram indicators

― Louis Jaha (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 21 September 2011 15:35 (thirteen years ago)

i had 'rich' down as the anagram identifier in that christian dior clue... which didn't help.

― koogs, Wednesday, 21 September 2011 17:33 (thirteen years ago)

Or couldn't "radio broadcast" even conceivably be construed as as a homophone indicator, too (like "on the radio?")

― Prostetnic Vogon Limbaugh (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 21 September 2011 17:57 (thirteen years ago)

it's a strange conventional thing, because "broadcast" so often signifies anagram it's unlikely to be used in another sense i think.

― Louis Jaha (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 21 September 2011 18:00 (thirteen years ago)

unless it's the actual clue itself

― Louis Jaha (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 21 September 2011 18:00 (thirteen years ago)

Yeah, I'm pretty new to these things, so I often figure out the word by process of elimination and then backtrack and go "broadcast = anagram?!?!"

Like the "papier-mache" one upthread; I just guessed it was an anagram and then went "WHY? Ohhhhhhh........"

― Prostetnic Vogon Limbaugh (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 21 September 2011 18:06 (thirteen years ago)

i feel like you acquire a feeling for words that could signify anagrams, but maybe you just learn all the major examples over time

― Louis Jaha (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 21 September 2011 18:07 (thirteen years ago)

two weeks pass...

Probably dead easy, but I liked it, from today's Guardian:

Adorable old mongrel (11)

― good luck in your pyramid (Neil S), Thursday, 6 October 2011 12:31 (thirteen years ago)

bump- anyone?

― good luck in your pyramid (Neil S), Friday, 7 October 2011 08:15 (thirteen years ago)

hint - Graham Norton. It is a lovely clue.

― antiautodefenestrationism (ledge), Friday, 7 October 2011 08:20 (thirteen years ago)

got nothing

― Dios mio! This kid is FUN to hit! (Noodle Vague), Friday, 7 October 2011 08:24 (thirteen years ago)

and the hint ain't helping

― Dios mio! This kid is FUN to hit! (Noodle Vague), Friday, 7 October 2011 08:24 (thirteen years ago)

http://www.virginmedia.com/images/graham_norton430x300.jpg

― antiautodefenestrationism (ledge), Friday, 7 October 2011 08:26 (thirteen years ago)

http://labradoodle-dogs.net/wp-content/uploads/labradoodle1-300x213.jpg

― antiautodefenestrationism (ledge), Friday, 7 October 2011 08:27 (thirteen years ago)

this is only telling me just how fucked my head is at the moment tbh

― Dios mio! This kid is FUN to hit! (Noodle Vague), Friday, 7 October 2011 08:30 (thirteen years ago)

http://int.ch.liv.ac.uk/Lanthanide/Group_folder/Graphics/LAB.gif
http://www.ancient-egypt-online.com/images/egyptian-god-ra.gif
http://www.blog.spoongraphics.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2009/02/header2.jpg

― antiautodefenestrationism (ledge), Friday, 7 October 2011 08:40 (thirteen years ago)

lol

― good luck in your pyramid (Neil S), Friday, 7 October 2011 08:47 (thirteen years ago)

http://www.dur.ac.uk/geochem.www/group/pictures/labpictures/New%20lab%20pictures/Ultra%20clean%20lab%20copy.gif

― good luck in your pyramid (Neil S), Friday, 7 October 2011 08:48 (thirteen years ago)

ah the fist image didn;t show up for me at first!

― good luck in your pyramid (Neil S), Friday, 7 October 2011 08:49 (thirteen years ago)

labradoodle

anagram of adorable old

― zvookster, Friday, 7 October 2011 09:22 (thirteen years ago)

OTM, a really elegant clue! NV will be kicking himself...

― good luck in your pyramid (Neil S), Friday, 7 October 2011 09:27 (thirteen years ago)

i did look at the anagram but i got hung up on "blood" as part of it.

― Dios mio! This kid is FUN to hit! (Noodle Vague), Friday, 7 October 2011 10:13 (thirteen years ago)

'labradoodle' is never a legit answer in a serious crossword imo

― at-zing-two-boards (darraghmac), Friday, 7 October 2011 11:08 (thirteen years ago)

I don't get how Graham Norton is a clue? Does he own one? Do people generally know this?

― parasitical brain-weevil (onimo), Friday, 7 October 2011 11:13 (thirteen years ago)

he does, idk if it's common knowledge. i've just seen him with it on the street near where i work a bunch of times.

― antiautodefenestrationism (ledge), Friday, 7 October 2011 11:15 (thirteen years ago)

can a ledge be against autodefenstrationism? Surely it's more a matter for the latch, the frames, the panes etc

― at-zing-two-boards (darraghmac), Friday, 7 October 2011 11:28 (thirteen years ago)

'labradoodle' is never a legit answer in a serious crossword imo

why not, it's a thing

― ban this sick stunt (anagram), Friday, 7 October 2011 11:53 (thirteen years ago)

lacks appropriate gravity imo

― at-zing-two-boards (darraghmac), Friday, 7 October 2011 12:00 (thirteen years ago)

whole reams of smutty and slangy clues would be out of bounds by that logic.

― good luck in your pyramid (Neil S), Friday, 7 October 2011 12:10 (thirteen years ago)

Doesn't seem to be in Chambers which I thought it had to be

― RONG Persuader (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 7 October 2011 12:11 (thirteen years ago)

In The Times, maybe, they have strict rules like no names of living people. Guardian is a lot more slack. And smutty.

― antiautodefenestrationism (ledge), Friday, 7 October 2011 12:25 (thirteen years ago)

it's a legit answer i think

― Dios mio! This kid is FUN to hit! (Noodle Vague), Friday, 7 October 2011 13:00 (thirteen years ago)

Candidate for a Daily Mail clue:

Intelligence with sex appeal is what makes this country great (7)

― antiautodefenestrationism (ledge), Friday, 21 October 2011 08:16 (thirteen years ago)

oevgnva?

― koogs, Friday, 21 October 2011 08:57 (thirteen years ago)

without visiting rot13.com it think it's safe to say yeah.

― antiautodefenestrationism (ledge), Friday, 21 October 2011 08:59 (thirteen years ago)

(just use vim and ??)

― koogs, Friday, 21 October 2011 09:14 (thirteen years ago)

I liked this one in today's Guardian:

Strategy to get Penny into Javanese orchestra (4,4)

― good luck in your pyramid (Neil S), Wednesday, 26 October 2011 08:19 (thirteen years ago)

I got the answer then had to Google to work out the clue.

― a guy called Gerard (onimo), Wednesday, 26 October 2011 11:17 (thirteen years ago)

it's a good one!

― good luck in your pyramid (Neil S), Wednesday, 26 October 2011 11:20 (thirteen years ago)

Prefer Balinese gamelan meself.

― antiautodefenestrationism (ledge), Wednesday, 26 October 2011 11:27 (thirteen years ago)

Preserve from harm and interminable suffering with a narcotic (9)

― antiautodefenestrationism (ledge), Wednesday, 26 October 2011 11:28 (thirteen years ago)

---m-l---

― antiautodefenestrationism (ledge), Thursday, 27 October 2011 13:03 (thirteen years ago)

Can't do it yet.

Was there a recent grauniad about Ealing Comedies or was somebody pulling my leg?

― An Outcast From Time's Feast (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 27 October 2011 19:20 (thirteen years ago)

That is a lady who had a song about her, I do believe. If we are trying to be all non-spoilery now and whatnot.

I liked the Javanese one, if the Wire magazine ever does a crossword they should call that guy up

― how do i shot slime mould voltron form (a passing spacecadet), Thursday, 27 October 2011 20:08 (thirteen years ago)

Marmalade. Thanks for hint

― An Outcast From Time's Feast (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 27 October 2011 23:20 (thirteen years ago)

correctamundo

― antiautodefenestrationism (ledge), Friday, 28 October 2011 08:38 (thirteen years ago)

there is a new crossword compiler in the irish times

he is shit

― the ghost-fisting is a one-off thing (darraghmac), Friday, 28 October 2011 09:39 (thirteen years ago)

two months pass...

Help! The clue was: Shrub or rub (5)

Answer was Wahoo. I understand the shrub reference, but what's the rub?

― Dan Peterson, Tuesday, 3 January 2012 20:35 (thirteen years ago)

s'thing to do with burro???

― DeLonge and Winding Refn (darraghmac), Wednesday, 4 January 2012 02:34 (thirteen years ago)

idg the shrub reference, wikipedia tells me it's a fish.

― Quoth the raven "Nevermind" (ledge), Wednesday, 4 January 2012 09:36 (thirteen years ago)

Chambers says it's also an ornamental shrub and a kind of buckthorn 'which yields cascara sagrada' (a laxative). I still dgi.

― you don't exist in the database (woof), Wednesday, 4 January 2012 09:47 (thirteen years ago)

From the Guardian before Christmas:

Arch, perhaps, to correct — getting better (2,3,4)

The answer is 'On the mend', but don't get the 'arch' bit.

― James Mitchell, Wednesday, 4 January 2012 09:59 (thirteen years ago)

'emend' is 'correct' which leaves you with the month of m arch.

― Quoth the raven "Nevermind" (ledge), Wednesday, 4 January 2012 10:01 (thirteen years ago)

wonder if the oed is any help on wahoo...

1. wahoo, n.1 view full entry 1770
...The N. American shrub Euonymus atropurpureus....

2. wahoo, n.2 1909
...A large marine fish, Acanthocybium solandri, belonging to the family Scombridæ and found in tropical seas....

3. wahoo, v. 1936
...intr. To shout ‘Wahoo!’....

thanks for that.

― Quoth the raven "Nevermind" (ledge), Wednesday, 4 January 2012 10:02 (thirteen years ago)

Thnx Ledge.

― James Mitchell, Wednesday, 4 January 2012 10:42 (thirteen years ago)

that march/month thing is some bullshit imo

― carpy deems (darraghmac), Wednesday, 4 January 2012 11:08 (thirteen years ago)

if the clue hadn't been easy enough to get through other means i would agree.

― Quoth the raven "Nevermind" (ledge), Wednesday, 4 January 2012 11:09 (thirteen years ago)

sophistry mere sophistry

― carpy deems (darraghmac), Wednesday, 4 January 2012 11:14 (thirteen years ago)

one month passes...

Bollocks or bullshit about everything (5)

― ledge, Thursday, 16 February 2012 12:43 (thirteen years ago)

balls

― beware of greek bearer bonds (darraghmac), Thursday, 16 February 2012 12:45 (thirteen years ago)

fuck you

― ledge, Thursday, 16 February 2012 12:45 (thirteen years ago)

Looking for more? Might be a little time. (7)

― beware of greek bearer bonds (darraghmac), Thursday, 16 February 2012 12:46 (thirteen years ago)

― beware of greek bearer bonds (darraghmac), Thursday, 16 February 2012 12:48 (thirteen years ago)

seconds

― koogs, Thursday, 16 February 2012 12:48 (thirteen years ago)

congrats

― beware of greek bearer bonds (darraghmac), Thursday, 16 February 2012 12:49 (thirteen years ago)

Buckethead covers "Rain on the Scarecrow" : must-have (5)

― Dalai Mixture (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 17 February 2012 00:30 (thirteen years ago)

needs? Only goin on the final definition tho

― beware of greek bearer bonds (darraghmac), Friday, 17 February 2012 00:40 (thirteen years ago)

Nope

― Dalai Mixture (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 17 February 2012 00:41 (thirteen years ago)

Blood?

― Also unknown as Zora (Surfing At Work), Friday, 17 February 2012 00:44 (thirteen years ago)

That's a wee bit closer

― Dalai Mixture (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 17 February 2012 00:46 (thirteen years ago)

Errr water? Only because bucket - rain - essential 4 lyfe

― Also unknown as Zora (Surfing At Work), Friday, 17 February 2012 01:01 (thirteen years ago)

Colder

― Dalai Mixture (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 17 February 2012 01:04 (thirteen years ago)

Brain

― beware of greek bearer bonds (darraghmac), Friday, 17 February 2012 01:06 (thirteen years ago)

Yes :)

― Dalai Mixture (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 17 February 2012 01:08 (thirteen years ago)

leap of faith required!

― beware of greek bearer bonds (darraghmac), Friday, 17 February 2012 01:19 (thirteen years ago)

Boost this joint to praise success (4,5,2,4,5)

― knocked over like the last act in Mackbeth (onimo), Sunday, 19 February 2012 09:23 (thirteen years ago)

More power to your/one's elbow.

― woof, Sunday, 19 February 2012 10:00 (thirteen years ago)

correct :)

― knocked over like the last act in Mackbeth (onimo), Sunday, 19 February 2012 10:11 (thirteen years ago)

somehow i knew it was elbow related...

― koogs, Sunday, 19 February 2012 13:26 (thirteen years ago)

today's guardian is a tour de force, starts off v entertaining, ends v irritating when you have to cheat for all the words that you've never heard before.

http://www.guardian.co.uk/crosswords/cryptic/25565

― watercooler challenge (ledge), Wednesday, 22 February 2012 14:25 (thirteen years ago)

and don't look at this link if you don't want spoilers or clues, but holy hell he's led a busy life.

― watercooler challenge (ledge), Wednesday, 22 February 2012 14:28 (thirteen years ago)

This is driving me crazy:

How one behaves in the evening (7)

A_E_G_S

I'm 99% sure the G is correct, which leaves only one solution I can see, and I still don't understand it.

― Ham House showdown (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 29 February 2012 18:38 (thirteen years ago)

sure about everything else?

― steep? that's where i'm off hiking (darraghmac), Wednesday, 29 February 2012 19:57 (thirteen years ago)

'evening' is a pun, answer is 'avenges' imo

― steep? that's where i'm off hiking (darraghmac), Wednesday, 29 February 2012 20:01 (thirteen years ago)

Ohhhhh, evening as in getting even? ffs......

― Ham House showdown (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 29 February 2012 20:05 (thirteen years ago)

don't shoot the messenger

― steep? that's where i'm off hiking (darraghmac), Wednesday, 29 February 2012 20:09 (thirteen years ago)

^ trying to work that into a clue

― steep? that's where i'm off hiking (darraghmac), Wednesday, 29 February 2012 20:10 (thirteen years ago)

d, your screen name is proof you're WAY better at punning than I am!

― Ham House showdown (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 29 February 2012 20:21 (thirteen years ago)

heh, still?

― Streep? That's where I'm a-striking! (darraghmac), Wednesday, 29 February 2012 20:23 (thirteen years ago)

three weeks pass...

this is ridiculous, but anyway:

Pregnant with a girl after being smashed by a randy young stag - Spooner isn't bothered (5,3,1,5,4)

― ledge, Thursday, 22 March 2012 11:36 (thirteen years ago)

--t--,---,-,--c--,---

― ledge, Friday, 23 March 2012 14:07 (thirteen years ago)

--t--,---,-,--c--,---- i mean

― ledge, Friday, 23 March 2012 14:07 (thirteen years ago)

― Singularities Going Steady (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 25 March 2012 00:58 (thirteen years ago)

really struggling with this one

― red is hungry green is jawless (Noodle Vague), Sunday, 25 March 2012 01:02 (thirteen years ago)

decided against really struggling with this one tbh (sorry ledge)

― less of the same (darraghmac), Sunday, 25 March 2012 01:07 (thirteen years ago)

No no that's totally fair, I don't expect anyone else to share my enthusiasm for forced wretched spoonerisms.

--t-r --f a ---k- -a-k

See I'm more or less spelling it out, wheres the fun in that?

― ledge, Sunday, 25 March 2012 13:11 (thirteen years ago)

Working too hard can give you a heart attack-ack-ack-ack?

― Singularities Going Steady (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 25 March 2012 14:43 (thirteen years ago)

water off a duck's back but no idea why

― less of the same (darraghmac), Sunday, 25 March 2012 14:44 (thirteen years ago)

Daughter/ water spoonerism. Don't get the rest though.

― good luck in your pyramid (Neil S), Sunday, 25 March 2012 15:44 (thirteen years ago)

daughter off a buck's whack. buck=stag, whack=smash (as in ws).

i think we should all just put this sorry episode behind us and move on.

― ledge, Sunday, 25 March 2012 17:25 (thirteen years ago)

srsly

― less of the same (darraghmac), Sunday, 25 March 2012 17:30 (thirteen years ago)

I was trying to work out some buck/fuck spoonerism but that's as far as I got

― kinder, Sunday, 25 March 2012 17:46 (thirteen years ago)

unmoving, curiously moved, moves uniformly (7)

― less of the same (darraghmac), Monday, 26 March 2012 02:18 (thirteen years ago)

noticeably stopped hitting (8)

― less of the same (darraghmac), Monday, 26 March 2012 02:22 (thirteen years ago)

because of a long lock, a strong hold? (8)

― less of the same (darraghmac), Monday, 26 March 2012 02:26 (thirteen years ago)

injure again for relief (7)

― less of the same (darraghmac), Monday, 26 March 2012 02:30 (thirteen years ago)

might just make a crossword tbh

― less of the same (darraghmac), Monday, 26 March 2012 02:31 (thirteen years ago)

because of a long lock, a strong hold? (8)

fortress

injure again for relief (7)

respite

― red is hungry green is jawless (Noodle Vague), Monday, 26 March 2012 10:31 (thirteen years ago)

that's right pick up the soft ones first

― less of the same (darraghmac), Monday, 26 March 2012 10:36 (thirteen years ago)

noticeably stopped hitting (8)
striking?

― A BIG JOE JORDAN TYPE OF POSTER (onimo), Monday, 26 March 2012 22:25 (thirteen years ago)

― less of the same (darraghmac), Monday, 26 March 2012 22:44 (thirteen years ago)

unmoving, curiously moved, moves uniformly (7)

marches?

― red is hungry green is jawless (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 27 March 2012 07:52 (thirteen years ago)

no but not bad

― less of the same (darraghmac), Tuesday, 27 March 2012 08:00 (thirteen years ago)

that one might be a little dodgy tbn but sure we'll see

― less of the same (darraghmac), Tuesday, 27 March 2012 08:01 (thirteen years ago)

can you explain what "stopped" is doing in the "striking" clue?

― red is hungry green is jawless (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 27 March 2012 08:02 (thirteen years ago)

downed tools kinda thing

― less of the same (darraghmac), Tuesday, 27 March 2012 08:14 (thirteen years ago)

ah right i get it

― red is hungry green is jawless (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 27 March 2012 08:18 (thirteen years ago)

tch tch

― less of the same (darraghmac), Monday, 2 April 2012 00:52 (thirteen years ago)

Saw one in the Guardian Friday before last I wanted to share with you all but now I can't remember.

― Singularities Going Steady (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 2 April 2012 00:53 (thirteen years ago)

a_n__i_a

― less of the same (darraghmac), Monday, 2 April 2012 01:03 (thirteen years ago)

fucked that up eh

― less of the same (darraghmac), Monday, 2 April 2012 01:03 (thirteen years ago)

amnesia

― God arrives for the apocalypse, having been traveling at the speed of (ledge), Monday, 2 April 2012 10:37 (thirteen years ago)

explain?

― kinder, Monday, 2 April 2012 17:05 (thirteen years ago)

Fuck knows

― God arrives for the apocalypse, having been traveling at the speed of (ledge), Monday, 2 April 2012 17:10 (thirteen years ago)

eh that wasn't the answer to the 'unmoving' clue! It was just a throwaway pun on the previous post.

Just sayin like

― less of the same (darraghmac), Wednesday, 4 April 2012 12:35 (thirteen years ago)

give us some real letters then man

― i remember when there was time for klax (ledge), Wednesday, 4 April 2012 12:57 (thirteen years ago)

fuckin phone does successive underscores as a filled line ffs

ends in ia

― less of the same (darraghmac), Wednesday, 4 April 2012 13:14 (thirteen years ago)

inertia. don't know why.

― koogs, Wednesday, 4 April 2012 13:18 (thirteen years ago)

it's all in there, one hopes

― less of the same (darraghmac), Wednesday, 4 April 2012 13:22 (thirteen years ago)

unmoved, yeah (inertia=lethargy); moves uniformly, yeah (1st law of motion); not sure about the middle one.

― i remember when there was time for klax (ledge), Wednesday, 4 April 2012 13:25 (thirteen years ago)

inert, IA (ilx term)

― less of the same (darraghmac), Wednesday, 4 April 2012 13:26 (thirteen years ago)

u love it i can tell

― less of the same (darraghmac), Wednesday, 4 April 2012 13:46 (thirteen years ago)

no news is good news

― i remember when there was time for klax (ledge), Wednesday, 4 April 2012 14:03 (thirteen years ago)

totally thought "amnesia" was for the "curiously moved" one, possibly via anagram of "animates" with some letters missing in a way that I didn't understand yet

― instant coffee happening between us (a passing spacecadet), Wednesday, 4 April 2012 14:06 (thirteen years ago)

i'm a dick in various threads, i try not to be itt tbf

― j'en ai cache (darraghmac), Wednesday, 4 April 2012 14:12 (thirteen years ago)

I am well used to not understanding things and try not to put it down to anyone else being a dick tbf

(don't always succeed, but on the crossword thread I usually do)

― instant coffee happening between us (a passing spacecadet), Wednesday, 4 April 2012 14:17 (thirteen years ago)

we are of divergent personality types imo

― j'en ai cache (darraghmac), Wednesday, 4 April 2012 14:20 (thirteen years ago)

I thought it was inertia but was hung up on one of the 'moves' meaning 'it's an anagram' and couldn't get it to work

― kinder, Wednesday, 4 April 2012 16:06 (thirteen years ago)

someone?

― thomp, Friday, 13 April 2012 12:41 (thirteen years ago)

gave up tbh

― j'en ai cache (darraghmac), Friday, 13 April 2012 13:38 (thirteen years ago)

never mind, caved and bought the guardian

― thomp, Friday, 13 April 2012 13:40 (thirteen years ago)

I've lost my mojo

re: the guardian, did anyone do araucaria's easter prize double? i'm sure he thinks running the clues together is terribly clever but the surface reading just ends up being garbled nonsense.

― ledge, Friday, 13 April 2012 13:47 (thirteen years ago)

A good 'un in today's Guardian:

Lothario, or Spooner's soles (5-5)

― good luck in your pyramid (Neil S), Wednesday, 25 April 2012 12:22 (thirteen years ago)

my brain is stuck going 'novar cassa' which i'm pretty sure is not a thing

― thomp, Wednesday, 25 April 2012 12:27 (thirteen years ago)

right lines...

― good luck in your pyramid (Neil S), Wednesday, 25 April 2012 12:29 (thirteen years ago)

and one from the observer at the weekend - Newspaper job (5)

― koogs, Wednesday, 25 April 2012 12:38 (thirteen years ago)

demon lover, nice.

― woof, Wednesday, 25 April 2012 13:03 (thirteen years ago)

yep, well done! took me a while but I was really happy when I got it...

― good luck in your pyramid (Neil S), Wednesday, 25 April 2012 13:08 (thirteen years ago)

Just got there myself and made a little noise halfway between a groan and a snort of laughter out loud in the office. Which was awkward.

Not got koogs' yet, though...

― instant coffee happening between us (a passing spacecadet), Wednesday, 25 April 2012 13:11 (thirteen years ago)

what's the answer then koogs?

― good luck in your pyramid (Neil S), Thursday, 26 April 2012 12:45 (thirteen years ago)

theft

which i only got as i had letters 1, 3 and 5. 'job' being newspaper headline speak for a big robbery, but that seemed unsatisfactory, like it was missing something. took 10 minutes to realise that it's also 'the FT'.

― koogs, Thursday, 26 April 2012 13:06 (thirteen years ago)

yeah nice one!

― good luck in your pyramid (Neil S), Thursday, 26 April 2012 13:22 (thirteen years ago)

from the latest games magazine

500 = 100 = 0 (4)

― the acquisition and practice of music is unfavourable to the health of (abanana), Wednesday, 2 May 2012 11:30 (thirteen years ago)

got it. won't spoil it.

― Touché Gödel (ledge), Wednesday, 2 May 2012 11:31 (thirteen years ago)

also, like it.

― Touché Gödel (ledge), Wednesday, 2 May 2012 11:31 (thirteen years ago)

very neat

― underleg aeroboots i have smithed (darraghmac), Wednesday, 2 May 2012 11:35 (thirteen years ago)

took me a minute as I mistook 500 for 50

― we are not bemused (onimo), Wednesday, 2 May 2012 11:39 (thirteen years ago)

50 + 1 + 100 + 1000 = total (4)

― Touché Gödel (ledge), Wednesday, 2 May 2012 11:43 (thirteen years ago)

One in crows nest reportedly is egomaniac (5-5)

― Touché Gödel (ledge), Wednesday, 2 May 2012 12:58 (thirteen years ago)

---K

--V--/-A---

― Touché Gödel (ledge), Thursday, 3 May 2012 10:16 (thirteen years ago)

LICK

― Keith pissed on my chips (onimo), Thursday, 3 May 2012 10:19 (thirteen years ago)

what was
500 = 100 = 0 (4) ?

― kinder, Thursday, 3 May 2012 10:22 (thirteen years ago)

DISC

― Touché Gödel (ledge), Thursday, 3 May 2012 10:27 (thirteen years ago)

Yep

― Stars on 45 Fell on Alabama (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 3 May 2012 10:37 (thirteen years ago)

the sum of 50, 1, 100 and 1000 would be MCLI though. you mean the concatenation...

― koogs, Thursday, 3 May 2012 11:49 (thirteen years ago)

+ is a concatenation operator...

― Touché Gödel (ledge), Thursday, 3 May 2012 13:10 (thirteen years ago)

D IS C "is"

Oh but ledge set another, which onimo solved. Carry on, Cluru.

― Stars on 45 Fell on Alabama (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 3 May 2012 13:34 (thirteen years ago)

two months pass...

Irrationally revere courses containing seed of giant sequoias, e.g. (9,5)

I figured out the answer, but I'm still not sure how the clue works.

― David Allan Cow (Dan Peterson), Monday, 16 July 2012 13:59 (twelve years ago)

anagram ('irrationally') of 'revere' with first letter (seed) of giant in it, followed by 'entrees' (= courses).

― woof, Monday, 16 July 2012 14:06 (twelve years ago)

ahhh, I was doubly screwed: never got entrees, so I was working on another way to get 'courses' via greens (like golf courses) and I have never seen 'seed' to mean first letter. Is that common?

― David Allan Cow (Dan Peterson), Monday, 16 July 2012 14:10 (twelve years ago)

Get greens via courses, but anyway...

― David Allan Cow (Dan Peterson), Monday, 16 July 2012 14:11 (twelve years ago)

never seen 'seed' iirc, pretty sure i would grumble if i came across it in the wild.

― ledge, Monday, 16 July 2012 14:11 (twelve years ago)

yeah i don't like it

― Tartar Mouantcheoux (Noodle Vague), Monday, 16 July 2012 14:13 (twelve years ago)

tho it's kinda obvious what it's doing and since you're likely to arrive at the answer before you break down the clue i guess it's okay

didn't know sequouias were evergreen i must admit

― Tartar Mouantcheoux (Noodle Vague), Monday, 16 July 2012 14:14 (twelve years ago)

don't think I've seen it before, it does a bit feel off.

― woof, Monday, 16 July 2012 14:15 (twelve years ago)

I think it *would* have been obvious if I had gotten 'entrees,' but my mind never went there.

― David Allan Cow (Dan Peterson), Monday, 16 July 2012 14:15 (twelve years ago)

Depicts, ultimately, under false pretenses. (10)

The way 'ultimately' works in this doesn't work for me, but I defer to the experts.

― David Allan Cow (Dan Peterson), Monday, 16 July 2012 14:21 (twelve years ago)

Pretty easy, but fun I thought, from today's Guardian:

Off limits, like an exhausted kangaroo? (3,2,6)

― Arvo Pärt Chimp (Neil S), Tuesday, 24 July 2012 12:24 (twelve years ago)

― Sig Sig Ruman (James Redd and the Blecchs), Tuesday, 24 July 2012 12:58 (twelve years ago)

Assassin of sci-fi mob of Iowa (6)

― Like Monk Never Happened (James Redd and the Blecchs), Thursday, 26 July 2012 03:39 (twelve years ago)

btw mine was 'represents.' But anagramming pretenses it requires an extra 'r' -- so they're getting that from "ultimately under?" (Last letter of under?)

The way the clue reads seems like it should be the last letter of depicts (s) under anagrammed 'pretenses', but that doesn't work. Completely wonky, or just me?

― David Allan Cow (Dan Peterson), Thursday, 26 July 2012 15:18 (twelve years ago)

wonky, but fair I reckon. I think the confusion is by design, so that's irritating. Don't like it tbh - don't really like that kind of word (lots of super-common letters, boring sequence), clue feels abstract, weightless.

(obvs just bitter because I didn't get it)

― woof, Thursday, 26 July 2012 15:52 (twelve years ago)

Actually, the theme of this puzzle was E; every word used only that vowel. Once I caught on, it made the puzzle much easier, but LOTS of super common letters.

― David Allan Cow (Dan Peterson), Thursday, 26 July 2012 15:59 (twelve years ago)

Assassin of sci-fi mob of Iowa (6)

letters?

― ledge, Sunday, 29 July 2012 09:18 (twelve years ago)

-o----

― Like Monk Never Happened (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 29 July 2012 15:02 (twelve years ago)

trying to think of a sci-fi assassin ending in 'ia'...

― ledge, Monday, 30 July 2012 08:46 (twelve years ago)

or not.

borgia.

― ledge, Monday, 30 July 2012 08:46 (twelve years ago)

ha! got hung up on the sci-fi mob being "nova" which was probably overthinking it

― Shrimpface Killah (Noodle Vague), Monday, 30 July 2012 16:29 (twelve years ago)

from today's Guardian:

Pubs' motto, possibly? (7,2)

― Arvo Pärt Chimp (Neil S), Wednesday, 8 August 2012 12:10 (twelve years ago)

nice

― koogs, Wednesday, 8 August 2012 12:20 (twelve years ago)

a good thing about cryptic crossword clues is that they don't have to be difficult to be satisfying to solve.

― Arvo Pärt Chimp (Neil S), Wednesday, 8 August 2012 12:30 (twelve years ago)

no, that's just pleasurably concise

― Shrimpface Killah (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 8 August 2012 16:54 (twelve years ago)

two weeks pass...

Baffled here:

Philosopher's telephone assistant, keeping money, rejected no taxis? (3,7,5)

S_R_R_N_I_B_C_N

Got the answer easily enough, but I have no idea what's going on with the most of the cluing.

― Ermahgerd Thomas (Dan Peterson), Saturday, 25 August 2012 13:14 (twelve years ago)

http://aframegames.com/puzzles/Teleportland.pdf

― Safe European Momus (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 25 August 2012 13:19 (twelve years ago)

i think it's this:

Philospher's (Sir Francis Bacon) telephone assistant keeping money SIR(FRANC)I rejected no taxis = NOCABS backwards

― just one little Tayto (Noodle Vague), Saturday, 25 August 2012 13:19 (twelve years ago)

if telephone assistant really refers to a fucking android app then fuck this clue imo

― just one little Tayto (Noodle Vague), Saturday, 25 August 2012 13:19 (twelve years ago)

And if I can't even tell what it really refers to, then ditto.

― Ermahgerd Thomas (Dan Peterson), Saturday, 25 August 2012 13:31 (twelve years ago)

And what would indicate that iris is backwards in addition to nocabs?

― Ermahgerd Thomas (Dan Peterson), Saturday, 25 August 2012 13:34 (twelve years ago)

Okay, I see, there's SIRI as well as IRIS.

― Ermahgerd Thomas (Dan Peterson), Saturday, 25 August 2012 13:48 (twelve years ago)

ah, didn't know about SIRI. still ridiculous.

― just one little Tayto (Noodle Vague), Saturday, 25 August 2012 13:56 (twelve years ago)

50 into 500 sheets makes 18 (5)

Got the answer, REALM, but don't get 'makes 18.'

― Ermahgerd Thomas (Dan Peterson), Saturday, 25 August 2012 13:59 (twelve years ago)

I kinda hate 'rejecting' for backwards. Is that an okay thing?

― Gravel Puzzleworth, Saturday, 25 August 2012 14:00 (twelve years ago)

it's okay, it immediately makes me consider that backwardness will happen.

Dan, what's the answer to clue number 18 in that crossword?

― just one little Tayto (Noodle Vague), Saturday, 25 August 2012 14:04 (twelve years ago)

PURVIEW (Reach sexual deviant you reported)

― Ermahgerd Thomas (Dan Peterson), Saturday, 25 August 2012 14:07 (twelve years ago)

purview = realm, i suspect

― just one little Tayto (Noodle Vague), Saturday, 25 August 2012 14:14 (twelve years ago)

That works. Never dawned on me to look at clue 18. D'oh!

― Ermahgerd Thomas (Dan Peterson), Saturday, 25 August 2012 14:16 (twelve years ago)

One more since I'm on a roll. I guess I figured this all out properly, I just think it's lame that George Sand is female and the clue goes on to use 'his.'

George twice uncovered his lights in Hawaii, formerly (8,7)

SANDWICH ISLANDS (wasn't that hard.) But: George SAND, (t)WIC(e), his is just that, HIS, and lights = LANDS.

― Ermahgerd Thomas (Dan Peterson), Saturday, 25 August 2012 14:23 (twelve years ago)

"Veto the short genuflecting American football player, alright?" goes into journalist's pad (8)

― ledge, Wednesday, 5 September 2012 08:18 (twelve years ago)

Don't know where to start with that one. Clue please!

― Arvo Pärt Chimp (Neil S), Wednesday, 5 September 2012 09:54 (twelve years ago)

got it (thanks site new answers for keeping me up-to-date with foreign sport)

― woof, Wednesday, 5 September 2012 10:01 (twelve years ago)

googling the key noun phrase is not unhelpful.

― ledge, Wednesday, 5 September 2012 10:03 (twelve years ago)

having no luck and I'm someone with a basic knowledge of NFL :/

― Arvo Pärt Chimp (Neil S), Wednesday, 5 September 2012 10:22 (twelve years ago)

http://www.chicagonow.com/lists-that-actually-matter/files/2011/11/tebowing.png

― ledge, Thursday, 6 September 2012 09:27 (twelve years ago)

I got it, are you supposed to post the answer

― my father will guide me up the stairs to bed (anagram), Thursday, 6 September 2012 09:32 (twelve years ago)

just noticed how appallingly photoshopped that pic is.

yes go ahead, take all the acclaim and plaudits.

― ledge, Thursday, 6 September 2012 09:37 (twelve years ago)

well woof already got it so

NOTEBOOK (veto = NO, short football player = TEBO(W), alright = OK)

― my father will guide me up the stairs to bed (anagram), Thursday, 6 September 2012 09:39 (twelve years ago)

that's, imo, quite terrible 8)

perhaps there's mileage in doing this the other way around - someone chooses a word and others come up with clues for it. maybe 'genuflect' would be a good starting point.

― koogs, Thursday, 6 September 2012 09:43 (twelve years ago)

Gentle cuff nearly creates obeisance.

not quite perfect, hurrying

― Une ville musulmane dans la Chine du Nord sous les Mongols (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 6 September 2012 10:09 (twelve years ago)

Fence glut is fashionable for the action of bowing and scraping?

― Arvo Pärt Chimp (Neil S), Thursday, 6 September 2012 10:13 (twelve years ago)

need number of letters for both of those

― my father will guide me up the stairs to bed (anagram), Thursday, 6 September 2012 10:14 (twelve years ago)

Well the answer's in the previous post! But for the record 9 in both cases.

― Arvo Pärt Chimp (Neil S), Thursday, 6 September 2012 10:16 (twelve years ago)

oh I'm sorry, I forgot we were creating clues for "genuflect", I thought those were new clues

as you were

― my father will guide me up the stairs to bed (anagram), Thursday, 6 September 2012 10:18 (twelve years ago)

That's an exercise I sometimes do myself when bored - trying to construct crossword cryptic clues for a particular word that is rattling around my brain.

― NWOFHM! Overlord (krakow), Thursday, 6 September 2012 10:19 (twelve years ago)

xp no problem!

― Arvo Pärt Chimp (Neil S), Thursday, 6 September 2012 10:31 (twelve years ago)

xp you should post 'em here then!

clunky as usual:

pleasure reflected in gentleman's first special action taken for marriage proposal

― ledge, Thursday, 6 September 2012 10:37 (twelve years ago)

letters?

― Randy Carol (darraghmac), Thursday, 6 September 2012 10:49 (twelve years ago)

or is that genuflect? cos

― Randy Carol (darraghmac), Thursday, 6 September 2012 10:50 (twelve years ago)

do keep up, dear

― ledge, Thursday, 6 September 2012 10:50 (twelve years ago)

heh

― Randy Carol (darraghmac), Thursday, 6 September 2012 10:53 (twelve years ago)

problem is genuflect is a verb so "action taken" doesn't really work cos it suggests a noun

― my father will guide me up the stairs to bed (anagram), Thursday, 6 September 2012 11:45 (twelve years ago)

show reverence for old fashioned guy with poxy fule caught inside

― woof, Thursday, 6 September 2012 11:46 (twelve years ago)

missing a "c"?

― Une ville musulmane dans la Chine du Nord sous les Mongols (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 6 September 2012 11:46 (twelve years ago)

"c" for caught innit?

― Arvo Pärt Chimp (Neil S), Thursday, 6 September 2012 11:48 (twelve years ago)

oh yeah missed it

― Une ville musulmane dans la Chine du Nord sous les Mongols (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 6 September 2012 11:52 (twelve years ago)

bent leg etc. fun!

― koogs, Thursday, 6 September 2012 12:00 (twelve years ago)

(hmm, not sure there isn't something missing there, or it's too twisted up in itself. bent and fun could be anagram indicators but fun is part of the anagram. bent leg being the definition but leg also part of the anagram... plus the english isn't great.)

― koogs, Thursday, 6 September 2012 12:02 (twelve years ago)

it almost works as a semi &lit, araucaria e.g. is always pretty happy to play fast n loose with those.

problem is genuflect is a verb so "action taken" doesn't really work cos it suggests a noun

painfully aware of this but gave up on trying to fix it.

― ledge, Thursday, 6 September 2012 12:47 (twelve years ago)

i guess the real test is whether anyone could solve these clues.

― koogs, Thursday, 6 September 2012 13:04 (twelve years ago)

Returned suitor's put-down: you spattered paint, one hears, to bow

(ho hum)

― still small voice of clam (a passing spacecadet), Thursday, 6 September 2012 15:14 (twelve years ago)

genuflect?

― Randy Carol (darraghmac), Thursday, 6 September 2012 15:18 (twelve years ago)

(yes. don't mind me, rolling in several hours late with my terrible word-manglings)

― still small voice of clam (a passing spacecadet), Thursday, 6 September 2012 15:31 (twelve years ago)

idk is genuflect a great word for this experiment, which is otherwise a v interesting one imo

― Randy Carol (darraghmac), Thursday, 6 September 2012 15:39 (twelve years ago)

we didn't do too badly IMO, but yeah it's not the easiest. Throw one out there then!

― Arvo Pärt Chimp (Neil S), Thursday, 6 September 2012 15:46 (twelve years ago)

yes, someone suggest another word

― koogs, Thursday, 6 September 2012 16:25 (twelve years ago)

srsly whenever i'm put on the spot i can only think in obscenities

― Randy Carol (darraghmac), Thursday, 6 September 2012 16:34 (twelve years ago)

Dodgy PC flaunts lippiness? (4,5)

― Une ville musulmane dans la Chine du Nord sous les Mongols (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 6 September 2012 16:41 (twelve years ago)

filth

― koogs, Thursday, 6 September 2012 16:44 (twelve years ago)

that's the only one I've gotten in ages

― kinder, Thursday, 6 September 2012 17:37 (twelve years ago)

word of the day: primrose

― ledge, Monday, 10 September 2012 09:13 (twelve years ago)

Blooming proper get-up!

― Randy Carol (darraghmac), Monday, 10 September 2012 09:24 (twelve years ago)

(wouldn't that need to be past tense?)

― koogs, Monday, 10 September 2012 09:26 (twelve years ago)

yes, damn you, yes (weeps)

― Randy Carol (darraghmac), Monday, 10 September 2012 09:30 (twelve years ago)

Stand around border regarding first flower

― ledge, Monday, 10 September 2012 09:33 (twelve years ago)

Proper pink flower (8)

― Une ville musulmane dans la Chine du Nord sous les Mongols (Noodle Vague), Monday, 10 September 2012 09:34 (twelve years ago)

was trying to get rim within ("outside inside") prose but couldn't think of a decent synonym for prose

also, april 19th = primrose day. more interesting that just 'flower'

― koogs, Monday, 10 September 2012 09:47 (twelve years ago)

"prose" = "writing" was what i was working on, was considering using "yellow" for "primrose".

― Une ville musulmane dans la Chine du Nord sous les Mongols (Noodle Vague), Monday, 10 September 2012 09:54 (twelve years ago)

Disturbed improviser drops the sixth flower

― bham, Monday, 10 September 2012 15:09 (twelve years ago)

Does "vi" mean "the sixth" there?

― Tim, Monday, 10 September 2012 15:22 (twelve years ago)

Yes, that was the idea. As in Henry VI. Not sure it quite works.

― bham, Tuesday, 11 September 2012 09:17 (twelve years ago)

If we wanna keep this going we could just use
http://dictionary.reference.com/wordoftheday/ or http://www.merriam-webster.com/word-of-the-day/

― ledge, Tuesday, 11 September 2012 09:23 (twelve years ago)

happy enough with that one, tbh

― Randy Carol (darraghmac), Tuesday, 11 September 2012 09:25 (twelve years ago)

might be an idea to tag these posts with WOTD if you're posting a clue to a known word (either from those websites or nominated). another thread altogether is another.

1 Ceres might be red (6, WOTD)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ceres_%28dwarf_planet%29

(would 'shift' work as an anagram specifier? 'red shift' would keep the astronomy thing going, if in a slightly nonsensical way)

― koogs, Tuesday, 11 September 2012 10:17 (twelve years ago)

Before ecstacy, cries popped French cherry. (6, WOTD)

― Tim, Tuesday, 11 September 2012 10:40 (twelve years ago)

colour of cherries i rectally inserted backwards (6, wotd)

would 'shift' work as an anagram specifier?

last araucaria had 'demands' as anagrind iirc. i don't even.

― ledge, Tuesday, 11 September 2012 11:03 (twelve years ago)

http://cryptics.wikia.com/wiki/List_of_anagram_indicators

― ledge, Tuesday, 11 September 2012 11:05 (twelve years ago)

Crazy con lead caper to steal chinese pottery (7 WOTD)

(could i use caper as an anagram indicator? could then drop the crazy...)

― koogs, Wednesday, 12 September 2012 19:08 (twelve years ago)

what does the 'to steal' indicate?

― ledge, Wednesday, 12 September 2012 22:04 (twelve years ago)

nothing. it's just there to make the two parts of the clue into something resembling a sentence.

― koogs, Thursday, 13 September 2012 08:41 (twelve years ago)

wotd seems to be themed throughout the week, but a lot of the colour names have other or more specific meanings.

webster word of day for yesterday was peripatetic. but it was late...

― koogs, Thursday, 13 September 2012 08:42 (twelve years ago)

xp you can't do that!

― ledge, Thursday, 13 September 2012 08:46 (twelve years ago)

Every. Word. Must. Count.

― syntax evasion (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 13 September 2012 10:03 (twelve years ago)

http://cryptics.wikia.com/wiki/List_of_linking_words_and_phrases

― v for viennetta (c sharp major), Thursday, 13 September 2012 10:06 (twelve years ago)

obv there are good clues and bad clues, but i'm a purist about that shit

― syntax evasion (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 13 September 2012 10:15 (twelve years ago)

it's also why writing clues is damn hard, and anyone who can churn out well-formed clues with decent surface readings on a daily basis gets massive respect from me.

― ledge, Thursday, 13 September 2012 10:18 (twelve years ago)

one of the least-regarded art forms of our time imo

― ledge, Thursday, 13 September 2012 10:18 (twelve years ago)

webster word of day for yesterday was (REDACTED). but it was late...

Travelling Dr Who companion miserable without heroin (11, belated WOTD)

(just seeing what the Who/cryptic thread crossover is, like)

― still small voice of clam (a passing spacecadet), Thursday, 13 September 2012 10:27 (twelve years ago)

nice!

― ledge, Thursday, 13 September 2012 10:29 (twelve years ago)

rockists.

― koogs, Thursday, 13 September 2012 10:42 (twelve years ago)

if yr gonna link with extraneous terms you gotta make them bland/innocuous imo, 'steal' would have my eyes tearing to do somethin with it

― Randy Carol (darraghmac), Thursday, 13 September 2012 10:47 (twelve years ago)

First time I've ever attempted writing a clue, does this work for WOTD?

Excessive loss of energy after dark creates wave (8)

― The specifics are these, which is those principles I described (Dan Peterson), Thursday, 13 September 2012 14:47 (twelve years ago)

works for me.

― ledge, Thursday, 13 September 2012 15:11 (twelve years ago)

Yay me!

― The specifics are these, which is those principles I described (Dan Peterson), Thursday, 13 September 2012 15:15 (twelve years ago)

yeah that's a decent clue :)

― syntax evasion (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 13 September 2012 15:18 (twelve years ago)

Thanks, I was proud that it it incorporates three elements that often trip me up as a novice solver: having to solve one word and then subtract from it, single letter abbreviation, and noun/verb mismatch for wave.

― The specifics are these, which is those principles I described (Dan Peterson), Thursday, 13 September 2012 16:12 (twelve years ago)

Polite hero turns purple (10 wotd)

― koogs, Thursday, 13 September 2012 19:02 (twelve years ago)

(tried working in the creator of brazilian jiu jitsu but just couldn't)

― koogs, Thursday, 13 September 2012 19:05 (twelve years ago)

Light brown tops of elegant chiffon, raw, unbleached (4,wotd)

― ledge, Friday, 14 September 2012 14:35 (twelve years ago)

Wow, I got that one quickly. I'm getting better at these.

― The specifics are these, which is those principles I described (Dan Peterson), Friday, 14 September 2012 14:41 (twelve years ago)

nobody tempted by 'diapason', 'coetaneous' or 'tartuffery'?

― koogs, Tuesday, 18 September 2012 15:50 (twelve years ago)

I'll give one a (maybe farfetched) shot:

Organists' group reject help, loudspeaker systems activated. (8)

― The specifics are these, which is those principles I described (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 18 September 2012 16:18 (twelve years ago)

not at all bad

― ledge, Tuesday, 18 September 2012 19:28 (twelve years ago)

Thanks, this is really fun, I've never attempted to think up my own. I'd never heard of diapason. Rules-wise, could 'with' be added before loudspeaker to improve the surface reading?

― The specifics are these, which is those principles I described (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 18 September 2012 20:24 (twelve years ago)

sure, with works in the 'put these together' sense.

― ledge, Tuesday, 18 September 2012 21:51 (twelve years ago)

I can't come up with anything for those other two, though.

― The specifics are these, which is those principles I described (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 18 September 2012 22:01 (twelve years ago)

Pious fakery! Roxy Music singer entangled in a clump of trees. (10)

― The specifics are these, which is those principles I described (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 18 September 2012 22:20 (twelve years ago)

You'll have to explain that one...

Ate one half portion of cous-cous, digested at the same time (10)

― ledge, Tuesday, 18 September 2012 22:27 (twelve years ago)

FERRY + A TUFT, entangled = TARTUFFERY

― The specifics are these, which is those principles I described (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 18 September 2012 22:30 (twelve years ago)

maybe it's nitpicking but that 'entangled' reads to me as only applying to ferry, then put it inside a tuft (unentangled). 'entangled with' would work, although not as well on the surface.

also never come across 'tuft' used for trees before!

― ledge, Tuesday, 18 September 2012 22:34 (twelve years ago)

Confused Roxy Music singer entangled with a clump of trees... enh, it's still not that good.

― The specifics are these, which is those principles I described (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 18 September 2012 23:45 (twelve years ago)

Word of the day, down clue:

Sick coming up in a to-go container to make a mess of things. (6)

― The specifics are these, which is those principles I described (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 19 September 2012 14:05 (twelve years ago)

Hip-hop's great comeback getting into fight leads to ruin (wotd, 6)

― ledge, Wednesday, 19 September 2012 14:24 (twelve years ago)

v much not loving wotd stuff, so there ilxwordians

― Randy Carol (darraghmac), Wednesday, 19 September 2012 14:49 (twelve years ago)

it's all a load of bollix if you ask me

― Arvo Pärt Chimp (Neil S), Wednesday, 19 September 2012 14:52 (twelve years ago)

Not loving the words themselves, our attempts to set them, the whole concept?

― The specifics are these, which is those principles I described (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 19 September 2012 14:53 (twelve years ago)

thread was dead before so <shrugs>

― ledge, Wednesday, 19 September 2012 14:53 (twelve years ago)

yeah I'm not really worried, couldn't resist a terrible pun though. Happy to keep up the word of the day thing, I've learnt some new words!

― Arvo Pärt Chimp (Neil S), Wednesday, 19 September 2012 14:54 (twelve years ago)

the attempts are ok, but only ok, tbh i'm not able to keep great track of what wotd is a lot of the time which is more the issue

― Randy Carol (darraghmac), Wednesday, 19 September 2012 15:10 (twelve years ago)

practice makes perfect.

http://dictionary.reference.com/wordoftheday
http://www.merriam-webster.com/word-of-the-day

right-click, bookmark this link.

― ledge, Wednesday, 19 September 2012 15:12 (twelve years ago)

i am once again reminded how much of a 2nd class ilxor i am while surfing on my shitty nokia ;_;

― Randy Carol (darraghmac), Wednesday, 19 September 2012 15:19 (twelve years ago)

Jesus H Christ on a (numerical spoiler) I thought today's Graun was a bastard.

Crossword: http://www.guardian.co.uk/crosswords/cryptic/25746
The answers explained: http://fifteensquared.net/2012/09/20/guardian-cryptic-25746-crucible/

And yes I do see that most of the commenters on the second site declare it "easy"! I do not know what stimulants they had to ingest to get 13A.

(Admittedly I was never very good at these and am quite out of practice)

― still small voice of clam (a passing spacecadet), Thursday, 20 September 2012 21:36 (twelve years ago)

Yeah we had to cheat with 13a and a handful of others.

― ledge, Friday, 21 September 2012 08:13 (twelve years ago)

Goblin takes letter to underworld visitor (wotd, 6)

― ledge, Friday, 21 September 2012 09:17 (twelve years ago)

nonononono

― ledge, Friday, 21 September 2012 09:17 (twelve years ago)

Goblin takes letter referring to underworld visitor (wotd,6)

― ledge, Friday, 21 September 2012 09:18 (twelve years ago)

tinkering...

Goblin clutches letter concerning visitor to the underworld

― ledge, Friday, 21 September 2012 09:27 (twelve years ago)

(ha, watched the film yesterday...)

'a letter' isn't specific enough, i don't think. needs to specify that it's greek.

― koogs, Friday, 21 September 2012 11:08 (twelve years ago)

idk, it *is* a letter, and greek ones are common enough in crosswords. overspecifying it would give the game away too much imo.

― ledge, Friday, 21 September 2012 11:15 (twelve years ago)

would go for "... letter in greek ..." if necessary tho.

― ledge, Friday, 21 September 2012 11:15 (twelve years ago)

mystical? or sounding stupid? (6 wotd)

― koogs, Friday, 21 September 2012 11:30 (twelve years ago)

Probably pretty easy, wotd:

To begin with, kitten starting school is tacky (6)

― The specifics are these, which is those principles I described (Dan Peterson), Monday, 24 September 2012 19:04 (twelve years ago)

:) quite like it tho

― syntax evasion (Noodle Vague), Monday, 24 September 2012 19:53 (twelve years ago)

Ooh, just got it

― kinder, Monday, 24 September 2012 21:11 (twelve years ago)

Today's wotd, keeping with my feline theme!

Hypothesis, for the sake of argument: needle the kitten takes energy (11)

― Baked. And yet so soupy. (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 25 September 2012 20:11 (twelve years ago)

Dammit, that's not what I wanted.

Assumption, for the sake of argument: needle the kitten takes energy

― Baked. And yet so soupy. (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 25 September 2012 20:42 (twelve years ago)

It's a verb so I'd change that to 'Assume'.

― ledge, Wednesday, 26 September 2012 08:18 (twelve years ago)

All suggestions for improvement welcome:

One furiously torn by anger without any conclusion - put these together?! (wotd, 11)

― ledge, Wednesday, 26 September 2012 13:29 (twelve years ago)

Fun quiz, can you guess what in this clue I'm not entirely happy with?

Southern parvenu finally getting in with the stars (wotd, 7)

― ledge, Thursday, 27 September 2012 10:36 (twelve years ago)

(yesterday's wotd was 'interrobang' wtf!?)

'the stars' suggests a noun, where you want the adjective?

― koogs, Thursday, 27 September 2012 10:55 (twelve years ago)

you unhappy with 'with the stars' as an indicator for the key adjective? I don't think it's bad.

― woof, Thursday, 27 September 2012 11:01 (twelve years ago)

^ correct, i mean really ideally it should be 'from' or 'of', right? not sure that substituting other random prepositions is entirely acceptable.

― ledge, Thursday, 27 September 2012 11:08 (twelve years ago)

ikwym, but first def in chambers is 'belonging to the stars' and I think that gives you a bit of room for prepositional drift.

― woof, Thursday, 27 September 2012 11:12 (twelve years ago)

After Tuesday regret being faithful (wotd, 4)

― I got the Boyzone, I got the remedy (ledge), Wednesday, 3 October 2012 10:22 (twelve years ago)

nice.

― Arvo Pärt Chimp (Neil S), Wednesday, 3 October 2012 10:34 (twelve years ago)

i never know the wotd, feel like i'm drifting away from this thread ;_;

― Randy Carol (darraghmac), Wednesday, 3 October 2012 11:38 (twelve years ago)

so TRUE, funny how it seems...

― I got the Boyzone, I got the remedy (ledge), Wednesday, 3 October 2012 11:39 (twelve years ago)

hmm maybe i should ignore wotd and just guess as normal i spose. neat clue.

― Randy Carol (darraghmac), Wednesday, 3 October 2012 11:43 (twelve years ago)

of course they're normal clues, the wotd thing is just a handy resource for getting new words to clue, and it means people (yourself excepted, it's sad you have a shitty nokia) can look up the answer instead of bumping the thread with 'more letters please' which was always tedious and unproductive.

― I got the Boyzone, I got the remedy (ledge), Wednesday, 3 October 2012 11:53 (twelve years ago)

otm, i *do* have a shitty nokia ;_;

― Randy Carol (darraghmac), Wednesday, 3 October 2012 11:59 (twelve years ago)

granted case-by-case? (10)

― Randy Carol (darraghmac), Wednesday, 3 October 2012 12:04 (twelve years ago)

i'm stumped.

― I got the Boyzone, I got the remedy (ledge), Thursday, 4 October 2012 08:06 (twelve years ago)

wotd has made u soft imo

― Randy Carol (darraghmac), Thursday, 4 October 2012 08:35 (twelve years ago)

I finished the whole guardian crossword in less than a pint yesterday. (with the help of two colleagues.)

― I got the Boyzone, I got the remedy (ledge), Thursday, 4 October 2012 08:36 (twelve years ago)

give us some fuckin letters anyway

― I got the Boyzone, I got the remedy (ledge), Thursday, 4 October 2012 08:36 (twelve years ago)

_ e _ _ _s _ _o _ i'm too soft meself

― Randy Carol (darraghmac), Thursday, 4 October 2012 08:39 (twelve years ago)

per mission

― vegetarian beef (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 4 October 2012 08:47 (twelve years ago)

well i mean obv

― Randy Carol (darraghmac), Thursday, 4 October 2012 08:48 (twelve years ago)

nothing to do with suitcases then.

― I got the Boyzone, I got the remedy (ledge), Thursday, 4 October 2012 08:49 (twelve years ago)

look again

― Randy Carol (darraghmac), Thursday, 4 October 2012 08:53 (twelve years ago)

nah just kiddin

― Randy Carol (darraghmac), Thursday, 4 October 2012 09:06 (twelve years ago)

suitcases

Was trying to fit "appellation" or related into 10, myself. And now I would like a nice ~~case~~ glass of wine to while away the morning.

(No, it doesn't really work, but I am easily distracted into thoughts of drinking)

― still small voice of clam (a passing spacecadet), Thursday, 4 October 2012 09:42 (twelve years ago)

Dog bit fatigue? (9)

― vegetarian beef (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 4 October 2012 09:45 (twelve years ago)

lassitude

― I am the one and (onimo), Thursday, 4 October 2012 10:18 (twelve years ago)

not havin that, no 'sounds like', where's the 'e' in lassie (stuff your 'bit')

― Randy Carol (darraghmac), Thursday, 4 October 2012 10:35 (twelve years ago)

Doesn't the question mark indicate a "sounds like" or "ok I'm fucking with the convention here a wee bit"?

― I am the one and (onimo), Thursday, 4 October 2012 11:35 (twelve years ago)

"fucking with the convention a wee bit" yeah but discarding the entire clue-type indicator is more than a wee bit of fucking with.

― I got the Boyzone, I got the remedy (ledge), Thursday, 4 October 2012 11:40 (twelve years ago)

Question mark is fair-ish i thought, i wrestled with the clue for ages but cdn't get a fully satisfactory one.

not havin that, no 'sounds like', where's the 'e' in lassie (stuff your 'bit')

"Lassie chewed"

― vegetarian beef (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 4 October 2012 12:02 (twelve years ago)

i stand by the criticism, i got the soundalike but imo the clue needs to reference this and i don't forgive the missing 'e', this i never forgive you hear?

― Randy Carol (darraghmac), Thursday, 4 October 2012 12:06 (twelve years ago)

sounds like highland girl ate mechanically

― Randy Carol (darraghmac), Thursday, 4 October 2012 12:08 (twelve years ago)

mechanically?

― vegetarian beef (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 4 October 2012 12:08 (twelve years ago)

crossword beef, jesus d'you remember when ilx brough more to the table than this?

― Randy Carol (darraghmac), Thursday, 4 October 2012 12:09 (twelve years ago)

surface doesn't really make sense imo

― my father will guide me up the stairs to bed (anagram), Thursday, 4 October 2012 12:09 (twelve years ago)

spent five secs on it, tbf

― Randy Carol (darraghmac), Thursday, 4 October 2012 12:09 (twelve years ago)

surface on mine i thought, which doesn't, whole clue sucks tbf.

― vegetarian beef (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 4 October 2012 12:10 (twelve years ago)

sorry i meant the surface in nv's one

yep xp

― my father will guide me up the stairs to bed (anagram), Thursday, 4 October 2012 12:10 (twelve years ago)

i remember we used to go all capslock about the origin stories of gypsies, now it's fuckin inkblots from ten paces man what happened

― Randy Carol (darraghmac), Thursday, 4 October 2012 12:12 (twelve years ago)

'whole clue' doesn't suck but you're better than this imo, high standards etc

― Randy Carol (darraghmac), Thursday, 4 October 2012 12:13 (twelve years ago)

nah i agree i am pretty nitpicky about clues, allowed myself to be distracted by cute euphony

― vegetarian beef (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 4 October 2012 12:15 (twelve years ago)

This dismissal of NV's clue is making me solving it, something that I took pleasure and pride in, look worthless. Fuckers.

― I am the one and (onimo), Thursday, 4 October 2012 12:32 (twelve years ago)

i was gonna argue that you solving it proved it worked, i think we're arguing about aesthetics really

― vegetarian beef (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 4 October 2012 12:34 (twelve years ago)

hirtellous? devoir? what century are we living in?

― I got the Boyzone, I got the remedy (ledge), Friday, 5 October 2012 08:52 (twelve years ago)

hard version:

Outstanding artwork at no charge taken with promises-to-pay (wotd, 11)

― ledge, Monday, 8 October 2012 15:03 (twelve years ago)

.......ious

(you're welcome)

― koogs, Monday, 8 October 2012 15:18 (twelve years ago)

easier version because life is hard enough already, slightly improved surface also:

Outstanding illustration at no charge taken, given promises-to-pay (wotd, 11)

― ledge, Monday, 8 October 2012 15:25 (twelve years ago)

Or maybe...

Almost sick with desire, comes up to Mexican river and United States (wotd, 11)

― Baked. And yet so soupy. (Dan Peterson), Monday, 8 October 2012 16:05 (twelve years ago)

missing a definition!

― koogs, Monday, 8 October 2012 16:57 (twelve years ago)

GAH! That's what happens when you let amateurs write these things.

― Baked. And yet so soupy. (Dan Peterson), Monday, 8 October 2012 17:02 (twelve years ago)

Almost sick with desire, comes up to Mexican river and United States to be famous

― Baked. And yet so soupy. (Dan Peterson), Monday, 8 October 2012 17:07 (twelve years ago)

outstanding aircraft carrier (wotd 11)

― koogs, Monday, 8 October 2012 17:35 (twelve years ago)

^^^ never knew this before, that's good!

― Baked. And yet so soupy. (Dan Peterson), Monday, 8 October 2012 19:39 (twelve years ago)

good clues, high fives all round.

― ledge, Tuesday, 9 October 2012 08:59 (twelve years ago)

Spoiled food in divan (5, wotd)

― Baked. And yet so soupy. (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 9 October 2012 14:45 (twelve years ago)

that's like some kind of ... backwards inside-out indirect anagram? i don't even. you crazy yanks!

― ledge, Wednesday, 10 October 2012 09:14 (twelve years ago)

no, not really. anagram identifier is just on the wrong word (imo). anag(divan) = viand = food. i got it easily enough, but then i've been reading tess of the d'urbervilles... (which is the thing that one of the online dictionaries quotes as an example)

― koogs, Wednesday, 10 October 2012 09:23 (twelve years ago)

fave clue from sunday's everyman:

Marksman notes owl (12)

― koogs, Wednesday, 10 October 2012 09:25 (twelve years ago)

got it. nice one.

― my father will guide me up the stairs to bed (anagram), Wednesday, 10 October 2012 09:27 (twelve years ago)

yes that's v elegant.

― Arvo Pärt Chimp (Neil S), Wednesday, 10 October 2012 10:14 (twelve years ago)

(xposts) ah, I get what you're saying. (Sorry, learner's permit here.) So:

Messy divan holds food

would work better?

― Baked. And yet so soupy. (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 10 October 2012 13:54 (twelve years ago)

I just gut the marksman one too; that's great!

― Baked. And yet so soupy. (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 10 October 2012 14:13 (twelve years ago)

xp yeah that's cool

i can't get the owl one ;_;

― Always try to avoid setting up future opportunities for kicking yourself (ledge), Wednesday, 10 October 2012 16:52 (twelve years ago)

sharps
hooter
i laughed

― koogs, Wednesday, 10 October 2012 17:40 (twelve years ago)

D'oh

― Always try to avoid setting up future opportunities for kicking yourself (ledge), Wednesday, 10 October 2012 18:10 (twelve years ago)

Embraced by ned, snog ardently, head over heels, in show of cupidity (7,3; down clue)

― ledge, Monday, 15 October 2012 09:30 (twelve years ago)

Embraced by Ned, snog ardently, head over heels, in show of cupidity

― ledge, Monday, 15 October 2012 09:31 (twelve years ago)

c'mon guys this is gold

― ledge, Monday, 15 October 2012 14:08 (twelve years ago)

in your opinion 8)

dragons den

― koogs, Monday, 15 October 2012 15:22 (twelve years ago)

gold i tell ya

― ledge, Monday, 15 October 2012 15:25 (twelve years ago)

one from yesterday's observer:

Youth speaks about contemporary of J. Wayne? (5, 4)

― koogs, Monday, 15 October 2012 15:25 (twelve years ago)

Salad days but I don't get the j wayne ref...

― ledge, Tuesday, 16 October 2012 08:21 (twelve years ago)

I think it's an Alan Ladd reference. Says about A Ladd.

― Tim, Tuesday, 16 October 2012 08:25 (twelve years ago)

Never heard of him! Wonder why the clue didn't just say 'John Wayne', maybe we were meant to think John is too obvious, must be Jeff.

― ledge, Tuesday, 16 October 2012 08:30 (twelve years ago)

tim otm. and clue said 'j wayne' to match 'a ladd'.

i spent minutes trying to think of answers with 't mix' in them...

― koogs, Tuesday, 16 October 2012 08:52 (twelve years ago)

tim otm. and clue said 'j wayne' to match 'a ladd'.

d'oh.

― ledge, Tuesday, 16 October 2012 09:01 (twelve years ago)

mingled with contemporary of wayne, j (4)

― koogs, Tuesday, 16 October 2012 09:04 (twelve years ago)

Are you going for mixt?

I've certainly heard of Alan Ladd, though I couldn't name a single film of his off the top of my head, and I never would have been able to solve this without a lot of help.

This could go in the strange Wikipedia entries, just for the odd wording:

As with many Hollywood stars, Ladd is sometimes described as either a social adherent to, or member of, the gay subculture.[15]

― Sex Kitten mind control slave (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 16 October 2012 15:39 (twelve years ago)

mixt, yes. it's a word! who knew?

(contemporary might be pushing it though, earlier generation)

― koogs, Tuesday, 16 October 2012 16:58 (twelve years ago)

Inspired by walking past the 5-a-side courts to and from work every day:

Footballers cry "Lynam!" before beginning first soccer film (5,3,7)

― ledge, Wednesday, 17 October 2012 08:40 (twelve years ago)

Haha awesome. Got the first two words then had to google the film name, but that's because I am ignorant of film.

― Tim, Wednesday, 17 October 2012 09:57 (twelve years ago)

no idea

golf run, maybe 10 cricket pitches (7, wotd)

― koogs, Wednesday, 17 October 2012 16:13 (twelve years ago)

yep

― a pass-agg to indier (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 17 October 2012 16:15 (twelve years ago)

no idea

man on + des + source + s

― ledge, Thursday, 18 October 2012 11:04 (twelve years ago)

weirdly, owls become shrewd (7-4, wotd)

― koogs, Thursday, 18 October 2012 14:42 (twelve years ago)

nice. First one in a while I've got!

― Arvo Pärt Chimp (Neil S), Thursday, 18 October 2012 15:26 (twelve years ago)

Are you going for mixt?
I've certainly heard of Alan Ladd, though I couldn't name a single film of his off the top of my head

for shane, ilx, for shane.

― Fizzles, Monday, 22 October 2012 08:02 (twelve years ago)

Finds O/S (9)

The answer is discovers. I'm drawing a total blank here. What the hell is O/S?

― Sex Kitten mind control slave (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 23 October 2012 13:55 (twelve years ago)

Disc Over S ??

― rhino what boys like (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 23 October 2012 13:56 (twelve years ago)

"O" = disc
"/" = over
"s" = s

― rhino what boys like (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 23 October 2012 13:57 (twelve years ago)

groan...

― Sex Kitten mind control slave (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 23 October 2012 14:12 (twelve years ago)

guardian today was a bitch fyi, made worse by fifteensquared.net being all "this did not trouble me at all". punk = tinder? ok grandad.

― ledge, Tuesday, 23 October 2012 14:24 (twelve years ago)

i've half a desire to become an public official (8, wotd)

― koogs, Wednesday, 24 October 2012 12:20 (twelve years ago)

neat but very simple imo

― i will fondue, and i will killue (darraghmac), Wednesday, 24 October 2012 12:27 (twelve years ago)

make fake (5)

― koogs, Sunday, 28 October 2012 17:47 (twelve years ago)

forge

model also nearly kinda sorta works.

― itt: 'splaining men (ledge), Monday, 29 October 2012 09:32 (twelve years ago)

Spectre revealed by sycophant as monster. (8) WOTD

― Sex Kitten mind control slave (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 31 October 2012 17:33 (twelve years ago)

one of my fave films :)

― chow mein kampf (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 31 October 2012 17:36 (twelve years ago)

Nice one!

― flamboyant goon tie included, Wednesday, 31 October 2012 17:55 (twelve years ago)

there have been some nice unclued words lately - eidolon, mawkish, loup-garou, cantrip

untearable, tricksy (7 wotd, it's right there, look)

― koogs, Wednesday, 31 October 2012 18:00 (twelve years ago)

Supreme happiness of topless dude pursuing proto hippy generation with sex appeal (9, wotd)

― itt: 'splaining men (ledge), Thursday, 1 November 2012 14:54 (twelve years ago)

trademark ledge clue there...

― koogs, Thursday, 1 November 2012 15:14 (twelve years ago)

you mean an awkwardly worded and obvious charade? ;)

― itt: 'splaining men (ledge), Thursday, 1 November 2012 15:19 (twelve years ago)

lots of words chiselled into bits and reassembled.

― koogs, Thursday, 1 November 2012 15:29 (twelve years ago)

they're the most fun to come up with imo, but i should branch out a bit.

― itt: 'splaining men (ledge), Thursday, 1 November 2012 15:34 (twelve years ago)

> lots of words chiselled into bits and reassembled.

like a 1-d mosaic

― koogs, Thursday, 1 November 2012 15:42 (twelve years ago)

hexagonal bit causes conflict (4 wotd)

― koogs, Thursday, 1 November 2012 15:50 (twelve years ago)

(not a word i knew tbh)

― koogs, Thursday, 1 November 2012 15:50 (twelve years ago)

Dutch rave music, unusual at first, is confusing source of irritation. (7 wotd)

― By the end of my second term, Gingrich said... (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 6 November 2012 12:48 (twelve years ago)

oof. that's like you're double encrypting something. is a step too far.

― koogs, Tuesday, 6 November 2012 12:57 (twelve years ago)

ah, gabber. yeah indirect anagrams are a big no-no, shame as it's a really nice surface.

― itt: 'splaining men (ledge), Tuesday, 6 November 2012 12:59 (twelve years ago)

(fyi it's just considered unfair to expect the solver to guess a synonym and then anagrammise it.)

― itt: 'splaining men (ledge), Tuesday, 6 November 2012 13:31 (twelve years ago)

From today's Guardian:

Ointment for a Frenchman round the bend? (7)

― Neil S, Tuesday, 6 November 2012 13:33 (twelve years ago)

one of my favourite words.

― itt: 'splaining men (ledge), Tuesday, 6 November 2012 13:42 (twelve years ago)

could've just put Gabber in the clue above tbh, made it a straightforward anagram.

― koogs, Tuesday, 6 November 2012 14:03 (twelve years ago)

^^^ yeah, I should've done it that way. Still learnin'.

― By the end of my second term, Gingrich said... (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 6 November 2012 14:56 (twelve years ago)

Practice makes perf... uh, better than the last one?

Edible stem, cob lie scattered (10, wotd)

― By the end of my second term, Gingrich said... (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 7 November 2012 22:55 (twelve years ago)

Solid.

Araucaria today, had to look up three or four (obscure queens: zenocrate, hippolyta) and look up the explanations for another four or five (odyl = a hypothetical force, who knew?)

― Dog the Puffin Hunter (ledge), Thursday, 8 November 2012 14:13 (twelve years ago)

I think this works. wotd

Ecosystem Wind Erosion: revealing, stirring speech. (4-6)

― By the end of my second term, Gingrich said... (Dan Peterson), Thursday, 8 November 2012 17:35 (twelve years ago)

(fyi it's just considered unfair to expect the solver to guess a synonym and then anagrammise it.)

― itt: 'splaining men (ledge), Tuesday, 6 November 2012 13:31 (2 days ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

i swear the guardian setters do this all the time

― Yorkshire lass born and bred, that's me, said Katriona's hologram. (thomp), Thursday, 8 November 2012 17:38 (twelve years ago)

Nah man I do the grauniad every fucking day and if they pulled that shit i would fucking do one.

― Dog the Puffin Hunter (ledge), Thursday, 8 November 2012 22:26 (twelve years ago)

yeah you can turn 90 degrees once and once only imo

― threat of the author (darraghmac), Thursday, 8 November 2012 23:08 (twelve years ago)

(fyi it's just considered unfair to expect the solver to guess a synonym and then anagrammise it.)

Not synonym exactly, but this one from The Nation is kinda in that ballpark:

Sort of where the partridge was at Christmas? That's clever! (8)

― By the end of my second term, Gingrich said... (Dan Peterson), Saturday, 10 November 2012 19:42 (twelve years ago)

i think if you can work them out (repartee, right?) and understand how you've worked them out then they're at least technically legit

― movember spawned a nobster (Noodle Vague), Saturday, 10 November 2012 20:40 (twelve years ago)

Yeah. You guys are better at these than I am, and I guess there's only one obvious answer for this (peartree) vs. Dutch rave music, but I stared at this for a long time before I figured out it was a solve and then anagram clue.

― By the end of my second term, Gingrich said... (Dan Peterson), Saturday, 10 November 2012 22:42 (twelve years ago)

tbh Dutch rave music only ever equalled Gabber to me when i read yr clue

― movember spawned a nobster (Noodle Vague), Saturday, 10 November 2012 22:58 (twelve years ago)

lols at today's words of the day...

― koogs, Tuesday, 13 November 2012 12:41 (twelve years ago)

maybe try to combine them somehow...

― koogs, Tuesday, 13 November 2012 12:42 (twelve years ago)

could you re-up the links for word of the day? i never know where i'm looking

― only Brod can judge me (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 13 November 2012 13:11 (twelve years ago)

http://dictionary.reference.com/wordoftheday

http://www.merriam-webster.com/word-of-the-day

this also useful:
http://wordsmith.org/anagram/

― koogs, Tuesday, 13 November 2012 13:19 (twelve years ago)

― only Brod can judge me (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 13 November 2012 13:45 (twelve years ago)

reveal breasts after attractive woman goes bottomless (wotd 7)

― Dog the Puffin Hunter (ledge), Tuesday, 13 November 2012 13:51 (twelve years ago)

er i mean (8)

― Dog the Puffin Hunter (ledge), Tuesday, 13 November 2012 13:52 (twelve years ago)

Confess hell rests on boobs (8)

― only Brod can judge me (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 13 November 2012 14:02 (twelve years ago)

grauniad is getting more and more risque btw:

Bird gets to lick syrup around man's rear (7)

― Dog the Puffin Hunter (ledge), Tuesday, 13 November 2012 14:03 (twelve years ago)

Bird's vitals gets ILB all aflutter. (7 wotd)

― ledge, Wednesday, 21 November 2012 12:28 (twelve years ago)

mmmmmm

― only Brod can judge me (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 21 November 2012 12:34 (twelve years ago)

Ok ok, should've thought a bit longer.

Swift's contents gets ILB all aflutter

― ledge, Wednesday, 21 November 2012 12:43 (twelve years ago)

got it, nice! One for the US people this week...

― Neil S, Wednesday, 21 November 2012 12:43 (twelve years ago)

I liked this one in today's Guardian:

Painter of some force? (9)

― Neil S, Monday, 26 November 2012 13:30 (twelve years ago)

yeah we enjoyed that one.

― ledge, Monday, 26 November 2012 14:41 (twelve years ago)

I've actually nearly managed to finish today's, which I'm pretty pleased about, even if Rufus' puzzles tend to be easier than those set by say Araucaria.

― Neil S, Monday, 26 November 2012 14:48 (twelve years ago)

From one I just completed:

In a very short time, it may be this month. (7)

The answer is instant, because according to internet research "we received your letter of the 10th instant" was actually a thing that could be typed in a business letter in, oh, say 1865...

― By the end of my second term, Gingrich said... (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 28 November 2012 19:39 (twelve years ago)

stuffy busy guys will still use "of the 1st inst." occassionally i believe

― Shane Breen is a gigantic tool (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 28 November 2012 21:08 (twelve years ago)

stuffy business guys i meant :p

it's a usage i suspect most Brits wdn't know either

― Shane Breen is a gigantic tool (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 28 November 2012 21:09 (twelve years ago)

There are also 'ultimo' and 'proximo!' Almost every example I can find seems antiquated as all hell. Might lawyers still use this, maybe? I learn something new every day.

“Besides the loss which he sustained on the night of the 23d ultimo, which is estimated at 400, he cannot have suffered less between that period and the morning of the 18th instant than 3000; having, within that time, been repulsed in two general attempts to drive us from our position, and there having been continual cannonading and skirmishing during the whole of it.”
The Medallic History of the United States of America 1776-1876

― Naked webcam celebrity (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 28 November 2012 21:45 (twelve years ago)

I think ultimo or proximo might have the odd xword appearance over here, i remember my solving companions talking about them a little while back.

― ledge, Thursday, 29 November 2012 09:16 (twelve years ago)

I think "inst." and "ult" are more a Civil Service kind of thing than a business thing, I used to see them from time to time when I worked in the Civil Service.

― my father will guide me up the stairs to bed (anagram), Thursday, 29 November 2012 10:40 (twelve years ago)

inst/ult still v much a thing ime

― bill paxman (darraghmac), Thursday, 29 November 2012 11:51 (twelve years ago)

One from the observer, will give you one letter which is more of a help than it might seem:

In which every second one is a starter (12)

-a----------

― ledge, Sunday, 2 December 2012 16:50 (twelve years ago)

ok, got that. needed a couple of other letters though.

― koogs, Monday, 3 December 2012 12:53 (twelve years ago)

lots of "a"s in the solution?

― Neil S, Monday, 3 December 2012 12:56 (twelve years ago)

there's a clue in the clue 8)

― koogs, Monday, 3 December 2012 13:14 (twelve years ago)

The puzzle I just completed has typos in the solution. Their answer is TAISG.

Not a thick string, but only one with an obsession has it. (5)

I got the answer, but how are they getting G from string? I know G is where one of 6 strings is tuned on a guitar, but...

― Naked webcam celebrity (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 4 December 2012 17:24 (twelve years ago)

G-string as in underwear?

― How do you say Dedéckenbauer, Dedélícia, Dedélíte? (onimo), Tuesday, 4 December 2012 17:36 (twelve years ago)

Oh, jeez, yeah probably. My mind never went there.

― Naked webcam celebrity (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 4 December 2012 17:38 (twelve years ago)

Still kinda clumsy, I think.

― Naked webcam celebrity (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 4 December 2012 17:39 (twelve years ago)

Sales decoration of old? (John's country relative had one, in other words.) (7)

Editor's note: If you "get" the first part, please write... we don't!

This was difficult but clever (starts with L if you want a hint) and I don't know what's up with the first part either.

― Naked webcam celebrity (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 4 December 2012 18:05 (twelve years ago)

(taramasalata btw)

― koogs, Tuesday, 4 December 2012 18:06 (twelve years ago)

^^^ ah, awesome! Glanced at that, but never would have gotten it w/o research.

― Naked webcam celebrity (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 4 December 2012 18:11 (twelve years ago)

nice, taramasalata is awesome too

― Neil S, Tuesday, 4 December 2012 18:20 (twelve years ago)

Here's one I just made up myself!

Nigel crazy, but retains marbles? (5)

― Neil S, Friday, 7 December 2012 13:46 (twelve years ago)

That's a good one but quite easy.

― Eyeball Kicks, Friday, 7 December 2012 13:46 (twelve years ago)

yeah I thought it was easy but quite elegant!

― Neil S, Friday, 7 December 2012 13:47 (twelve years ago)

"thanks, man, for the mexican food" (6, wotd)

― koogs, Friday, 7 December 2012 18:43 (twelve years ago)

RE The puzzle I just had to look at the solution to complete: Anyone who can look at "My USA and Upstage" and come up with Guy De Maupassant is better at anagrams and knows more about literature than I do.

― Rocking Disco Santa (Dan Peterson), Monday, 17 December 2012 15:07 (twelve years ago)

Did the crossword for the first time in ages the other week. Flew through it - Araucaria's recent Greek tragedy one. Proceeded to call myself a Titan of Crosswords despite knowing that it was, had to be, staggeringly easy. Oh, there was a great one for Agamemnon tho - First among men.

― Fizzles, Wednesday, 19 December 2012 17:13 (twelve years ago)

One of the funnier surface readings I've seen in a while:

Your pipe isn't quite full, so how about a little cheese? (4)

― Rocking Disco Santa (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 19 December 2012 17:32 (twelve years ago)

i've recently started getting into cryptic crosswords and have got to the stage where i'm pretty much solving them by guessing which bit of the clue means the answer and going by, idk, general knowledge and knowledge of etymology etc. it's satisfying when i can actually use the crypticness of the clue to work it out but too often i find that i guess correctly but i have NO IDEA how it pertains to the clue (and by implication, if i hadn't guessed i wouldn't have had a chance of getting it). this is a bit frustrating. do people usually get past it?

― lex pretend, Friday, 21 December 2012 12:44 (twelve years ago)

eg in today's grau crossword:

drink served up after Greek character's eaten ham (7)

I have the answer because it was a word that fit but I have no idea! at all! how it relates to that clue

― lex pretend, Friday, 21 December 2012 12:45 (twelve years ago)

i'd be lying if i said this still isn't at least partly how i solve a lot of clues, but i can usually work backwards to get the rest of it

― banlieue jagger (darraghmac), Friday, 21 December 2012 13:09 (twelve years ago)

I'm still getting the hang of all of this, but I think it's all about recognising which devices are being used, or might be being used, in a particular clue, and then playing with them... The Guardian had a useful series on lots of these devices here: http://www.guardian.co.uk/crosswords/series/cryptic-crosswords-for-beginners

Every cryptic clue should have a definition in it, and in this case it is "ham" (so the solution will be either a synonym or a word that is closely related to this - and often not in the most obvious sense, or the one suggested by the surface meaning of the clue). The rest of the clue is the cryptic part, and one of the devices being used is highlighted by the phrase "served up" - as this is a down clue, it means that this part of the clue will be backwards, or literally written upwards. "Greek character" refers to a letter from the Greek alphabet - in this case "eta" which has been "eaten" (or swallowed up) by the drink. The letter "a" from the start of the clue kicks it off, so the solution is (I think) A + (RU(ETA)M) backwards...

― jlgt, Friday, 21 December 2012 13:14 (twelve years ago)

OHHHHH. I

a) didn't make the link between "up" and "backwards"
b) the initial "a" threw me off completely (I find that cryptic setters often just add a letter in randomly? like there's often one letter that you're SURE has nothing to do with anything in the clue)*
c) dunno if i'd have remembered "eta", i was kind of stuck on the greek letter being alpha as in the a at the start

*like:

Utter contempt, say, in poor Sir Alec's case (9)

where "ge" somehow relates to "case"? really?

"God has never-ending position within the big leagues (6)" eludes me as well (the meaning, again, the solution was easy)

― lex pretend, Friday, 21 December 2012 13:28 (twelve years ago)

imo a really good setter should add nothing to the clue that isn't clue or definition, but obviously a lot of setters fall below this ideal.

guessing what the solution is and then figuring out why is still the way i solve at least half the clues i read and i'd imagine that's true for a lot of us, deciphering the clue is like a confirmation that you've guessed the correct word.

the conventions really do get more obvious with practice.

― Captain Humberbantz (Noodle Vague), Friday, 21 December 2012 14:18 (twelve years ago)

i think redudant letters are pretty rare, very occasionally someone will play a bit fast n loose for the sake of a witty reading. connectors between wordplay and definition are allowed (is, becomes, for, from, to, many many others). the 'ge' there does elude me. ok http://www.fifteensquared.net/ says it's 'e.g.' ('say') in 'sir alec', still not sure what the 'case' is doing.

god=mars, position=job without the b (never ending).

Your pipe isn't quite full, so how about a little cheese? (4)

OK STILL CAN'T GET THIS ONE

― ledge, Friday, 21 December 2012 14:24 (twelve years ago)

god=mars, position=job without the b (never ending).

duhhhhhh. these are things i know!

h8 h8 h8 the 4-letter answers, there always seems to be way too much info packed into the clue for too short a word - almost always get them last (by which point they're (mostly) obvious)

― lex pretend, Friday, 21 December 2012 14:29 (twelve years ago)

i'm always impressed by the huge clues for short words. as a crap amateur clue writer there's a knack to the long ones that eludes me.

― ledge, Friday, 21 December 2012 14:36 (twelve years ago)

Your pipe isn't quite full, so how about a little cheese? (4)

OK STILL CAN'T GET THIS ONE

Four letter word for a kind of cheese, ending in E.

I didn't get it either, needed the answer key because the first and third letters were unchecked, and the second linked to a phrase I had never heard of (Breeches Buoy) so I didn't get that either.

― Rocking Disco Santa (Dan Peterson), Friday, 21 December 2012 15:09 (twelve years ago)

can think of a cheese but not the pipe connection. there's a briar pipe, not brier...

― ledge, Friday, 21 December 2012 15:11 (twelve years ago)

That's it, but I assumed brier was an alternate British spelling!

― Rocking Disco Santa (Dan Peterson), Friday, 21 December 2012 15:13 (twelve years ago)

briar [entry 2] | brier | briar pipe
a tobacco pipe made from woody nodules borne at ground level by a large woody plant of the heather family. | the tree heath, which bears the nodules ... (27 of 55 words, 2 definitions,

― Rocking Disco Santa (Dan Peterson), Friday, 21 December 2012 15:14 (twelve years ago)

ok i should rely on proper dictionaries not just google searches

― ledge, Friday, 21 December 2012 15:18 (twelve years ago)

Sir Alec, above, I think case is just an extra indicator that 'eg' is being contained.

― woof, Friday, 21 December 2012 15:32 (twelve years ago)

Guardian/Al has good list of irritations this week.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/crosswords/crossword-blog/2012/dec/20/crossword-roundup-clues-you-hate
Think we've covered most of them (cricket), but cosign on boy/girl especially.

― woof, Friday, 21 December 2012 15:37 (twelve years ago)

Lex, I looked at The Guardian. The "ham" clue actually starts "A drink served..." That A is there for a reason.

― Rocking Disco Santa (Dan Peterson), Friday, 21 December 2012 15:41 (twelve years ago)

Your pipe isn't quite full, so how about a little cheese? (4)

lol i went for a run (going for a run with a fiendish cryptic crossword makes you run really fast! who knew) and all i came up with in that hour was the very tenuous THAT, which i justified along the lines of

cheese = old rubbish = tat (I KNOW it's tenuous)
how = h
put THAT in your pipe and smoke it

― lex pretend, Friday, 21 December 2012 15:44 (twelve years ago)

completely fucking wrong obviously

― lex pretend, Friday, 21 December 2012 15:44 (twelve years ago)

weirdly the very first cheese i thought of was BRIE but i couldn't see any link to the rest of the clue so i dismissed it. i've never heard of this "brie/ar pipe" thing

― lex pretend, Friday, 21 December 2012 15:45 (twelve years ago)

i thought long and hard about "brier" and nothing i've found indicates it's an acceptable variant for "briar" so clue guy can get tae fuck tbh

― Captain Humberbantz (Noodle Vague), Saturday, 22 December 2012 11:47 (twelve years ago)

The OED lists "brier" as the main spelling even though most of the citations are for "briar".

Lex, you may not know the "rules" of crosswords but you are clearly a hell of a lot better at them than me and I do know some of the rules. Well, the ones which don't involve cricket or antiquated abbreviations never seen outside crosswords, which isn't very many of them.

― a panda, Malmö (a passing spacecadet), Saturday, 22 December 2012 12:52 (twelve years ago)

i've got the hang of some rules but knowing the rules doesn't necessarily mean you get the answers :(

pretty proud of myself for completing about a third of today's grau prize crossword (so far) ON MY OWN!!! without the bf. i have literally no idea how 45a pertains to the clue though (only got it cuz i know my capitals).

― lex pretend, Saturday, 22 December 2012 13:06 (twelve years ago)

Lex, you may not know the "rules" of crosswords but you are clearly a hell of a lot better at them than me

brier is some bullshit btw.

― Fizzles, Saturday, 22 December 2012 13:25 (twelve years ago)

for real

― Captain Humberbantz (Noodle Vague), Saturday, 22 December 2012 13:41 (twelve years ago)

god i desperately need to know whether am on completely wrong track w/r/t 14a

― lex pretend, Saturday, 22 December 2012 14:31 (twelve years ago)

i like this clue!

Greek play, sly one, exposed layers of feminism (10)

― lex pretend, Saturday, 22 December 2012 14:44 (twelve years ago)

I like it but at first I thought "play" was doing double duty because I hadn't seen "exposed" as an anagram indicator before, though I guess it works, etymologically.

Dunno if I'm on the right track with 14A as I haven't got anything crossing it, but I've got an opening letter from one word, 3 letters I haven't quite accounted for but might be a synonym of "with", a French translation for one of the words in the clue, and a colour, all meaning "smoothed over"

(Araucaria tends to play a bit fast and loose with accounting for all the bits in my experience so it's not always worth fussing over the smaller details for his crosswords. This is where I note for like the 60th time on this thread that I don't like his style as much as apparently everyone else does)

― a panda, Malmö (a passing spacecadet), Saturday, 22 December 2012 15:25 (twelve years ago)

oh your 14a sounds MUCH more plausible than mine. why am i such an idiot, fixating on something obviously wrong for so long.

6a is doing my head in, i have an answer which is so plausible but it CAN'T end in that letter, it just can't!

― lex pretend, Saturday, 22 December 2012 15:34 (twelve years ago)

(my 14a was SUPERFICIAL, i had no idea what the -FICIAL bit could possibly relate to, and i got the colour but couldn't think of a way to fit it in and oh god i am STUPID at these)

― lex pretend, Saturday, 22 December 2012 15:35 (twelve years ago)

OMG 7d just UNLOCKS the entire thing

― lex pretend, Saturday, 22 December 2012 15:43 (twelve years ago)

if anyone cares to explain

Quizmaster doctoring around hospital unknown (6)

go right ahead because i have the answer and absolutely no idea how it makes sense, none at all

― lex pretend, Saturday, 22 December 2012 15:46 (twelve years ago)

Householder is French, carrying load (8)

^^THIS ONE'S GREAT

― lex pretend, Saturday, 22 December 2012 16:29 (twelve years ago)

xp spin doctoring, h=hospital, x=unknown (algebra, y commonly used too)

― ledge, Saturday, 22 December 2012 16:37 (twelve years ago)

First thought was 'doctor ring' ie anag of ring - that's a sneaky trick you see sometimes.

― ledge, Saturday, 22 December 2012 16:38 (twelve years ago)

Except it would have to be 'doctor ing', ok, tired here.

― ledge, Saturday, 22 December 2012 16:39 (twelve years ago)

rmde @ having to get "spin" from "doctoring"

in a bizarre twist I've worked out

Make a face and be sick — over here best? (3,4)

from the cryptic stuff but not the actual meaning - idgi. it MUST be this answer because i have all of the verticals...

― lex pretend, Saturday, 22 December 2012 16:41 (twelve years ago)

I assume that (3,4) is the ----ing (4) on the --- (3) side of a boat (good for being seasick over) but it's not something that immediately came to mind until I had the letters

http://www.flickr.com/photos/cathys_photos/281097467/

Had not heard of the answer to "Beast (American) that doesn't go to sea (4)", I expect the pub quiz buffs know this stuff but I had to plug my guess into wikipedia

― a panda, Malmö (a passing spacecadet), Saturday, 22 December 2012 17:33 (twelve years ago)

I assume that (3,4) is the ----ing (4) on the --- (3) side of a boat (good for being seasick over) but it's not something that immediately came to mind until I had the letters

FFS FFS FFS

right, i have come to some sort of impasse. i have the following yet to get:

6a, 17a, 20a, 40a, 46a, 47a, 49a
8d, 9d, 11d, 27d, 28d, 33d, 34d, 42d

HELLLPPPPP this is consuming me

― lex pretend, Saturday, 22 December 2012 19:35 (twelve years ago)

oh yeah and 45a which i can't relate to the clue at all

― lex pretend, Saturday, 22 December 2012 19:36 (twelve years ago)

8d comes is an old French phrase if that's any help

― Captain Humberbantz (Noodle Vague), Saturday, 22 December 2012 20:05 (twelve years ago)

OK 45 across

"for good" = AY Retiring (going backwards) = YA

pupil = "L" for Learner

leaves English school = OUND(L)E

African capital = YAOUNDE

― Captain Humberbantz (Noodle Vague), Saturday, 22 December 2012 20:12 (twelve years ago)

i got 46a by basically DESPERATELY READING A DICTIONARY and a few others fell into place after that - don't really understand 34d though

"for good" = AY

really?! i have never heard of "ay" being used like that. suspicious

never heard of oundle either

― lex pretend, Saturday, 22 December 2012 20:15 (twelve years ago)

Oundle is a semi-famous public school

Ay = forever in Scots

― Captain Humberbantz (Noodle Vague), Saturday, 22 December 2012 20:17 (twelve years ago)

cryptic crosswords giveth and taketh away. one minute you're feeling smug for having heard of lysistrata, the next it's all "i have never even HEARD OF that"

― lex pretend, Saturday, 22 December 2012 20:24 (twelve years ago)

aha lysistrata, thanks

― Captain Humberbantz (Noodle Vague), Saturday, 22 December 2012 20:27 (twelve years ago)

is "wick" some sort of obscure term for a thousand or something? wrt 6a

(yes i am still doing this goddamnit)

― lex pretend, Sunday, 23 December 2012 07:52 (twelve years ago)

11d is one of those that makes perfect sense but i could have stared at that clue for a million years and never decoded it

― lex pretend, Sunday, 23 December 2012 07:56 (twelve years ago)

Very little space for food — I thrash wildly about (5,7)

^^utterly baffled why this is what it has to be

― lex pretend, Sunday, 23 December 2012 08:07 (twelve years ago)

I HAVE FINISHED IT!!!!!!!!!!!!

― lex pretend, Sunday, 23 December 2012 10:37 (twelve years ago)

Congrats!

indefinite number = n
repeated = twice
1000 = k
amateur = ham

other is anagram of "i thrash" with "bread" (food) in the middle

― a panda, Malmö (a passing spacecadet), Sunday, 23 December 2012 10:39 (twelve years ago)

yeah i worked out the latter one, i'd got 30a slightly wrong. good clue! as opposed to "twickenham" which is just tortuous kmt

― lex pretend, Sunday, 23 December 2012 10:48 (twelve years ago)

Both of the above are well into the "would never guess from the clue, can only find words that fit the letters and justify it from there" category for me. The anagram part of the bread one was obvious from the start but with 5 unknown letters missing I didn't get it until right near the end.

― a panda, Malmö (a passing spacecadet), Sunday, 23 December 2012 11:00 (twelve years ago)

it was the second to last one i got - basically got it because the ___d_h ending is so rare, it pretty much had to be a t in there, and hey presto "breadth" and oh right HAIRS.

― lex pretend, Sunday, 23 December 2012 11:15 (twelve years ago)

happy enough with brier but it's ye're language i spose

― banlieue jagger (darraghmac), Sunday, 23 December 2012 11:47 (twelve years ago)

congrats lex, finishing a prize araucaria is not to be sniffed at. started this morning, did not shun the help of this thread and i've got three and a half of the bastards to go.

― ledge, Sunday, 23 December 2012 13:04 (twelve years ago)

Increased production and went in to eat. (7)

I'll give you the checked letters, and see if you're as amused by their use of 'went' as I was!

S_E_D_P

― Rocking Disco Santa (Dan Peterson), Monday, 24 December 2012 16:46 (twelve years ago)

haha, but how is that one word?

― lex pretend, Monday, 24 December 2012 17:00 (twelve years ago)

like i've never even seen it hyphenated

― lex pretend, Monday, 24 December 2012 17:00 (twelve years ago)

I've never seen it as one word either, but found it actually exists. A request to increase production (usually without an increase in pay) is a....

― Rocking Disco Santa (Dan Peterson), Monday, 24 December 2012 17:02 (twelve years ago)

I quit experiment after difficult chores entailing many instruments (10)

Easy answer, but why am I not getting how 'I quit' works in this?

― Rocking Disco Santa (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 26 December 2012 15:25 (twelve years ago)

Tral = trial (experiment) minus I.

― Tim, Wednesday, 26 December 2012 15:37 (twelve years ago)

(the letter I has quit the word trial, in case that wasn't clear)

― Tim, Wednesday, 26 December 2012 15:38 (twelve years ago)

Ah, thanks! I think I suck the worst at the ones where I have to think of a synonym and then remove a letter. My mind doesn't work that way for some reason.

― Rocking Disco Santa (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 26 December 2012 15:40 (twelve years ago)

today i liked

The policeman in Perpignan releasing me before the end of Absolutely Fabulous (9)

very much

― lex pretend, Wednesday, 26 December 2012 16:35 (twelve years ago)

Nice. I'm doing Sunday's Everyman, and the clue is: Father Christmas, very large, captured by artist in California City. (5,4)

Is very large OS for oversized and artist RA for Royal Academician? Because holy hell...

― Rocking Disco Santa (Dan Peterson), Friday, 28 December 2012 21:46 (twelve years ago)

did anyone try the Xmas FT? 52 paired clues, alphabetically ordered answers with 2 of each letter, one each of the clues not fully defined with those clues having a common theme. You then have to fit in the answers jigsaw-style. Killed a lot of time over Xmas, still didn't finish it!

― Neil S, Friday, 28 December 2012 22:24 (twelve years ago)

xp yes, Dan, that looks right.

― Fizzles, Saturday, 29 December 2012 08:31 (twelve years ago)

RA is one of those ones like cricket abbreviations I've never seen in my life.

― Rocking Disco Santa (Dan Peterson), Saturday, 29 December 2012 14:38 (twelve years ago)

fairly common I find. they're with all the cricketers, sailors, university graduates and other f'ing ranks, poring with interest over the periodic table in that big geometrically chequered house in the setter's mind.

― Fizzles, Saturday, 29 December 2012 14:46 (twelve years ago)

i do sometimes feel like applying the rules of cryptic crosswords to vaguely contemporary stuff like, idk, nicki minaj references

― lex pretend, Saturday, 29 December 2012 14:48 (twelve years ago)

I don't know if this exactly follows the rules, but:

Rapper's picnic: Kim, in a jazz group, appearing. (5,5)

― Rocking Disco Santa (Dan Peterson), Sunday, 30 December 2012 16:06 (twelve years ago)

Coming to realize that my education is lacking in the likes of Shakespeare, Dickens etc. Do most people know that "Southey and his friends" were the Lake Poets?

Example: Sailor-neighbors of Chaucer's wife? One might consider them tubby. (4,5)

Actually my teenage son, attending a classics-based charter school, is getting more of these references than I do.

― Rocking Disco Santa (Dan Peterson), Thursday, 10 January 2013 15:13 (twelve years ago)

yeah I think UK cryptics assume a certain knowledge of this kind of thing.

― my father will guide me up the stairs to bed (anagram), Thursday, 10 January 2013 15:30 (twelve years ago)

lol the Chaucer one.

yeah a lot of crosswords assume certain kinds of erudite knowledge and "literature" wd be part of that

― Broken Clock Britain (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 10 January 2013 15:37 (twelve years ago)

betraying my lack of such knowledge, but solution please!

― Neil S, Thursday, 10 January 2013 15:38 (twelve years ago)

Chaucer's wife = BATH
Sailors = SALTS

"Find in a tub" = "tubby" = "BATH SALTS"

― Broken Clock Britain (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 10 January 2013 15:39 (twelve years ago)

Bath salts. The trifecta of Chaucer ref, antiquated sailor ref and groaner pun was just lol... okay... I have a lot to learn.

I needed a new screen name anyhoo.

― Sailor-neighbor of Chaucer's wife (Tubby) (Dan Peterson), Thursday, 10 January 2013 15:39 (twelve years ago)

first word is a wifely character in Chaucer, second is a slang word for sailors

whole thing is something you might add to a bath

xxp

― my father will guide me up the stairs to bed (anagram), Thursday, 10 January 2013 15:40 (twelve years ago)

thx, I get it! good clue!

― Neil S, Thursday, 10 January 2013 15:40 (twelve years ago)

god knows why certain things come up so much in cryptics. as soon as i see "sailor" i'm gonna think "salt", "tar", "RN"...it seems odd to have so much nauticality so commonly used

― Broken Clock Britain (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 10 January 2013 15:41 (twelve years ago)

you forgot AB

― heartless restaurant reviewer (ledge), Thursday, 10 January 2013 15:41 (twelve years ago)

esp Rufus in the Gdn on Mondays, he's notorious for his nautical refs

― my father will guide me up the stairs to bed (anagram), Thursday, 10 January 2013 15:42 (twelve years ago)

That recent Araucaria with the Winter's Tale theme was rather beyond me in that respect. My work newsletter does a bumper Christmas issue with a crossword every year and the latest one had a Dickens theme, which was a bit daunting at first, but thankfully it only needed a knowledge of titles, not characters or plots.

That seems a fairer way to do it to me, but then my education is also pretty lacking when it comes to these things. Not really that my school didn't do those things, just that I never found the classics we did do interesting enough to get around to the others in my spare time. I've sort of meant to catch up on the complete works of Shakespeare one day but the entire concept of the Great Victorian Novel still fills me with dread tbh

(I quite liked that Chaucer one, though the second sentence seemed unnecessary)

― a panda, Malmö (a passing spacecadet), Thursday, 10 January 2013 15:42 (twelve years ago)

but the second sentence is the definition part, without that there is no def.

― my father will guide me up the stairs to bed (anagram), Thursday, 10 January 2013 15:43 (twelve years ago)

I think my point stands though, that several of you are getting all that without any of the cross-letters, and even if i have I have them I'm often wtf.

― Sailor-neighbor of Chaucer's wife (Tubby) (Dan Peterson), Thursday, 10 January 2013 15:45 (twelve years ago)

god knows why certain things come up so much in cryptics. as soon as i see "sailor" i'm gonna think "salt", "tar", "RN"...

i think i went about two decades without seeing "tar" used to refer to a sailor before i started doing cryptics. WHY is "RN" a sailor?

i totally want to modernise cryptic crosswords.

― lex pretend, Thursday, 10 January 2013 15:46 (twelve years ago)

RN = Royal Navy

― my father will guide me up the stairs to bed (anagram), Thursday, 10 January 2013 15:47 (twelve years ago)

i think when you get to araucaria levels of general knowledge/reference you're within your rights to use an encyclopedia or the net, and it doesn't really "spoil" the game. the crossword as central nexus of reference hunting is kinda Finnegans Wake-y and inviting you to chase down meta-texts imo

― Broken Clock Britain (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 10 January 2013 15:49 (twelve years ago)

obv a lot of these conventions date back to a time when everybody who bought a broadsheet had a grammar school education and had had the Classics rammed into them whether they liked it or not

― Broken Clock Britain (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 10 January 2013 15:50 (twelve years ago)

like T.S. Eliot pretending that the plain reader shd pick up all his allusions

― Broken Clock Britain (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 10 January 2013 15:50 (twelve years ago)

but the second sentence is the definition part, without that there is no def.

I suppose. To me both sentences read as equally punny definitions of the whole, and the wordplay/lateral thinking signal "?" would make a further definition unnecessary. Or am I thinking of "!"?

(Also the second sentence is only any help with the "Bath" part and not the "salts", but yes, that's beside the point.)

― a panda, Malmö (a passing spacecadet), Thursday, 10 January 2013 15:53 (twelve years ago)

the second sentence clues "bath salts" as a whole, there isn't a meta-reference to them in the first sentence

― Broken Clock Britain (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 10 January 2013 15:55 (twelve years ago)

Araucaria is literally 90-something, so parts of his world of knowledge do tend to be out there from our perspective.

― woof, Thursday, 10 January 2013 15:56 (twelve years ago)

yeah, just had an interesting read re: araucaria and ximenes

― Broken Clock Britain (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 10 January 2013 15:59 (twelve years ago)

& I enjoy out-of-the-way themes. I used to really enjoy those moments when the Listener crossword would spin into this space between arcane theme-reference hunt, logic problem and weird-word crossword.

― woof, Thursday, 10 January 2013 16:00 (twelve years ago)

yeah this is why so many people love araucaria so much

― Broken Clock Britain (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 10 January 2013 16:01 (twelve years ago)

oh yeah! the ximenean/non-ximenean wars are fascinating. I think I linked upthread to some kind of Pascale/Araucaria beef.

― woof, Thursday, 10 January 2013 16:01 (twelve years ago)

(xps) Wow, so he is! A 91-year-old vicar, which seems an unlikely fit both for the Guardian and for his playful but wry sense of humour. I was surprised to read about his background once before, but I guess I didn't realise how old the book I was reading was at the time, because now I'm surprised again!

"tar" for sailor is perfectly fitting with my sad Gilbert & Sullivan-listening childhood (things kids these days may not have, though I guess they're still dragged out for school plays), "salt" took me a few moments to remember, and I never remember RN or AB.

― a panda, Malmö (a passing spacecadet), Thursday, 10 January 2013 16:02 (twelve years ago)

the guardian setter who flummoxes me most is arachne, i think with her last one i managed to get ZERO answers

― lex pretend, Thursday, 10 January 2013 16:05 (twelve years ago)

I am out of the game at the mo but would always struggle with enigmatist.

― woof, Thursday, 10 January 2013 16:06 (twelve years ago)

Araucaria did an Xmas one in 2011 IIRC, which was themed, and the theme was defined separate from the clues as something like "Spooner's curried lentils and poultry".

― Neil S, Thursday, 10 January 2013 16:12 (twelve years ago)

:-) bah humbug

― Broken Clock Britain (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 10 January 2013 16:19 (twelve years ago)

indeed! It was a total bastard too, luckily I solved it with my Mum who is a crossword fiend.

― Neil S, Thursday, 10 January 2013 16:20 (twelve years ago)

Opera's another area.

Is it logical that some might consider his Wozzeck cold? (4)

The only way i was going to get this was via Wiki, and even then why is this 'logical?' Does it have to do with what his name means in German?

― Sailor-neighbor of Chaucer's wife (Tubby) (Dan Peterson), Thursday, 10 January 2013 17:20 (twelve years ago)

I think it's 'ice' 'berg' association. I can't see much happening with that 'logical' but I might be missing something.

― woof, Thursday, 10 January 2013 21:28 (twelve years ago)

Duh, iceberg, I'm sure that's what he was going for. Dunno why that didn't occur to me. Which comes from berg = mountain anyway.

― Sailor-neighbor of Chaucer's wife (Tubby) (Dan Peterson), Thursday, 10 January 2013 21:43 (twelve years ago)

Sad news about Araucaria. Although I still don't get 90% of his clues.

― kinder, Friday, 11 January 2013 22:20 (twelve years ago)

yeah, was almost getting a bit weepy about that. bit pissed too, mind. felt there was a touch of larkin's going, going about it in a way. last of an old world that wasn't the horrible old ersatz tory world we seem to see being ressurected in rhetorical stone around us. he wasn't averse to unfuddyish pop culture refs either. that said, lex's want to modernise cryptic crosswords is an interesting path into

it's something i've periodically thought about, as probably anyone has who has thought like NV 'tar wtf'. so evocative of a period yet has become an abstract knowledge set. how to update? how do we define a common educated xword lexicon? with educated not being, surely, 'type of school' educated. it needs to be open to a wide set of populist and high subjects, so to take two examples - sport... um... what's 'high' but not public school these days? not classics, obv. history is surely still available. periodic table can stay (I learnt more it from crosswords than chemistry).

Pop charts would have felt fair game at a time when they were more central than they are now, but it's hard to see where pop can get a look in, unless it's pop-beyond-pop - Superbowl Beyonce level, but that's not going to provide a set of terms. other sorts of 'pop', like high-street shops maybe. modern slang could probably come in. i don't do crosswords regularly, but surely 'lol' has made an appearance.

what other new areas provide large amounts of well-known technical terms and abbreviations? (Cricket being the best example from current crosswords).

Got to go to bed. Seeing my nan in the morning, still a demon whist and crossword fiend at Araucaria age - see if she's got any ideas.

― Fizzles, Saturday, 12 January 2013 01:04 (twelve years ago)

interesting path into...

modern stuff

― Fizzles, Saturday, 12 January 2013 01:05 (twelve years ago)

One for lex in today's Guardian...

Temporary suspension gives a diva a change of heart (8)

― jlgt, Saturday, 12 January 2013 17:46 (twelve years ago)

I liked that.

Teared up at the Araucaria news too. He's one of the greatest setters, and for every clue where there's a warped surface or liberty with 'the rules', there are a dozen that are ingenious, dazzling, entertaining, unexpected, neat – he's the most fun.

He's also lured a lot of people in I think – he's the one occasional solvers remember, partly for the name, and partly for those elliptical alluring (2,3,3,4,5,6,2, 7,3,4) type clues, or the mad interlocking multiple x-ref ones. There's a real sense of accomplishment when you realise you're getting him and solving his grids - reach a point where you really look forward to his name appearing. As I've said before he (with Paul) remains my favourite Guardian setter.

It will not be the same without him, at all.

― woof, Saturday, 12 January 2013 21:04 (twelve years ago)

One for lex in today's Guardian...

Temporary suspension gives a diva a change of heart (8)

― jlgt, Saturday, January 12, 2013 5:46 PM (Yesterday) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

the sad thing is i still can't solve this

― lex pretend, Sunday, 13 January 2013 12:27 (twelve years ago)

starts with an a

― non-elitist melted poo (Noodle Vague), Sunday, 13 January 2013 12:28 (twelve years ago)

abeyance!!!!!!!

beyoncé reference! yes!

― lex pretend, Sunday, 13 January 2013 12:52 (twelve years ago)

Help! Two I do not understand even when I have the answer:

Sort of this to a sort of 13, worn by some men. (7) (13 was "Flower pots tie in a better arrangement, possibly = POINSETTIA)

The answer is TIEPINS. Why?

Republicans not about to be hosts, perhaps. (10) = INNKEEPERS. How does this work?

― Sailor-neighbor of Chaucer's wife (Tubby) (Dan Peterson), Thursday, 17 January 2013 15:01 (twelve years ago)

first one is an anagram with "to a" removed, feels badly clued but i'm pretty hungover/drunk

Republicans without "about" = -re = publicans = innkeepers

― non-elitist melted poo (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 17 January 2013 15:04 (twelve years ago)

is the first one "Short of this" or "sort of this"?

― non-elitist melted poo (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 17 January 2013 15:04 (twelve years ago)

first one kinda works, anag of 'this to a' where 'this' = 'tiepins'. although two 'sorts' seems superfluous.

― ledge, Thursday, 17 January 2013 15:07 (twelve years ago)

So, on the first one they're using one "sort" to mean anagram, which is common, and a second to mean discard? Which I've never seen.

― Sailor-neighbor of Chaucer's wife (Tubby) (Dan Peterson), Thursday, 17 January 2013 15:16 (twelve years ago)

i don't like the first clue at all, can't make it work properly

― non-elitist melted poo (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 17 January 2013 15:17 (twelve years ago)

Second one is pretty simple when it's explained to me, but "not about" meaning there is no "RE" seems clumsy to me too. Didn't care for either of those.

― Sailor-neighbor of Chaucer's wife (Tubby) (Dan Peterson), Thursday, 17 January 2013 15:19 (twelve years ago)

you don't like that, how about this:

A pious type, Winston, fit to move the queen (10) = CHURCHGOER - winston fit = churchill - ill

― ledge, Thursday, 17 January 2013 15:21 (twelve years ago)

(today's grauniad)

― ledge, Thursday, 17 January 2013 15:21 (twelve years ago)

Wow, that's a stretch, and I have to admit I still dont get where GOER comes from. Move = GO and ER = ?

― Sailor-neighbor of Chaucer's wife (Tubby) (Dan Peterson), Thursday, 17 January 2013 15:29 (twelve years ago)

Elizabeth Regina, our Queen

― non-elitist melted poo (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 17 January 2013 15:29 (twelve years ago)

Yeah, I just used Wiki. I've never seen that one before.

― Sailor-neighbor of Chaucer's wife (Tubby) (Dan Peterson), Thursday, 17 January 2013 15:30 (twelve years ago)

iirc king/queen can also be just r for rex/regina.

― ledge, Thursday, 17 January 2013 15:31 (twelve years ago)

guardian prize:

Buggery? It's a personal matter (7,8)

ans: nobody's business. what's it got to do with buggery?

― ledge, Monday, 28 January 2013 14:08 (twelve years ago)

bugger all

― koogs, Monday, 28 January 2013 14:10 (twelve years ago)

two meanings of "nobody's business"

literal - "this is nobody's business but my own"
idiomatic - "he drank that pint like nobody's business"

idiomatic meaning of "nobody's business" = idiomatic meaning of "buggery"

― Hermann Hesher (Noodle Vague), Monday, 28 January 2013 14:11 (twelve years ago)

not super familiar with that idiom but i can see that.

― ledge, Monday, 28 January 2013 14:17 (twelve years ago)

both mean "vigorously" if you look it up, cdn't think of what the equivalence was for a sec

― Hermann Hesher (Noodle Vague), Monday, 28 January 2013 14:18 (twelve years ago)

both feel like they're probably regional usages to me tho, slightly old-fashioned too

― Hermann Hesher (Noodle Vague), Monday, 28 January 2013 14:19 (twelve years ago)

Enjoyable theme in today's Guardian, actually allowed me to finish more than half of it already, a rarity!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/crosswords/cryptic/25860

― Neil S, Friday, 1 February 2013 11:43 (twelve years ago)

Safeguard of present containing gold and silver hidden in vault (7)

― ledge, Wednesday, 6 February 2013 12:01 (twelve years ago)

Finished the Guardian (Paul) pretty swiftly, after getting the theme. Moved on to the Times and managed to get one single bloody clue. Looking at all of them thinking "I just don't know where to begin".

― ledge, Wednesday, 6 February 2013 14:12 (twelve years ago)

Theme of Grauniad of interest to ILMers btw.

― ledge, Wednesday, 6 February 2013 14:14 (twelve years ago)

couldn't deal with the theme today, gave up as soon as i realised what it was

yesterday's grau crossword was literally impossible

enjoyed saturday's araucaria v much though

― lex pretend, Wednesday, 6 February 2013 14:24 (twelve years ago)

except for obscure liberian, malaysian, and shetland-isms.

― ledge, Wednesday, 6 February 2013 14:29 (twelve years ago)

the liberian/malaysian one was hilariously obscure

― lex pretend, Wednesday, 6 February 2013 14:31 (twelve years ago)

Safeguard of present containing gold and silver hidden in vault (7)

---r-g-

― ledge, Friday, 8 February 2013 12:57 (twelve years ago)

Storage

― ailsa, Friday, 8 February 2013 13:32 (twelve years ago)

"or" being gold "ag" being silver, etc.

― ailsa, Friday, 8 February 2013 13:32 (twelve years ago)

and the other 3 letters?

― koogs, Friday, 8 February 2013 13:33 (twelve years ago)

Ach, trifling things like accuracy matter not (i.e. was skimming and not reading properly).

― ailsa, Friday, 8 February 2013 13:35 (twelve years ago)

ah, ok, stage + or AND store = ag

― koogs, Friday, 8 February 2013 13:35 (twelve years ago)

store + ag

― koogs, Friday, 8 February 2013 13:35 (twelve years ago)

yep two wordplays for price of one, this clue is value for money.

― ledge, Friday, 8 February 2013 13:36 (twelve years ago)

"Ag" in "store", and "or" in "stage". how's that?

bah, xposts while I got my reasoning straight.

― ailsa, Friday, 8 February 2013 13:43 (twelve years ago)

Not sure I like that very much. "Safeguard of present containing gold" would have been fine on its own. Never heard of two subsidiary indicators in one clue before.

― my father will guide me up the stairs to bed (anagram), Friday, 8 February 2013 13:45 (twelve years ago)

it happens from time to time. i just liked the gold + silver connection although doubtless could have worded it more elegantly.

― ledge, Friday, 8 February 2013 13:50 (twelve years ago)

oh sorry, did you make it up yourself? wouldn't have criticized it if I'd known. thought it was from a newspaper.

― my father will guide me up the stairs to bed (anagram), Friday, 8 February 2013 13:53 (twelve years ago)

no need for kid gloves here.

― ledge, Friday, 8 February 2013 13:53 (twelve years ago)

A bad time for gulls? (5,5,3)

Checking letters if you need them, with which I got the answer fairly easily, but I don't understand it.

― Nataly Dawn's echoey swamp sound (Dan Peterson), Friday, 8 February 2013 15:01 (twelve years ago)

April Fool's Day. Gull = a gullible person.

― my father will guide me up the stairs to bed (anagram), Friday, 8 February 2013 15:18 (twelve years ago)

Never heard that in my life.

― Nataly Dawn's echoey swamp sound (Dan Peterson), Friday, 8 February 2013 15:25 (twelve years ago)

it's the dictionary definition of gull

― Stop Gerrying Me! (onimo), Friday, 8 February 2013 15:54 (twelve years ago)

Well, yeah, I see that now and I get it, just saying a usage like "that multimillionaire is enough of a gull to believe that it's his personality that attracts women" is one that I have never encountered in a book, movie, daily conversation or crossword. Which is great; I also learned that Handel wrote oratorios based on Saul and Samson.

― Nataly Dawn's echoey swamp sound (Dan Peterson), Friday, 8 February 2013 16:05 (twelve years ago)

Using an obscure secondary definition like that is a classic way crossword setters use to throw people off the scent.

― my father will guide me up the stairs to bed (anagram), Friday, 8 February 2013 16:10 (twelve years ago)

christ the prize crossword today is DOING MY HEAD IN

i think i hate bonxie quite a lot

― lex pretend, Saturday, 9 February 2013 12:54 (twelve years ago)

very enjoyable from y'day's indy crossword, which i turned to after yelling "fucking bonxie" a few too many times:

Somewhat Kiplingesque! (5)

― lex pretend, Sunday, 10 February 2013 10:30 (twelve years ago)

What's the answer to that one then Lex?

I liked this one in today's Guardian:

1,000-1 betting slip? (7)

― Neil S, Monday, 11 February 2013 13:46 (twelve years ago)

Slang and other names for the exclamation mark

This punctuation mark is called, in the printing world, "a screamer, a gasper, a startler, or ... a dog's cock".[11]

In hacker culture, the exclamation mark is called "bang", "shriek", or, in the British slang known as Commonwealth Hackish, "pling". For example, "Your password is em-zero-pee-aitch-pling-en-three."

― lex pretend, Monday, 11 February 2013 13:52 (twelve years ago)

nice!

― Neil S, Monday, 11 February 2013 13:53 (twelve years ago)

It's not easy to be mostly shy and also appealing to a small group of devotees (9)

― ledge, Tuesday, 12 February 2013 09:02 (twelve years ago)

Hilarious friend hugging Jim Morrison's woman and half weeping at a music festival (wotd 12)

― ledge, Tuesday, 12 February 2013 09:45 (twelve years ago)

did you get my one Ledge?

― Neil S, Tuesday, 12 February 2013 10:46 (twelve years ago)

Mistake?

― ledge, Tuesday, 12 February 2013 10:46 (twelve years ago)

knew you'd get it!

― Neil S, Tuesday, 12 February 2013 10:48 (twelve years ago)

It's not easy to be mostly shy and also appealing to a small group of devotees (9)

-----c---

Hilarious friend hugging Jim Morrison's woman and half weeping at a music festival (wotd 12)

--------o--a

― ledge, Wednesday, 13 February 2013 14:19 (twelve years ago)

It's not easy to be mostly shy and also appealing to a small group of devotees (9)

difficult

― Eyeball Kicks, Wednesday, 13 February 2013 15:20 (twelve years ago)

The other's Lollaplooza, right? Lol +LA + pal +ooz(ing). Or something.

― Tim, Wednesday, 13 February 2013 15:35 (twelve years ago)

ooz + a, yup. and yup to difficult too.

― ledge, Wednesday, 13 February 2013 15:40 (twelve years ago)

admittedly i didn't have that much time to spend on it, but yesterday's guardian crossword continued my tradition of being unable to get even one single arachne clue - think this is the 3rd arachne crossword i've tried, and the 3rd time i've been left with a completely blank grid

weirdly i really like the way her clues are written, she's just obviously way too smart for me (contra bonxie, who i don't get along with either but who just annoys me)

― lex pretend, Saturday, 16 February 2013 11:17 (twelve years ago)

unusually I was able to do some of Arachne yesterday. I enjoyed this clue:

Spooner's to kill writer and collect £200! (4, 2)

― Neil S, Saturday, 16 February 2013 11:42 (twelve years ago)

that was the one i felt most close to getting, but...nope, no idea

already got about a third of today's araucaria though :)

― lex pretend, Saturday, 16 February 2013 11:52 (twelve years ago)

think of a certain board game

― Neil S, Saturday, 16 February 2013 11:57 (twelve years ago)

spoilers (written backwards)

(eoP saG)

― koogs, Saturday, 16 February 2013 18:43 (twelve years ago)

I got that one! Unlike all others posted here recently :(

― kinder, Saturday, 16 February 2013 19:16 (twelve years ago)

Todays newbie report:

Can't tell you how long it took me to understand "If this place grew corn, it might be a good sign" (5) even after I had the answer. Way too long. Sometimes punny/jokey solutions just lose me. Alas and alack.

Also, the only way I have ever heard that phrase is as I just typed it. "Alack and alas" is not a thing, is it?

― Nataly Dawn's echoey swamp sound (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 19 February 2013 18:57 (twelve years ago)

google says "alack and alas" is more popular, which confirms what i kind of felt

― tochter tochter, please (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 19 February 2013 19:06 (twelve years ago)

Following the recent Beyonce ref, another one for Lex in today's Guardian (took a while to realise how good this one is):

In foyer, a chair - American diva's reclining, is she? (6,5)

― jlgt, Tuesday, 19 February 2013 22:24 (twelve years ago)

that's gotta take some chutzpah to even think about trying to make any kind of hidden word out of such a combination of letters.

― ledge, Tuesday, 19 February 2013 23:07 (twelve years ago)

got it but not sure I get it completely

― kinder, Tuesday, 19 February 2013 23:47 (twelve years ago)

'In'=hidden word, 'reclining'=backwards, 'she'=definition (ie american diva).

― ledge, Wednesday, 20 February 2013 07:35 (twelve years ago)

Cheers

― kinder, Wednesday, 20 February 2013 08:14 (twelve years ago)

Oh, that's nice.

― ailsa, Wednesday, 20 February 2013 10:19 (twelve years ago)

heh, i got that one immediately. it perfectly captures her essence, too <3

― lex pretend, Wednesday, 20 February 2013 10:33 (twelve years ago)

Her essence is a person who LOVES dolphins iirc, don't see that in the clue...

― kinder, Wednesday, 20 February 2013 13:02 (twelve years ago)

may have back-combed hair and love for american diva (6,5)

yeah yeah 'have' should be 'has' for the clue reading to work, just messin' here.

― ledge, Wednesday, 20 February 2013 13:05 (twelve years ago)

american diva might be full of love after back-combing hair

not a patch on 'foyer a chair american' i know.

― ledge, Wednesday, 20 February 2013 15:17 (twelve years ago)

that's all-time

― Neil S, Wednesday, 20 February 2013 15:25 (twelve years ago)

this was in the grauniad the other day, there are (at least) two answers that work perfectly, we put the wrong one in.

Stick that's split (6)

― ledge, Thursday, 28 February 2013 10:38 (twelve years ago)

that one fucked up our solving process for the longest time because the answer was so obviously BRANCH except it wasn't >:(

― lex pretend, Thursday, 28 February 2013 10:39 (twelve years ago)

cleave?

― tochter tochter, please (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 28 February 2013 10:41 (twelve years ago)

wd be my first thought because it's one of those words with oppositional meanings

― tochter tochter, please (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 28 February 2013 10:42 (twelve years ago)

yeah it was extra-annoying when we realised because cleave is one of my all-time fav words for that exact reason

― lex pretend, Thursday, 28 February 2013 10:43 (twelve years ago)

yeah it's an old chestnut, but obv when we thought 'branch' we didn't think on it any further.

so which meaning does 'cleavage' come from?

― ledge, Thursday, 28 February 2013 10:47 (twelve years ago)

"split", obv

― tochter tochter, please (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 28 February 2013 10:48 (twelve years ago)

yeah it's an old chestnut, but obv when we thought 'branch' we didn't think on it any further

but if you're stuck on the connecting words b/c you can't make the letters fit then you should always revisit the one you think you've got right.

― my father will guide me up the stairs to bed (anagram), Thursday, 28 February 2013 11:47 (twelve years ago)

A few I've come up with that probably break some setters' rules or other but they make sense to me:

masturbate, half-mad for goddess (6)
no more cold (6)
lower ground for one such as Merkel (9)

― dat neggy nilmar (wins), Thursday, 28 February 2013 12:37 (twelve years ago)

need help

― ledge, Tuesday, 5 March 2013 10:07 (twelve years ago)

in the meantime

Hear cry of admonishment after paedo Jimmy exposes sausage (7)

― ledge, Tuesday, 5 March 2013 10:24 (twelve years ago)

A+

I don't really know how to help! I'll put up the answers in a bit.

― dat neggy nilmar (wins), Tuesday, 5 March 2013 10:44 (twelve years ago)

just give us some letters

― koogs, Tuesday, 5 March 2013 10:49 (twelve years ago)

"i'll have a P please bob"

― koogs, Tuesday, 5 March 2013 10:50 (twelve years ago)

Oh yeah, haha. It's early. Here goes:
1. _ RI _ _ _
2. _ U _ _ _ _
3. _ A _ _ _ _ _ E _

― dat neggy nilmar (wins), Tuesday, 5 March 2013 11:00 (twelve years ago)

the first one's Frigga i guess. had it when you posted it but not sure why

― a phenomenological description of The Eagles (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 5 March 2013 11:45 (twelve years ago)

obv i get the "frig" part

― a phenomenological description of The Eagles (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 5 March 2013 11:45 (twelve years ago)

"GA" half of GAGA?

― jlgt, Tuesday, 5 March 2013 11:57 (twelve years ago)

Exactly.

― dat neggy nilmar (wins), Tuesday, 5 March 2013 15:28 (twelve years ago)

Is the third one "Hamburger" (ground-up cow, i.e. something that lows)?

― jlgt, Tuesday, 5 March 2013 16:14 (twelve years ago)

oh man that is evil!

― ledge, Tuesday, 5 March 2013 16:17 (twelve years ago)

― i don't have to be fair, i'm *right* (darraghmac), Tuesday, 5 March 2013 16:19 (twelve years ago)

Haha, was completely thinking Una Merkel!

BTW, I encountered this recently:

Use and reuse pieces of souvenir, eating deer perhaps? (14) Although I eventually solved what appeared to be a made-up word, this was my first experience with a "letter-bank" clue. More below:

http://www.thenation.com/blog/172926/going-bank#

― It's All Posable Colaboration (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 5 March 2013 16:21 (twelve years ago)

"hamburger" is tremendous, kudos.

i do not think i like the letter-bank, but i am wildly conservative so

― a phenomenological description of The Eagles (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 5 March 2013 16:59 (twelve years ago)

Take it to the politics thread sonny

― i don't have to be fair, i'm *right* (darraghmac), Tuesday, 5 March 2013 17:22 (twelve years ago)

> Use and reuse pieces of souvenir, eating deer perhaps? (14)

venison... and a bit more?

― koogs, Tuesday, 5 March 2013 17:51 (twelve years ago)

Yep. It was the bit more that threw me for the longest time as I tried to have venison eat, or surround, another word, which wasn't right. Answer is in that Nation hyperlink.

― It's All Posable Colaboration (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 5 March 2013 18:19 (twelve years ago)

Woah. Never seen a letter-bank clue before ot a fan on the whole but this is brilliant: Snatch, using every element as needed in whatever way possible (5-2-5-3)

― dat neggy nilmar (wins), Tuesday, 5 March 2013 18:29 (twelve years ago)

*and not

― dat neggy nilmar (wins), Tuesday, 5 March 2013 18:29 (twelve years ago)

remaining clue of mine:

_ U _ _ E _

― dat neggy nilmar (wins), Tuesday, 5 March 2013 18:31 (twelve years ago)

Summer?

― i don't have to be fair, i'm *right* (darraghmac), Tuesday, 5 March 2013 18:34 (twelve years ago)

_ UM _ E _

can I apologise in advance for this one btw

― dat neggy nilmar (wins), Tuesday, 5 March 2013 18:39 (twelve years ago)

Number!

― i don't have to be fair, i'm *right* (darraghmac), Tuesday, 5 March 2013 18:44 (twelve years ago)

yuss

― dat neggy nilmar (wins), Tuesday, 5 March 2013 18:48 (twelve years ago)

Not bad imo

― i don't have to be fair, i'm *right* (darraghmac), Tuesday, 5 March 2013 18:48 (twelve years ago)

idgi - I know number is anaesthetic...

― ledge, Tuesday, 5 March 2013 18:49 (twelve years ago)

no = #

more cold = more numb

sorry

― dat neggy nilmar (wins), Tuesday, 5 March 2013 18:51 (twelve years ago)

got that "Snatch" clue btw but i'll leave it for a bit if you want.

now i see how they can work i can live with them but there's something about the inexactitude that niggles

― a phenomenological description of The Eagles (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 5 March 2013 18:51 (twelve years ago)

Ok. I would whinge that you need the dot in no. for it to work but will let you off 'cause hamburger.

Ah how about: More cold? No.

― ledge, Tuesday, 5 March 2013 18:54 (twelve years ago)

Letter banks seem less intuitive/natural than other clues but this could be bullshit. I like the idea though.

― ledge, Tuesday, 5 March 2013 18:55 (twelve years ago)

Dont mind either those guys imo clue was fine

― i don't have to be fair, i'm *right* (darraghmac), Tuesday, 5 March 2013 18:56 (twelve years ago)

lol I knew I would be breaking at least one rule! Will go with ledge's rewrite. Here's one: I kept trying to come up with a clever spoonerism-type clue for the dish "leek gratin". Sth about a dish containing tongues? but I couldn't make it work. Any ideas?bitl

my friend sent me this once & I take no responsibility whatsoever:

septic cunt (5)

― dat neggy nilmar (wins), Tuesday, 5 March 2013 19:04 (twelve years ago)

lol yuk yuk lol yuk

― a phenomenological description of The Eagles (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 5 March 2013 20:30 (twelve years ago)

Wouldn't be surpised to see that in Private Eye. Maybe in the Guardian in a decade or two. And the Times when hell freezes over.

Vegetarian dish? It contains tongues according to Spooner. Legions of xword fans complaining that's not how you pronounce gratin (or latin).

― ledge, Wednesday, 6 March 2013 09:11 (twelve years ago)

answer please for the slow-witted amongst us

― Neil S, Wednesday, 6 March 2013 09:38 (twelve years ago)

which one?

― a phenomenological description of The Eagles (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 6 March 2013 09:53 (twelve years ago)

septic feline cunt.

septic feline or chicken cunt.

― ledge, Wednesday, 6 March 2013 09:53 (twelve years ago)

nope, still don't get it

― Neil S, Wednesday, 6 March 2013 09:55 (twelve years ago)

if a wound is infected it may produce an unpleasant yellow fluid

― a phenomenological description of The Eagles (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 6 March 2013 09:55 (twelve years ago)

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/8/8a/Mollie_Sugden_as_Mrs_Slocombe.jpg/200px-Mollie_Sugden_as_Mrs_Slocombe.jpg

― ledge, Wednesday, 6 March 2013 09:55 (twelve years ago)

lol thanks guys I'm not firing on all cylinders I don't think!

― Neil S, Wednesday, 6 March 2013 10:19 (twelve years ago)

Vegetarian dish? It contains tongues according to Spooner. Legions of xword fans complaining that's not how you pronounce gratin (or latin).

aha, so "spooner" clues need to work out loud. Never knew that. Something about the main course containing tongues & the starters being mixed up? idk this shit is hard! I can't believe ppl come up with these for a living. I'm a big fan of Paul at the moment.

― dat neggy nilmar (wins), Wednesday, 6 March 2013 22:06 (twelve years ago)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/William_Archibald_Spooner

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Spoonerism

"A spoonerism is an error in speech or deliberate play on words in which corresponding consonants, vowels, or morphemes are switched"

so, "greek, latin" (tongues, as in languages) -> "leak gratin" (vegetarian dish)

― koogs, Wednesday, 6 March 2013 22:18 (twelve years ago)

Nah mate it don't work!

― ledge, Wednesday, 6 March 2013 23:53 (twelve years ago)

Unless you pronounce gratin like a pleb

― ledge, Wednesday, 6 March 2013 23:53 (twelve years ago)

I'm ok with it, or would be if I'd spelt leek correctly - swapping letters rather than sounds is valid, I think.

― koogs, Thursday, 7 March 2013 05:32 (twelve years ago)

Aiming for that tricky ILG crossover market:

Book about time-travelling platformer ultimately precursor to massive videogame and movie franchise (4,6)

― Another turning point, a stork fuck in the road (ledge), Monday, 18 March 2013 09:55 (twelve years ago)

I mean if anyone wants to come up with a less obvious definition part there be my guest.

― Another turning point, a stork fuck in the road (ledge), Monday, 18 March 2013 10:00 (twelve years ago)

classic ledge clue there. got it from the def and the 4,6 then had to reverse engineer it.

'****'s game'?

― koogs, Monday, 18 March 2013 10:10 (twelve years ago)

I am the rufus of this thread.

― Another turning point, a stork fuck in the road (ledge), Monday, 18 March 2013 10:12 (twelve years ago)

Oh nice. I'm not a gamer but I actually understand that one because my friends made me play the game in question once.

Another one of mine, less dickish than last time:

As mum, dad, sis or bro (11)

― dat neggy nilmar (wins), Monday, 18 March 2013 10:52 (twelve years ago)

friday and saturday in the guardian were actually impossible

― flamenco drop (lex pretend), Monday, 18 March 2013 10:53 (twelve years ago)

Oh shit I fucked it up.

As mum, dad, sis, or bro (11)xp

― dat neggy nilmar (wins), Monday, 18 March 2013 10:54 (twelve years ago)

like the double game referencing there ledge, nicely done!

― Neil S, Monday, 18 March 2013 11:00 (twelve years ago)

really hate cryptic clues that rely on tenuous definitions (how does "nut" = "admirer" - IT DOESN'T) or phrases that NO ONE ACTUALLY SAYS or the perennial rage-inducing military/cricketing abbreviations

― flamenco drop (lex pretend), Monday, 18 March 2013 11:03 (twelve years ago)

> (how does "nut" = "admirer" - IT DOESN'T)

nut as in 'crazy fan of'. 'car nut' for instance. or 'sports nut'.

― koogs, Monday, 18 March 2013 11:07 (twelve years ago)

Haha they sure do love their cricket, it's true! It's the only reason I know half of those terms.

― dat neggy nilmar (wins), Monday, 18 March 2013 11:11 (twelve years ago)

xp it only works if you squint. it's just a really tenuous definition.

― flamenco drop (lex pretend), Monday, 18 March 2013 11:13 (twelve years ago)

no problem with 'nut' or cryptic/obscure definitions in general. it's a key way of making clues harder or have better surface readings. and something i clearly need to improve on.

― Another turning point, a stork fuck in the road (ledge), Monday, 18 March 2013 11:38 (twelve years ago)

Synonyms for nut used in that way: enthusiast, fan, aficionado, buff, devotee, follower, admirer, aficionada. Totally fair imo, and just unusual enough to make me groan and eyeroll a bit, but that's a good thing!

On another note, a recent puzzle I completed had clues referencing both REM and Dr. Dre; along with with Mariah Carey clue upthread pop music is making inroads!

― It's All Posable Colaboration (Dan Peterson), Monday, 18 March 2013 14:44 (twelve years ago)

Free from the clutches of big labels, Fugazi at last breaks into Indiana and Delaware. (5)

― It's All Posable Colaboration (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 19 March 2013 13:40 (twelve years ago)

There was also this in yesterday's Guardian Quiptic, which I kicked myself for having to press "Cheat" on:

8D. Vicious uprising takes care of swells (8)

(I normally like the Quiptic but I made slow progress of yesterday's and cheated for probably the last quarter of it so I could go to bed - although if I take a few unsolved clues to bed they often come to me overnight)

― susuwatari teenage riot (a passing spacecadet), Tuesday, 19 March 2013 13:56 (twelve years ago)

xp nice one!

― Neil S, Tuesday, 19 March 2013 13:57 (twelve years ago)

Yeah, I forgot to say, a bit wordy but very nice surface on that one, Dan.

I used to like the NME crossword's occasional token semi-cryptic clues, mostly anagrammed band names. Haven't looked at one in over a decade; do they still do those?

― susuwatari teenage riot (a passing spacecadet), Tuesday, 19 March 2013 14:49 (twelve years ago)

Ha, Vicious uprising!

I didn't think up Fugazi, that's from The Nation. After doing a number of puzzles set by their new, younger setters, I went back to some they were reprinting from their old setter, Frank Lewis, originally published in the 40s. Lots more purely cryptic clues + looser cluing style + many more fusty and dated references = not nearly as much fun.

― It's All Posable Colaboration (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 19 March 2013 15:01 (twelve years ago)

... and those new guys are really working the word bank cluing discussed upthread.

Redistributing assets each time, wholesaler lowers prices. (10,10,10)

― It's All Posable Colaboration (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 19 March 2013 16:31 (twelve years ago)

A nice one from today's Guardian:

Celebs ill-equipped for dinner parties (8)

― Neil S, Thursday, 21 March 2013 13:46 (twelve years ago)

i got that :D

after a frustrating spell, enjoyed y'day's and am enjoying today's G crosswords v much

― flamenco drop (lex pretend), Thursday, 21 March 2013 13:54 (twelve years ago)

(really liked "home 3 home" yesterday - the way 3d was reused was smarter than that type of clue normally is)

― flamenco drop (lex pretend), Thursday, 21 March 2013 13:55 (twelve years ago)

didn't do very well yesterday, today's proving much more productive

― Neil S, Thursday, 21 March 2013 13:56 (twelve years ago)

and by "didn't do very well" I mean I was unable to get a single clue ;_;

― Neil S, Thursday, 21 March 2013 13:56 (twelve years ago)

Was a bit unsure whether this one worked TBH:

Market oven guards alternatively (5)

― Neil S, Thursday, 21 March 2013 14:00 (twelve years ago)

yeah that's fine i think, slightly dodgy syntax at worst

― Easter Humphreys (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 21 March 2013 14:02 (twelve years ago)

i didn't get a single clue on saturday -_- hate it when that happens.

haven't got that one yet

― flamenco drop (lex pretend), Thursday, 21 March 2013 14:02 (twelve years ago)

quite liked

25 What Beatrix of the Netherlands used to do in the shower, according to rumour (5)

― flamenco drop (lex pretend), Thursday, 21 March 2013 14:03 (twelve years ago)

groan, but a good groan. that surface is quite funny.

― Easter Humphreys (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 21 March 2013 14:04 (twelve years ago)

that was my cotd. there were a few other saucy ones, think picaroon needs to take a cold shower.

― Another turning point, a stork fuck in the road (ledge), Thursday, 21 March 2013 14:41 (twelve years ago)

Haha yeah, it seemed to be a bit of a theme today! "Topless 17 gives you the horn" made me laugh.

― dat neggy nilmar (wins), Thursday, 21 March 2013 14:45 (twelve years ago)

keep this filth in the Private Eye crossword where it belongs IMO

― Neil S, Thursday, 21 March 2013 14:46 (twelve years ago)

araucaria double grid this weekend blew my mind a bit

have actually got a few answers but still no idea which grid i should be putting them in

― flamenco drop (lex pretend), Monday, 1 April 2013 10:37 (twelve years ago)

we got about half done this lunchtime, leaning v heavily on wiki pages for the two composers. grid a composer was the first answer we got, quite a few of the clues not too hard & gettable without specialist knowledge.

― riverrun, past Steve and Adam's (ledge), Tuesday, 2 April 2013 13:24 (twelve years ago)

the thing which most baffled me was that the named composer went into grid a, the unnamed into grid b, yet NEITHER OF THEM WERE NAMED AT ANY POINT

i assumed grid a for the most "obvious" composer

― flamenco drop (lex pretend), Tuesday, 2 April 2013 13:27 (twelve years ago)

the named composer was the answer to one of the clues!

― riverrun, past Steve and Adam's (ledge), Tuesday, 2 April 2013 13:29 (twelve years ago)

i thought that would be it but i couldn't see a single clue which gave you either answer!

― flamenco drop (lex pretend), Tuesday, 2 April 2013 13:31 (twelve years ago)

10 across, hidden word.

― riverrun, past Steve and Adam's (ledge), Tuesday, 2 April 2013 13:33 (twelve years ago)

OH FOR FUCK'S SAKE EFWJN,FSELNKEAOPWOPJE'L;NFENLKC/KNCMCAS<:CS';CDDDD

― flamenco drop (lex pretend), Tuesday, 2 April 2013 13:34 (twelve years ago)

how long did i spend going "but wagner doesn't have 5 letters"

― flamenco drop (lex pretend), Tuesday, 2 April 2013 13:34 (twelve years ago)

also that means my grids are wrong YAY

― flamenco drop (lex pretend), Tuesday, 2 April 2013 13:34 (twelve years ago)

i remember this thread when people would post clues, not references to clues printed in some other place...

― koogs, Tuesday, 2 April 2013 13:34 (twelve years ago)

pdf here: http://static.guim.co.uk/ni/1364300029019/Guardian-Easter-prize-cross.pdf

10A: A party member’s first defence from clever dick’s composer (5;5)

(that's a clue for both answers and is probably missing something, the way they do on these themed crosswords)

― koogs, Tuesday, 2 April 2013 13:38 (twelve years ago)

cryptic crosswords can be pretty depressing huh

got ZERO of today's araucaria and barely understand the definitions even after looking them up

― flamenco drop (lex pretend), Thursday, 4 April 2013 20:30 (twelve years ago)

they always remind you that YOU KNOW NOTHING

― Neil S, Thursday, 4 April 2013 20:32 (twelve years ago)

not you personally obv

― Neil S, Thursday, 4 April 2013 20:33 (twelve years ago)

ideally they remind you that YOU KNOW SOMETHING as well, but the days when you just draw a complete, total blank are just...ugh

― flamenco drop (lex pretend), Thursday, 4 April 2013 20:34 (twelve years ago)

I never attempt Araucaria, too mind boggling, but I just glanced at today's and got one (I think) in seconds!

― Basil Ironweed (Dan Peterson), Thursday, 4 April 2013 22:23 (twelve years ago)

And another. Most of this looks insane, though.

― Basil Ironweed (Dan Peterson), Thursday, 4 April 2013 22:29 (twelve years ago)

A little weak this one but best I can do at the moment (v hungover):

Iron lady cut short but illness (5)

― My Sunn0))), My Sunn0))), What Have Ye Drone? (wins), Tuesday, 9 April 2013 13:06 (twelve years ago)

*by illness, fucking phone

― My Sunn0))), My Sunn0))), What Have Ye Drone? (wins), Tuesday, 9 April 2013 13:08 (twelve years ago)

is femal a word

― red shoe obituaries (darraghmac), Tuesday, 9 April 2013 13:16 (twelve years ago)

congrats on hangover btw

― red shoe obituaries (darraghmac), Tuesday, 9 April 2013 13:16 (twelve years ago)

thx, it's my bday :-D kinda celebrationed out after yesterday, figure baroness t's death takes precedence over my continuing to be alive tho

― My Sunn0))), My Sunn0))), What Have Ye Drone? (wins), Tuesday, 9 April 2013 15:40 (twelve years ago)

Femal is a blend of unique pollen extracts proven to alleviate symptoms associated with PMS and menopause.
Femal is a unique natural remedy that can help manage the symptoms that often accompany hormonal fluctuations from the start of menstruation through till menopause. Femal has been used by women around the world for over 10 years. Now Flora offers the first Femal product in a vegetarian capsule, free of sweeteners, coatings or binders.

not the answer btw but you're thinking along the right lines

― My Sunn0))), My Sunn0))), What Have Ye Drone? (wins), Tuesday, 9 April 2013 15:41 (twelve years ago)

i'm just going to go ahead and take that tbh

― rust in pieces (darraghmac), Tuesday, 9 April 2013 15:46 (twelve years ago)

(not sure but)

Left in poached cake (7)

― Habemus opiniones pro vobis (onimo), Wednesday, 10 April 2013 13:12 (twelve years ago)

Pretty good, took me a while

― My Sunn0))), My Sunn0))), What Have Ye Drone? (wins), Wednesday, 10 April 2013 17:17 (twelve years ago)

Oh yeah, sudden flash of insight - that kind of poached.

― check your privy (ledge), Wednesday, 10 April 2013 17:24 (twelve years ago)

ahhhhhh

― kinder, Wednesday, 10 April 2013 17:50 (twelve years ago)

― Eyeball Kicks, Thursday, 11 April 2013 01:17 (twelve years ago)

A++

― ailsa, Thursday, 11 April 2013 09:28 (twelve years ago)

three weeks pass...

A good one from today's Guardian:

Spice Girl on tour topless, one topless in Australia (9)

― Neil S, Tuesday, 7 May 2013 11:49 (twelve years ago)

from sunday's observer

Fight fire in Bergen? (8)

― koogs, Wednesday, 8 May 2013 14:53 (twelve years ago)

My Spice Girls knowledge not being all that great, I was trying to make "Posh" or "Sporty" work before backing into the answer. That's a fun one. (xpost0

― New Authentic Everybootsy Collins (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 8 May 2013 15:12 (twelve years ago)

yeah it works well doesn't it!

― Neil S, Wednesday, 8 May 2013 15:14 (twelve years ago)

Ooh, just got the Spice Girl one. Nice!

― ailsa, Wednesday, 8 May 2013 15:17 (twelve years ago)

Got a lol out of the other spice girls clue:

Was there nothing Ginger Spice accomplished that's musical? (10)

― Elvis was a hero to most but he never her (ledge), Wednesday, 8 May 2013 15:23 (twelve years ago)

haha!

― ailsa, Wednesday, 8 May 2013 15:26 (twelve years ago)

Songster of happiness perished in lake (8)

Certain i've got this answer right but have no idea why. Also:

Rocky part of sail (4)

is the only clue i haven't got today and i've had enough

― the league against cool sports (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 16 May 2013 21:07 (twelve years ago)

nevermind the first one, i've just twigged. idiot.

― the league against cool sports (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 16 May 2013 21:08 (twelve years ago)

kasabian? pizzaman? wikipedia not helping here.

― nagl dude dude dude (ledge), Thursday, 16 May 2013 21:45 (twelve years ago)

I think I have the 1st, no idea on the 2nd

― Pasty, British & Shit (wins), Thursday, 16 May 2013 21:49 (twelve years ago)

the first is fractionally unfair imo, odd use of grammar

― the league against cool sports (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 16 May 2013 21:54 (twelve years ago)

if it's what I think it is, shouldn't the answer be 2 words? also I hate the word "songster/songstress" so

― Pasty, British & Shit (wins), Thursday, 16 May 2013 21:57 (twelve years ago)

a clue that really really pissed me off a few weeks ago by enigmatist(?) I can't remember the details but is "light crick" really a spoonerism for "right click"?

― Pasty, British & Shit (wins), Thursday, 16 May 2013 21:58 (twelve years ago)

no it's one word, i looked it up after i worked out why it was right.

― the league against cool sports (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 16 May 2013 21:59 (twelve years ago)

ah. assuming the 2nd is a sailing thing, so there's zero chance of my getting it

― Pasty, British & Shit (wins), Thursday, 16 May 2013 22:01 (twelve years ago)

Independent puzzle was really fun today. Great theme.

― Oulipo Traces (on a Cigarette) (James Redd and the Blecchs), Wednesday, 22 May 2013 19:42 (twelve years ago)

Something related to a gasket that is useful for keeping water out. (8)

S_A_ _ _I_

― New Authentic Everybootsy Collins (Dan Peterson), Monday, 3 June 2013 15:41 (twelve years ago)

sealskin
vg

― no man is an islam (onimo), Wednesday, 5 June 2013 12:05 (twelve years ago)

Pale imitation amongst performers at z-list event. (6)

― no man is an islam (onimo), Wednesday, 5 June 2013 12:06 (twelve years ago)

nice

― Neil S, Wednesday, 5 June 2013 12:23 (twelve years ago)

Oh Haha I just got it, duh. I kept seeing the hidden word "steven" which threw me off.

― too busy s1ockin' on my 乒乓 (wins), Wednesday, 5 June 2013 12:40 (twelve years ago)

I have to confess I needed the answer key for 'sealskin'; I had 2 of the checking letters wrong. Sometimes the punniness is too much for me.

'Pale imitation' one is great.

― New Authentic Everybootsy Collins (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 5 June 2013 15:55 (twelve years ago)

someone put me out of my misery

― nagl dude dude dude (ledge), Thursday, 6 June 2013 08:02 (twelve years ago)

/shoots ledge

...ers at z...

― koogs, Thursday, 6 June 2013 08:18 (twelve years ago)

fuck it i had ersatz and cdn't figure out why

― sleepish resistance (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 6 June 2013 08:19 (twelve years ago)

hidden word clues are the lowest of the low

― sleepish resistance (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 6 June 2013 08:19 (twelve years ago)

shit! (not the clue, i thought wins' post meant it wasn't a hidden word.)

― nagl dude dude dude (ledge), Thursday, 6 June 2013 08:20 (twelve years ago)

hidden word clues are only bad because they make you feel like an idiot for not spotting them.

― nagl dude dude dude (ledge), Thursday, 6 June 2013 08:20 (twelve years ago)

exactly

― sleepish resistance (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 6 June 2013 08:23 (twelve years ago)

I like them as the foot-in-the-door for barred grids - initial taste of hope in impossible crossword.

― woof, Thursday, 6 June 2013 08:28 (twelve years ago)

can admire showy ones too

What's in Latin sign, if I can translate, is of no importance (13)

― woof, Thursday, 6 June 2013 08:28 (twelve years ago)

(reading draft of friend's crossword book, took that from there).

― woof, Thursday, 6 June 2013 08:30 (twelve years ago)

also nice!

― Neil S, Thursday, 6 June 2013 08:39 (twelve years ago)

From today's Guardian:

Fickle Charlie Clark ingesting drug? (10)

― Neil S, Tuesday, 18 June 2013 11:53 (twelve years ago)

nice

― The drone that was played caused panic and confusion (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 18 June 2013 13:03 (twelve years ago)

Siamese twin taken in by audible element of debt scam (11)

― New Authentic Everybootsy Collins (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 18 June 2013 20:12 (twelve years ago)

Man, I just went to The Guardian to see the answer for Fickle Charlie Clark and my brain exploded, not only from that one but TAPSTER? COURGETTE?

― New Authentic Everybootsy Collins (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 19 June 2013 16:31 (twelve years ago)

Never in a month of Sundays would I come up with CHAN and GABLE from Charlie Clark.

― no man is an islam (onimo), Wednesday, 19 June 2013 16:37 (twelve years ago)

Glad I'm not the only one!

― New Authentic Everybootsy Collins (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 19 June 2013 16:42 (twelve years ago)

yeah but changeable was pretty obvious from the get go, then you work backwards

― The drone that was played caused panic and confusion (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 19 June 2013 17:22 (twelve years ago)

I actually tried to think of Charlies and Clarks, managed Chan and Gable, from there it was easy.

Courgette is the British word for zucchini, and is pretty common.

― Neil S, Wednesday, 19 June 2013 17:36 (twelve years ago)

Fish can do on lines (4, 4) (observer yesterday)

― koogs, Monday, 1 July 2013 12:06 (eleven years ago)

A sailor tours museum for manifestation of a god (6)

― Neil S, Monday, 1 July 2013 12:34 (eleven years ago)

Guardian, today. Thinking on yours koogs!

― Neil S, Monday, 1 July 2013 12:35 (eleven years ago)

I had to get most of the checking letters before I got the fish. Nicely misleading (although the 'lines' should give it away really).

― ledge, Tuesday, 2 July 2013 08:09 (eleven years ago)

yeah, i had 1st and 3rd letters of both words. was the euphemisms for 'toilet' thing that i liked.

― koogs, Tuesday, 2 July 2013 08:20 (eleven years ago)

A sailor tours museum for manifestation of a god (6)

Avatar

Can't get the fish lines one

― paolo, Tuesday, 2 July 2013 08:33 (eleven years ago)

yes! and neither can I on the fish lines clue.

― Neil S, Tuesday, 2 July 2013 08:36 (eleven years ago)

lines = railway = ry...

― ledge, Tuesday, 2 July 2013 08:58 (eleven years ago)

it's an obscure fish. think nemo's friend. (although it turns out she's a blue tang, despite her name)

clue is an odd mix of synonyms, literals and abbreviations.

― koogs, Tuesday, 2 July 2013 09:04 (eleven years ago)

i often find myself wishing setters would use slang that people actually use. who has said "tar" for sailor in the past 30 years?

― lex pretend, Tuesday, 2 July 2013 09:04 (eleven years ago)

got it!

lex, I agree that "tar" is not widely used IRL but it's a fairly standard use for "sailor" I think?

― Neil S, Tuesday, 2 July 2013 09:16 (eleven years ago)

in crosswords that is...

― Neil S, Tuesday, 2 July 2013 09:16 (eleven years ago)

many of the cryptic standards are kinda dissatisfying (esp all the nautical ones), there are surely other options

― lex pretend, Tuesday, 2 July 2013 09:31 (eleven years ago)

a john dory is not really obscure if you like fisheses

― for many people a really special folder makes a huge difference (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 2 July 2013 09:31 (eleven years ago)

xp part of the fun though? Cracking archaic codes and all that. There are of course more self-consciously modern setters who don't use those older conventions.

― Neil S, Tuesday, 2 July 2013 09:36 (eleven years ago)

crossword abbreviations are pretty much their own language now, am sure most setters aren't averse to modern abbrevations but stopping using archaic ones would be getting rid of a handy tool.

― ledge, Tuesday, 2 July 2013 09:36 (eleven years ago)

> a john dory is not really obscure if you like fisheses

if...

― koogs, Tuesday, 2 July 2013 09:46 (eleven years ago)

(i probably didn't mean obscure. it's an odd name for a fish, sound's more like a human name)

― koogs, Tuesday, 2 July 2013 09:47 (eleven years ago)

i get your point but it's quite a common fish

― for many people a really special folder makes a huge difference (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 2 July 2013 09:48 (eleven years ago)

Plastic capsule, which may be inserted into orifices (7)

From today's grauniad. I can usually get about ten guardian clues on Monday and a few on Tuesday. After that it's just too hard for me

― paolo, Tuesday, 2 July 2013 10:03 (eleven years ago)

i liked this from last week:

Mussels and lychees for starters at The Fat Duck? (7)

― lex pretend, Tuesday, 2 July 2013 10:09 (eleven years ago)

nice!

― woof, Tuesday, 2 July 2013 10:11 (eleven years ago)

brilliant

― ledge, Tuesday, 2 July 2013 10:17 (eleven years ago)

hint?

― kinder, Tuesday, 2 July 2013 17:26 (eleven years ago)

for starters = first letters of...

― koogs, Tuesday, 2 July 2013 17:54 (eleven years ago)

(stumbled on answer whilst looking up how to spell muscovy and it's obvious when you see it. (it's not 'muscovy'))

― koogs, Tuesday, 2 July 2013 17:56 (eleven years ago)

got it, i had the wrong duck at first and couldn't make it work

― for many people a really special folder makes a huge difference (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 2 July 2013 17:57 (eleven years ago)

lol yeah i was wrestling with muscovy

― for many people a really special folder makes a huge difference (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 2 July 2013 17:57 (eleven years ago)

Good clue, I got it instantly but I've never heard of a muscovy!

― sjuttiosju_u (wins), Tuesday, 2 July 2013 17:59 (eleven years ago)

― kinder, Tuesday, 2 July 2013 18:00 (eleven years ago)

still haven't got the capsule one. think it's an anagram of capsule. but 'upscale' doesn't fit the clue (or does it?)

― koogs, Tuesday, 2 July 2013 18:02 (eleven years ago)

Specula.

― ledge, Tuesday, 2 July 2013 18:10 (eleven years ago)

damn

― sjuttiosju_u (wins), Tuesday, 2 July 2013 18:12 (eleven years ago)

internet anagram server in doesn't know the word 'specula' shocker.

― koogs, Tuesday, 2 July 2013 19:57 (eleven years ago)

The duck one is mallard right?

― paolo, Wednesday, 3 July 2013 10:15 (eleven years ago)

correct

― Neil S, Wednesday, 3 July 2013 10:18 (eleven years ago)

also liked this, from the same crossword:

Nancy’s first person with second person’s servant (6)

got it fairly swiftly (we had all the other letters) but struggled to parse it for ages UNTIL i remembered some obscure geography

― lex pretend, Wednesday, 3 July 2013 10:25 (eleven years ago)

two weeks pass...

Guardian, today, I suspect non-Britishers need not apply:

Morals in Violet Elizabeth's county (6)

― Neil S, Tuesday, 23 July 2013 12:43 (eleven years ago)

lol nice one

― what makes a man start polls? (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 23 July 2013 12:48 (eleven years ago)

ha nice

― woof, Tuesday, 23 July 2013 12:51 (eleven years ago)

Think I've got this one but would appreciate a hand...

Player of loud music told to get packing (6), R _ _ _ E _

― Neil S, Tuesday, 23 July 2013 12:53 (eleven years ago)

sounds like WR---E-

― click here to start exploding (ledge), Tuesday, 23 July 2013 13:01 (eleven years ago)

some dodgy stuff in that gordius (emi = musical?) but the following got a grin:

Induct Roger to such knowledge (6)

― click here to start exploding (ledge), Tuesday, 23 July 2013 13:02 (eleven years ago)

i have no idea how to parse the violet elizabeth one, i think i have the answer but why????

― lex pretend, Tuesday, 23 July 2013 13:09 (eleven years ago)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Just_William

Other recurring characters include Violet Elizabeth Bott, lisping spoiled daughter of the local nouveau riche millionaire (whose companionship William reluctantly endures, to prevent her carrying out her threat "I'll thcream and thcream 'till I'm thick")

fyi i read these timeless classics in the eighties

― click here to start exploding (ledge), Tuesday, 23 July 2013 13:11 (eleven years ago)

Violet Elizabeth Bott is a character in the Just William stories who famously has a lisp

― what makes a man start polls? (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 23 July 2013 13:11 (eleven years ago)

i know who violet elizabeth is, i don't understand what she has to do with the answer...

― lex pretend, Tuesday, 23 July 2013 13:12 (eleven years ago)

pronounce a county with a strong lisp?

― what makes a man start polls? (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 23 July 2013 13:12 (eleven years ago)

i realised as soon as i posted my last post. aaaaghhhhhh

― lex pretend, Tuesday, 23 July 2013 13:13 (eleven years ago)

hah yeah either you get it or not I suppose

― Neil S, Tuesday, 23 July 2013 13:15 (eleven years ago)

Doesn't stand up imo as she'd lisp on the X too.

― Kind regards, (onimo), Tuesday, 23 July 2013 15:12 (eleven years ago)

you don't lisp on an x/ck sound do you?

― Neil S, Tuesday, 23 July 2013 15:14 (eleven years ago)

I think lispers would have trouble with both sibilants and pronounce it ethicth.

― Kind regards, (onimo), Tuesday, 23 July 2013 15:32 (eleven years ago)

Mr. Botts's was an Earthworm (7)

I am absolutely astounded I got this one. Just seeing if anyone else knows the obscure reference.

― Byron E. Coli (Dan Peterson), Friday, 26 July 2013 15:47 (eleven years ago)

no.

http://www.farmcollector.com/Farm-life/The-Natural-Born-Salesman.aspx

clue a bit lacking imo.

― koogs, Friday, 26 July 2013 15:56 (eleven years ago)

Agree. Frank W. Lewis (The Nation has a lot of those purely cryptic clues that aren't anagrams or other wordplay, they're just arcane references to things. I guessed this one only because I had spotted the movie title Earthworm Tractors in Leonard Maltin's guide. (Joe E. Brown, 1936. I've never seen it.)

― Byron E. Coli (Dan Peterson), Friday, 26 July 2013 17:07 (eleven years ago)

Took my own stab at it. Don't know if this exactly works, but I think so?

Model T, cart or farm vehicle. (7)

― Byron E. Coli (Dan Peterson), Friday, 26 July 2013 17:35 (eleven years ago)

Flurry of penetrating rain washed away camping equipment (4,3)

― lex pretend, Friday, 2 August 2013 12:54 (eleven years ago)

you got it?

― phasmid beetle types (Noodle Vague), Friday, 2 August 2013 12:59 (eleven years ago)

yeah

arachne is vg today

― lex pretend, Friday, 2 August 2013 13:01 (eleven years ago)

i did yesterday's online and it took less than 10 mins. arachne is pretty good as i remember

― phasmid beetle types (Noodle Vague), Friday, 2 August 2013 13:01 (eleven years ago)

One for the lex from today's grauniad:

Going further shaking bottom, extremely cute singer (7)

And I wouldn't have got this if I didn't watch Family Guy:

Clam — 50p with a pig? (6)

― click here to start exploding (ledge), Thursday, 15 August 2013 13:33 (eleven years ago)

And this neologism:

One following chatter incessantly, partial to rubbish, their characters limited (10)

― click here to start exploding (ledge), Thursday, 15 August 2013 13:35 (eleven years ago)

Ha nice!

I liked this one from today as well:

14d Like this clue: "Bowel disorder" — its location? (4,5)

― Neil S, Thursday, 15 August 2013 13:36 (eleven years ago)

i liked the beyoncé one obv but this was my favourite clue in that crossword:

Change of heart in a little Australian prayer (5)

yesterday's enigmatist prize crossword was actually impossible beyond three obvious ones. completely stumped otherwise.

― lex pretend, Sunday, 18 August 2013 10:08 (eleven years ago)

one month passes...

Today's Guardian:

Coldplay's latest hit (newer compilation) (3,7,4)

― Neil S, Wednesday, 18 September 2013 12:19 (eleven years ago)

Beware of misleading David Essex influences.

― click here to start exploding (ledge), Wednesday, 18 September 2013 13:08 (eleven years ago)

This is driving me crazy:

Mathematicians tables (8)

--B-T-RS

There are only 6 words in my online Crossword Solver that fit those letters, and none of them seem to fit the definitions.

― Low down bad refrigerator (Dan Peterson), Thursday, 19 September 2013 19:29 (eleven years ago)

Gah, finally solved it myself. Mathematicians and tables are both counters, which was my initial inclination. That makes the B incorrect, because the down clue was:

Johnny Reb's counterpart?

...and I had BILLY YANK, because according to wiki:

Johnny Reb or Johnny Rebel is the national personification of the Southern states of the United States.[1] The latter part of his name is derived from Rebellion. Patriots used Johnny Reb and his Union counterpart Billy Yank to symbolize the common soldiers in the American Civil War of the 1860s.

The actual answer was UNION JACK, and it's effing horrible.

― Low down bad refrigerator (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 1 October 2013 13:53 (eleven years ago)

Not particularly hard but a nice clue from today's Guardian:

Anne McGregor is, perhaps, being alarmist (14)

― Neil S, Tuesday, 15 October 2013 12:11 (eleven years ago)

― koogs, Tuesday, 15 October 2013 12:40 (eleven years ago)

good but was slightly more impressed by

Those leading clubs ruffed Omar Sharif's spade in new game of bridge (8)

― as a chocolate salesperson (ledge), Tuesday, 15 October 2013 13:42 (eleven years ago)

Another nice one from today's Grauniad:

10 Liam Brady played like this (9)

― I like to think I have learnt a thing or two about music (Neil S), Friday, 25 October 2013 11:22 (eleven years ago)

Setter obv an Arsenal fan.

― my father will guide me up the stairs to bed (anagram), Friday, 25 October 2013 13:52 (eleven years ago)

thought about posting here, one of the wotd things (nice words today at both dictionary.reference.com and merriam-webster) but didn't bother. had a look at previous words of the day on the one site out of boredom, first time in a month or so.

i go back to observer crossword and realise one of the answers is one of the previous words of the day i've just looked at. thanks dictionary.reference.com

14A Unhappy keeping scholarly woman (12)

this crossword also contains 'plighting' and 'omerty' and i'm struggling a bit...

― koogs, Tuesday, 29 October 2013 17:01 (eleven years ago)

three weeks pass...

just plugging my friend's book about cryptics, which is funny and informative and full of good clues and well-produced. The ideal Christmas present etc.

(it cited ilx in one draft, but I think that changed in the final version)

― woof, Thursday, 21 November 2013 10:15 (eleven years ago)

John Graham (AKA Araucaria, Cinephile etc) RIP

― mahb, Tuesday, 26 November 2013 11:24 (eleven years ago)

my favourite. RIP

― i like the jabberwock and it likes me (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 26 November 2013 11:24 (eleven years ago)

RIP :(

― lex pretend, Tuesday, 26 November 2013 11:30 (eleven years ago)

Damn. RIP.

― woof, Tuesday, 26 November 2013 11:41 (eleven years ago)

aw RIP, will miss his insane Xmas crossword, though maybe he did one more before passing on for old time's sake

― I like to think I have learnt a thing or two about music (Neil S), Tuesday, 26 November 2013 11:54 (eleven years ago)

yeah i was selfishly hoping for a few unreleased puzzles, but tbh maybe they could just rerun v. old ones

― i like the jabberwock and it likes me (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 26 November 2013 12:33 (eleven years ago)

When d crozier passed a few years back they released a book of crosaire so maybe something similar to be hoped for

― 30 ch'lopping days left to umas (darraghmac), Tuesday, 26 November 2013 13:45 (eleven years ago)

RIP. Heavy bummer. He was also 1/4 of Biggles with three other complilers, all called John, or we Johns ie W.E. Johns. A lovely little bit of wordplay that I've done a horrendous job of describing.

― as a chocolate salesperson (ledge), Tuesday, 26 November 2013 14:03 (eleven years ago)

RIP

expecting to see a lot of tribute xwords/clues in the coming days

― malapopism (wins), Tuesday, 26 November 2013 14:04 (eleven years ago)

Aw RIP.

I think I said something somewhat uncharitable on this thread previously. I came around in the end.

― not a player-hater i just hate a lot (a passing spacecadet), Tuesday, 26 November 2013 14:28 (eleven years ago)

Begin to take drugs regularly for that dreamy feeling (8)

from today's Graun. i have the answer but i am a little peeved about the work "regularly" is doing there, unless my reasoning is off

― Noodle of the Vague family (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 27 November 2013 13:06 (eleven years ago)

btw if anybody else has done it today i need 23 down and the first word of 1 down, had enough tbh

― Noodle of the Vague family (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 27 November 2013 13:29 (eleven years ago)

think i have 23 down but the logic is a little iffy

― Noodle of the Vague family (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 27 November 2013 13:35 (eleven years ago)

never mind, finished

― Noodle of the Vague family (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 27 November 2013 13:39 (eleven years ago)

Less than pleased with the two main clues having no definition except each other. Throw us a freaking bone.

― as a chocolate salesperson (ledge), Wednesday, 27 November 2013 13:47 (eleven years ago)

i liked the two big ones, they get easy enough once you've enough letters in

― Noodle of the Vague family (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 27 November 2013 13:50 (eleven years ago)

I couldn't see 'em. Have come across that line in an xword before but hadn't internalized it. Mea culpa.

― as a chocolate salesperson (ledge), Wednesday, 27 November 2013 13:53 (eleven years ago)

Araucaria clues galore
http://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/crossword-blog/2013/nov/27/crossword-blog-araucaria-john-graham

― I like to think I have learnt a thing or two about music (Neil S), Thursday, 28 November 2013 13:21 (eleven years ago)

two weeks pass...

Today's Guardian. I like Boatman, tricky but not too devious!

’70s rock instrument used in Wales (9)

― I like to think I have learnt a thing or two about music (Neil S), Thursday, 12 December 2013 13:21 (eleven years ago)

hmm, not sure what work "used" is doing there

― my father will guide me up the stairs to bed (anagram), Thursday, 12 December 2013 14:04 (eleven years ago)

yeah, it doesn't break the clue though?

― I like to think I have learnt a thing or two about music (Neil S), Thursday, 12 December 2013 14:18 (eleven years ago)

the Graun is much fun today imo

― Noodle Vague, Tuesday, 17 December 2013 14:19 (eleven years ago)

Thats nae fuckin good to us

Hey remember we used to post clues in here?

How far behind time am I to be this lonely? Fifty!(8)

― Bigsam: flotsam and jetsam @ whetsam? (darraghmac), Tuesday, 17 December 2013 14:22 (eleven years ago)

xp wellll i cheated on a few and idk if charlie for **** is one level of indirection too many... but i liked the ones i got, especially 20 ac, and yeah good theme well done mustn't grumble.

― Scuse me while I kiss this guy correspondent (ledge), Tuesday, 17 December 2013 15:09 (eleven years ago)

How far behind time am I to be this lonely? Fifty!(8)

I think you mean five hundred but I'll let you off as I half cheated to figure that out.

― Scuse me while I kiss this guy correspondent (ledge), Tuesday, 17 December 2013 16:16 (eleven years ago)

Very likely crosaire was the only reason i even knew my romans

― Bigsam: flotsam and jetsam @ whetsam? (darraghmac), Tuesday, 17 December 2013 16:22 (eleven years ago)

ledge is such a cheater

― deeja entendu (wins), Tuesday, 17 December 2013 16:33 (eleven years ago)

It's the only way to learn, better to cheat than to be forever in ignorance.

Also the guardian web app makes it too easy :/

― Scuse me while I kiss this guy correspondent (ledge), Tuesday, 17 December 2013 16:53 (eleven years ago)

Hmmm nope "forever ignorant" vs getting the solution next day, imma have to rule GUILTY as charged bailiffs if you would

― deeja entendu (wins), Tuesday, 17 December 2013 16:58 (eleven years ago)

Metal I dropped over the Atlantic (9)

Convert writing? Only text without margins (9)

if somebody could explain the answers to those that'd be great thanks

― the five people you meet in Hedon (Noodle Vague), Friday, 20 December 2013 11:46 (eleven years ago)

never mind the first one, i've sussed it. stinker

― the five people you meet in Hedon (Noodle Vague), Friday, 20 December 2013 11:47 (eleven years ago)

Do you have em (or is the attempt to avoid spoilers cos thats a tricky ask)

― Our Deems, of the supposed "rapier" "wit" (darraghmac), Friday, 20 December 2013 11:49 (eleven years ago)

Oh got it. Fair enough imo

― Our Deems, of the supposed "rapier" "wit" (darraghmac), Friday, 20 December 2013 11:49 (eleven years ago)

i'm pretty sure i've got them both. first one definite, second one 99 percent.

― the five people you meet in Hedon (Noodle Vague), Friday, 20 December 2013 11:51 (eleven years ago)

fifteensquared.net has all the explanations you need

― my father will guide me up the stairs to bed (anagram), Friday, 20 December 2013 12:49 (eleven years ago)

I never get these yet I got the first one in 0.5 seconds.
I am always moaning about that kind of thing though I suppose

― kinder, Friday, 20 December 2013 12:53 (eleven years ago)

got the second one, wasn't what i thought, answer is perfectly logical

― the five people you meet in Hedon (Noodle Vague), Friday, 20 December 2013 13:07 (eleven years ago)

finished it

― the five people you meet in Hedon (Noodle Vague), Friday, 20 December 2013 13:12 (eleven years ago)

I came up with this so it might be a bit off:

Ex-prez in denial of guilt (3, 2)

― decomposable heroes of hipleprosy (wins), Friday, 20 December 2013 13:22 (eleven years ago)

http://www.gizmodo.co.uk/2013/12/the-fascinating-history-of-the-crossword-the-original-mobile-game/

http://img.gawkerassets.com/img/19a2zpwol4oampng/ku-medium.png

― koogs, Sunday, 22 December 2013 15:37 (eleven years ago)

singers of christmas song -- communist theorist and king of england after great vowel shift -- swap places (6,6)

― ♛ LIL UNIT ♛ (thomp), Monday, 23 December 2013 21:30 (eleven years ago)

Ha nice

― sad banta (wins), Monday, 23 December 2013 21:52 (eleven years ago)

Probably not ~strictly rigorous~ tho? Idk I'm terrible with this stuff

― sad banta (wins), Monday, 23 December 2013 21:55 (eleven years ago)

yeah this is after several passes and i still can't get it to work right, quite

― ♛ LIL UNIT ♛ (thomp), Monday, 23 December 2013 22:52 (eleven years ago)

display of regret at death of child -- scottish communist theorist ostracised? (8, 5)

― ♛ LIL UNIT ♛ (thomp), Tuesday, 24 December 2013 20:53 (eleven years ago)

Not sure if this quite works, on several levels, but I hadn't thought up one of my own in a long time:

Ill gain (taking $1000) mistakenly cast away. (8)

― Glenn Miller-core (Dan Peterson), Monday, 30 December 2013 20:51 (eleven years ago)

one month passes...

today's Guardian:

Primarily pointing out Tim Henman’s earlier answer: “Djokovich is grass lover” (7)

― Kim Wrong-un (Neil S), Wednesday, 12 February 2014 17:29 (eleven years ago)

grudging lol

― the undersea world of jacques kernow (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 12 February 2014 17:30 (eleven years ago)

before I think about that, is the misspelling of Djokovic intentional

― lex pretend, Wednesday, 12 February 2014 17:32 (eleven years ago)

oh wait, got the answer and the misspelling is irrelevant

― lex pretend, Wednesday, 12 February 2014 17:32 (eleven years ago)

yeah I c&p'ed it, it's just poor Grauniad copy editing I suppose. Though are cryptics copy edited I wonder?

― Kim Wrong-un (Neil S), Wednesday, 12 February 2014 17:49 (eleven years ago)

Also Britpop themed clue today!

Blur in Country House, initially Oasis top it for urbanity (14)

― Kim Wrong-un (Neil S), Wednesday, 12 February 2014 17:53 (eleven years ago)

Solved that one quickly; took me longer to figure out how they put it together. Nice.

Here's one that I racked my brain over before finally deciding that the first half of the clue is overly vague/inaccurate?

Put something together in time for Christmas and Halloween. (6)

― burbbhrbhbbhbburbbbryan ferry (Dan Peterson), Thursday, 13 February 2014 16:30 (eleven years ago)

Ha I like that! What would you use for the def?

― Punch Drake, Love (wins), Thursday, 13 February 2014 16:37 (eleven years ago)

Something to do with boiling?

― burbbhrbhbbhbburbbbryan ferry (Dan Peterson), Thursday, 13 February 2014 16:43 (eleven years ago)

this one was nice I thought, today's Guardian as per

Light grey French perfume ingredient (9)

― Kim Wrong-un (Neil S), Tuesday, 18 February 2014 13:25 (eleven years ago)

Sweet

― Internet Alas (wins), Tuesday, 18 February 2014 13:29 (eleven years ago)

u won't be getting the money back from him, presumably (10)

― politically autocorrect (darraghmac), Tuesday, 18 February 2014 23:01 (eleven years ago)

three weeks pass...

grauniad

That is to say, to woo follows naturally (2,3)

― Angkor Waht (Neil S), Thursday, 13 March 2014 13:34 (eleven years ago)

One I get, at last!

― kinder, Thursday, 13 March 2014 13:36 (eleven years ago)

ah very soft tho!

― unw? j.......n (darraghmac), Thursday, 13 March 2014 20:03 (eleven years ago)

easy once you get it, like all the best clues

― Angkor Waht (Neil S), Thursday, 13 March 2014 20:10 (eleven years ago)

two weeks pass...

Paul today:

Stick-like and sticky? But the name hasn't stuck! (9)

― every moser (wins), Saturday, 29 March 2014 14:40 (eleven years ago)

today's Everyman:

Passing remark? (6,4,5)

wins, what's the answer to the one above?

― Angkor Waht (Neil S), Sunday, 6 April 2014 21:22 (eleven years ago)

thingummy

― two bunny rabbits on mushrooms singing Proclaimers songs (onimo), Monday, 7 April 2014 15:39 (eleven years ago)

very good

― Angkor Waht (Neil S), Monday, 7 April 2014 16:43 (eleven years ago)

I don't usually attempt the Guardian, but I finished about half of it Friday, excellent for me. My knowledge of British history, TV and motorways is not good.

Anyone want to tell me how Some can go crazy over a drink (6) makes cognac?

― A Perfect Ratio of Choogle to Jam (Dan Peterson), Monday, 21 April 2014 14:31 (eleven years ago)

It's mostly obvious, though with one bit I'm not certain about. "Can go" is a "crazy" version (anagram) of cognac, without one of the Cs, which I'm guessing you can get from "some" if you know your crossword clues well enough?

― emil.y, Monday, 21 April 2014 14:39 (eleven years ago)

No it's backwards ("over") within "can go crazy"

― just hit submit post basically (wins), Monday, 21 April 2014 14:46 (eleven years ago)

"some" indicates the word being hidden in a larger phrase

― just hit submit post basically (wins), Monday, 21 April 2014 14:46 (eleven years ago)

Oof, it's a backwards hidden word. I was trying to anagram it, in which case the extra C was throwing me.

― A Perfect Ratio of Choogle to Jam (Dan Peterson), Monday, 21 April 2014 14:50 (eleven years ago)

Was about to post: Could view "some" as the anagrammer and "crazy" as the 'c'

― Kid Creole Meets Señor Coconut at a fIREHOSE Show (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 21 April 2014 14:52 (eleven years ago)

"some" indicates the word being hidden in a larger phrase

Ah, okay, didn't know that. Not sure why I was trying to help when I'm crap at cryptics. *sigh*

― emil.y, Monday, 21 April 2014 14:52 (eleven years ago)

two weeks pass...

Everyman:
Ankle was twisted in ballet (4, 4)

one from last week or so:
Embargo on ballistic missile (9)

― koogs, Tuesday, 6 May 2014 11:00 (eleven years ago)

Have the 1st, 2nd is anagram of "embargo on"? but can't see it

― wins, Tuesday, 6 May 2014 11:05 (eleven years ago)

it'll come to you...

― kinder, Tuesday, 6 May 2014 11:49 (eleven years ago)

haha got it

― wins, Tuesday, 6 May 2014 12:05 (eleven years ago)

couldn't see it earlier and no sooner have i got home than it clicked, before i lucked at the letters again.

conclusion: being at work is bad for my brain

― nostalgie de couilles (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 6 May 2014 14:49 (eleven years ago)

looked at the letters

okay let's call it 50/50

― nostalgie de couilles (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 6 May 2014 14:49 (eleven years ago)

Comedian in lace factory heading off for Wigan (5, 8)

― koogs, Tuesday, 6 May 2014 14:55 (eleven years ago)

Where do we stand on setters using old clues? That ballet one has been around for years.

― pick it up for ripple laser (onimo), Wednesday, 7 May 2014 07:24 (eleven years ago)

i guess it's quite possible for separate setters to come up with near-identical clues ove time, or maybe they see it as a nod to the classics?

― nostalgie de couilles (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 7 May 2014 07:30 (eleven years ago)

Still can't get koogs' last one, any pointers?

― goth colouring book (anagram), Wednesday, 7 May 2014 07:57 (eleven years ago)

Think lace as in drink

― pick it up for ripple laser (onimo), Wednesday, 7 May 2014 08:52 (eleven years ago)

nice

― nostalgie de couilles (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 7 May 2014 08:59 (eleven years ago)

ha got it now, thx

― goth colouring book (anagram), Wednesday, 7 May 2014 09:09 (eleven years ago)

you'd need to be of a certain age to get it though

― goth colouring book (anagram), Wednesday, 7 May 2014 09:10 (eleven years ago)

i thought the 'igan' thing was a bit clumsy, tbh. but i liked 'lace' for 'spike'.

spoilers, btw 8)

― koogs, Wednesday, 7 May 2014 09:11 (eleven years ago)

(do you need to be of a certain age to know charlie chaplin?)

― koogs, Wednesday, 7 May 2014 09:12 (eleven years ago)

Well I would say Chaplin has more cultural resonance. I can't imagine many people below say 30 knowing who Spike Milligan was. But then again I can't imagine many people below say 30 doing the Observer cryptic crossword, so that's fine.

― goth colouring book (anagram), Wednesday, 7 May 2014 09:17 (eleven years ago)

My plan was to think of a comedian that fitted the letters and I discovered the correct answer by clumsily attempting to reverse engineer Sarah Millican!

― pick it up for ripple laser (onimo), Wednesday, 7 May 2014 09:42 (eleven years ago)

I figured out the 'head off Wigan' and worked backwards, still couldn't figure out why lace = spike until it was just explained.

― A Perfect Ratio of Choogle to Jam (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 7 May 2014 11:42 (eleven years ago)

(it's actually 'heading' which is usually N, S, E or W. but head works here also)

― koogs, Wednesday, 7 May 2014 11:52 (eleven years ago)

Thanks to the Guardian cryptic, this American now knows the meaning of to 'play gooseberry.'

― wild-eyed, high-volume bursts of pious indignation (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 13 May 2014 17:16 (eleven years ago)

Also, can anyone parse this one for me? (It's outstrip.)

Run faster in striking football kit (8)

― wild-eyed, high-volume bursts of pious indignation (Dan Peterson), Thursday, 15 May 2014 18:19 (eleven years ago)

run faster = definition
striking = out (as in on strike)
football kit = strip

― koogs, Thursday, 15 May 2014 18:52 (eleven years ago)

Ah, uniform. Knew about kit, strip is totally new to me.

― wild-eyed, high-volume bursts of pious indignation (Dan Peterson), Thursday, 15 May 2014 19:06 (eleven years ago)

And I was looking at striking as in baseball. USA-centric brain.

― wild-eyed, high-volume bursts of pious indignation (Dan Peterson), Thursday, 15 May 2014 19:14 (eleven years ago)

I just completed the Guardian cryptic crossword for the first time in my life, and I am feeling really pleased with myself

― paolo, Monday, 26 May 2014 13:56 (eleven years ago)

Grauniad today

Where St Augustine was at university, being something of a brain? (11)

― Angkor Waht (Neil S), Wednesday, 4 June 2014 12:14 (eleven years ago)

― I Miss You(tube embeds) (onimo), Wednesday, 4 June 2014 12:17 (eleven years ago)

i think i've solved the hardest clue of this sunday's observer crossword, but virtually nothing else.

Carved ornament from southern UK pocketed by naughty teen (7)

(as an aside there are lots of good anagrams for 'money laundering')

― koogs, Tuesday, 10 June 2014 15:22 (eleven years ago)

am reduced to grepping through lexicons...

Fine quality - for example, in eastern cavalry weapon (8)

they seem to be all like this, what i think of as ledge specials 8)

(was netsuke btw)

― koogs, Friday, 13 June 2014 10:08 (eleven years ago)

i've solved that one today if you need a clue. no lexicon required imo

― arid banter (Noodle Vague), Friday, 13 June 2014 10:25 (eleven years ago)

those clues just lack a little elegance, that's all 8) and the more bits there are to them the harder it is to split the definition from the other bits. that's why i have trouble with those.

that said, i also had trouble with 14A which is blatantly obvious anagram for an everyday phrase but i just couldn't see it.

it's about 50% done now, but a lot of that is in pencil.

― koogs, Friday, 13 June 2014 11:14 (eleven years ago)

Had to help the folks with the guardian today, with references to x-men and rickrolling.

― ledge, Tuesday, 17 June 2014 20:28 (eleven years ago)

How do people feel about 'in' as a separator? I always feel that it's not quite okay, but some compilers use it a lot.

― Gravel Puzzleworth, Tuesday, 17 June 2014 22:37 (eleven years ago)

fine by me - definition (found) in wordplay. wordplay (found) in definition maybe a bit more awkward but still sound i think.

― ledge, Wednesday, 18 June 2014 10:55 (eleven years ago)

Grauniad, as per

Smarty-pants reports missing partition (4-3)

― Barry Gordy (Neil S), Friday, 27 June 2014 12:30 (eleven years ago)

Abbreviations will be the death of me. As many times as I seen caught for C or dead for D, when I'm doing a new puzzle I don't recognize them at work. And there are always crazy new ones I've never seen: distinction = OM, maiden = M (HATE the cricket ones!)...

And here are two more I just had today: Edward can just be E? And "corps' soldiers" can be CRE?

― Both jaunty and authentic (Dan Peterson), Thursday, 10 July 2014 14:52 (ten years ago)

http://www.acronymfinder.com/Chief-Royal-Engineer-%28Corps-of-Royal-Engineers,-British-Army%29-%28CRE%29.html

E for edward the same way E is for elizabeth on post boxes EIIR etc

― koogs, Thursday, 10 July 2014 14:56 (ten years ago)

Wow, never seen EIIR either!

― Both jaunty and authentic (Dan Peterson), Thursday, 10 July 2014 15:00 (ten years ago)

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Pillar_Box_War

― koogs, Thursday, 10 July 2014 15:02 (ten years ago)

Again, wow. It is a strange and beautiful world...

― Both jaunty and authentic (Dan Peterson), Thursday, 10 July 2014 15:06 (ten years ago)

this week's Everyman (which seems easy based on the first half dozen clues i looked at)

How Alfie ends is unimaginitive (5)

― koogs, Monday, 21 July 2014 09:12 (ten years ago)

Ha, I just got that one. Here's one I made up today:

Steed and partner never sag in galloping. (8)

― Both jaunty and authentic (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 22 July 2014 19:42 (ten years ago)

Dammit I screwed that up:

Steed and partner never sag, galloping. (8)

― Both jaunty and authentic (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 22 July 2014 22:02 (ten years ago)

Ah, OK. I was on the right line but then still struggled with the anagram, somehow.

― koogs, Wednesday, 23 July 2014 02:19 (ten years ago)

Avengers!

― a butt of a duck, Wednesday, 23 July 2014 08:50 (ten years ago)

today's Graun

Ketamine for breakfast? (7,1)

― Barry Gordy (Neil S), Wednesday, 23 July 2014 12:22 (ten years ago)

edgy

― koogs, Wednesday, 23 July 2014 12:25 (ten years ago)

That is so fuckin lame

― wins, Wednesday, 23 July 2014 12:41 (ten years ago)

i gave up the crossword after that one, there were a few dodgy clues already but that was like "fuck you"

― Daphnis Celesta, Wednesday, 23 July 2014 20:22 (ten years ago)

it's barely even cryptic

― Daphnis Celesta, Wednesday, 23 July 2014 20:22 (ten years ago)

so two thumbs up for that clue then

― Barry Gordy (Neil S), Wednesday, 23 July 2014 22:13 (ten years ago)

Creator of Pluto — with money being spun! (6)

if this works how i think it's sloppy clueing imo

― why you gotta be Joe Root? (Daphnis Celesta), Saturday, 2 August 2014 12:29 (ten years ago)

Idgi, is "being" being used for "person" ie proper name?

― wins, Saturday, 2 August 2014 12:51 (ten years ago)

i think he's using Pluto for the clue and as part of the definition, which, yeah okay but not elegant imo

― why you gotta be Joe Root? (Daphnis Celesta), Saturday, 2 August 2014 13:09 (ten years ago)

Head gets most important lead, showing cunning (8)

The answer was ARCHNESS, and I don't understand it at all.

― Both Jandek and Authenty (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 6 August 2014 14:46 (ten years ago)

Ness = promentary or headland innit?

― Tim, Wednesday, 6 August 2014 14:51 (ten years ago)

Okay, thanks. And then I also wasn't getting arch being from Greek "arkhos" meaning "most important."

And is archness actually a synonym for cunning?

― Both Jandek and Authenty (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 6 August 2014 15:19 (ten years ago)

Seems a bit dicey to me, I guess archness is a kind of conversational cunning, if you squint at it in a certain way.

I wasn't necessarily thinking of the Greek for "arch", btw, more archbishop or arch-enemy.

― Tim, Wednesday, 6 August 2014 15:44 (ten years ago)

archangel etc.

― Daphnis Celesta, Wednesday, 6 August 2014 15:52 (ten years ago)

Yeah, I just wasn't getting any of those from "most important," and not having "ness' either I was lost.

― Both Jandek and Authenty (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 6 August 2014 15:54 (ten years ago)

that while grid was a bit rubbish if I'm remembering right

― pictures of people who seem to have figured out how to use dropbox (wins), Wednesday, 6 August 2014 17:03 (ten years ago)

Yeah, since I'm relatively new to Guardian cryptics I've discovered the Monday setter, Rufus, is mostly easy-ish but some of his cluing is crap. Some of the tougher ones later in the week are incomprehensible to me, though...

― Okay, there's lil' Zipper again (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 6 August 2014 17:23 (ten years ago)

sunday's observer everyman is just about my level and is quite consistent in its cluing.

― koogs, Wednesday, 6 August 2014 20:47 (ten years ago)

Thanks, I'll check that out. Going on a 2-week road trip and I need plenty of puzzles for entertainment.

― Okay, there's lil' Zipper again (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 6 August 2014 21:02 (ten years ago)

the everyman archives go back to 2003

http://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/everyman/2965

i have the first 30 in various stages of completion in the desk at work

― koogs, Wednesday, 6 August 2014 21:55 (ten years ago)

two weeks pass...

^^^ this was a great tip, thanks again. Pitched pretty much at my level of expertise, fairly easy, with the requisite sailor = AB and member = MP type stuff, and a few answers I had never heard of: London tube train stations, plants called Aarons Rod and Pheasants Eye, Scapa Flow...)

― Okay, there's lil' Zipper again (Dan Peterson), Monday, 25 August 2014 18:30 (ten years ago)

you'll find it too easy soon enough!

― a spectrum is taunting ur OP (wins), Monday, 25 August 2014 18:52 (ten years ago)

Some of them already are! Like, Emphasized editor is under pressure = stressed!

― Okay, there's lil' Zipper again (Dan Peterson), Monday, 25 August 2014 19:13 (ten years ago)

"Chillax" in today's grauniad, but also this gem: Carroll had on record this laugh's etymological origins (7)

― ledge, Wednesday, 27 August 2014 12:16 (ten years ago)

jesus no wonder i hadn't got chillax

― Daphnis Celesta, Wednesday, 27 August 2014 12:30 (ten years ago)

sounds like you need to... take a chill pill.

― ledge, Wednesday, 27 August 2014 12:32 (ten years ago)

i got just over halfway thru at 3 this morning, still got about 8 to go

― Daphnis Celesta, Wednesday, 27 August 2014 12:35 (ten years ago)

anyone had any success with the Guardian's Bank Holiday puzzle? I got some of the clues but am nowhere near being them able to slot them into the grid...

― Barry Gordy (Neil S), Wednesday, 27 August 2014 12:41 (ten years ago)

Managed to finish it with copious help from thesaurus, google, parents. I started putting words in the grid before I was absolutely certain the positions were correct. Have you got the theme?

― ledge, Wednesday, 27 August 2014 12:44 (ten years ago)

no, any hints appreciated, that might give me a helping hand!

― Barry Gordy (Neil S), Wednesday, 27 August 2014 12:45 (ten years ago)

yeah, 9ac took a lot of getting but once i had it things cleared up a little, bottom half has some wicked words in it tho i suspect

― Daphnis Celesta, Wednesday, 27 August 2014 12:50 (ten years ago)

the theme is (rot13) cynagf naq sybjref

and here are the more obscure themed answers my folks helped me with (also rot 13): puevfg cynag, rybqrn, znzzrr, nenyvn, arahcune (jngre yvyl), enzfba, hqb, dhvgpu tenff

xp, 9ac definition seems unfair or wrong, unless i'm misunderstanding. 13d a bit off as well, 8d a cheap trick, if fairly common. still got four to go.

― ledge, Wednesday, 27 August 2014 12:53 (ten years ago)

i think 9ac works properly: the def is a little vague until you realise what it refers to but fine then i think?

― Daphnis Celesta, Wednesday, 27 August 2014 12:56 (ten years ago)

still missing: 15, 21, 22, 25 across, 13, 16, 19 down, tho i think i know that last one, just can't parse the clue

― Daphnis Celesta, Wednesday, 27 August 2014 12:57 (ten years ago)

6d is a 9ac is all i can think. but it ain't? stuck on 16, 21, 15, yeah i couldn't (be bothered to) figure out 19d.

― ledge, Wednesday, 27 August 2014 12:59 (ten years ago)

oh i've got it. last three words of the clue are the key instruction.

― ledge, Wednesday, 27 August 2014 13:00 (ten years ago)

think of the definition as a quantity rather than a clue number

― Daphnis Celesta, Wednesday, 27 August 2014 13:01 (ten years ago)

ohmygod 19d yes, nasty!

― Daphnis Celesta, Wednesday, 27 August 2014 13:03 (ten years ago)

21 across is lol, slightly unfair

― Daphnis Celesta, Wednesday, 27 August 2014 13:05 (ten years ago)

ok i looked at fifteensquared to figure out 9ac, *that's* nasty!

― ledge, Wednesday, 27 August 2014 13:07 (ten years ago)

i'm right about quantity, yeah?

― Daphnis Celesta, Wednesday, 27 August 2014 13:08 (ten years ago)

just 15 and 25 to go

― Daphnis Celesta, Wednesday, 27 August 2014 13:09 (ten years ago)

finished

― Daphnis Celesta, Wednesday, 27 August 2014 13:10 (ten years ago)

xxp yep. finished too, lol at 21.

― ledge, Wednesday, 27 August 2014 13:10 (ten years ago)

good crossword tbf, some of the clues on the edge of unfair

― Daphnis Celesta, Wednesday, 27 August 2014 13:11 (ten years ago)

13d especially, as you said, is not a good clue

― Daphnis Celesta, Wednesday, 27 August 2014 13:12 (ten years ago)

enough good ones to make up for it though. 1 and 12 my faves, 21 lolworthy as noted, 26 comes together nicely.

― ledge, Wednesday, 27 August 2014 13:16 (ten years ago)

1 is really nicely done

― Daphnis Celesta, Wednesday, 27 August 2014 13:17 (ten years ago)

finished the everyman in the pub on sunday for the first time in months.

― koogs, Monday, 1 September 2014 09:38 (ten years ago)

I came up with this one, and I think it works pretty well if I do say so myself:

American who composed "Green Onions" seen around city in France. (7, 4)

― Okay, there's lil' Zipper again (Dan Peterson), Thursday, 4 September 2014 18:26 (ten years ago)

two weeks pass...

Aw man, did I break the cryptic thread? Charles Ives.

Stumped by corset? There's a surprise! (6,2)

I've been happily doing lots of Everyman puzzles lately, but this combination of cricket abbrev., unknown-to-me synonym and Britishism answer I had also never heard before proved that, yes, I am American.

― Dick Clownload (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 23 September 2014 17:21 (ten years ago)

and yet you still worked it out because you had more than half the letters.

finished this week's this morning.

― koogs, Tuesday, 23 September 2014 20:25 (ten years ago)

last week's included the name of a scottish oil refinery, but one i'd seen before.

― koogs, Tuesday, 23 September 2014 20:27 (ten years ago)

Sullom Voe! I had actually heard of that somewhere, but couldn't remember it for the puzzle. I cheated on that, and the corset. Also needed to cheat on: Welsh lake = Bala, and Coastal Vessels = Grabs.

― Dick Clownload (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 23 September 2014 20:48 (ten years ago)

we've not done the word-of-the-day thing for a while (coming up with a clue for a word from one of the many word-of-the-day sites, like the homemade jokes thread but less funny and for crossword clues)

Rad peanut shaped like a leaf (9, wotd)

― koogs, Tuesday, 30 September 2014 10:06 (ten years ago)

(actually, looking again, i'm not sure i read the definition correctly. but it'll do)

― koogs, Tuesday, 30 September 2014 10:08 (ten years ago)

this page is no help: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Leaf_shape

nor this one: http://wordsmith.org/anagram/

got it tho.

― If a job's worth doing it's worth doing, Horatio (ledge), Tuesday, 30 September 2014 10:18 (ten years ago)

yeah, it's actually 'violin-shaped', especially when applied to descriptions of leaves, not 'shaped like a leaf'. 8(

― koogs, Tuesday, 30 September 2014 10:58 (ten years ago)

three weeks pass...

everyman 3550:

Joker, male, is seen on Baghdad river (9)

easy to work out from the bits (especially as i had 3 of the letters) but a word i'd never heard before.

my favourite this week:

Arms race participant? (9)

― koogs, Wednesday, 22 October 2014 13:25 (ten years ago)

that's gotta be one of the easier everymen, finished in ten mins. btw everyman, is that the setter's name or a target audience description in need of degendering?

― ledge, Wednesday, 22 October 2014 13:48 (ten years ago)

Always assumed the latter

― 龜✊ (wins), Wednesday, 22 October 2014 13:53 (ten years ago)

i have 1.3 left to get.

cashier? minister of *space*?

― koogs, Wednesday, 22 October 2014 13:59 (ten years ago)

cashier, yep. other meaning is obscure but flickers dimly in my brain. not space. c'mon. you can do it.

― ledge, Wednesday, 22 October 2014 14:03 (ten years ago)

i don't see why cashier is cashier.

Dismiss teller (7)

ok, teller = definition. where does 'dismiss' come in? oh, synonym - http://www.thefreedictionary.com/cashier didn't know that...

― koogs, Wednesday, 22 October 2014 14:09 (ten years ago)

to tell = state.

― koogs, Wednesday, 22 October 2014 14:10 (ten years ago)

http://a.espncdn.com/photo/2011/0726/576x324_hifive.jpg

― ledge, Wednesday, 22 October 2014 14:13 (ten years ago)

why does that bloke clapping have two right hands?

― koogs, Wednesday, 22 October 2014 14:18 (ten years ago)

I had never seen the Baghdad river answer either. Was that the same puzzle that had a bizarre clue about Italian leader (DUCE) involved in something, that just didn't work?

I came up with this one at the train station this morning, I think it works.

Dad can attempt beginning film. (6)

― Deliciously hard yet very accessible (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 22 October 2014 15:22 (ten years ago)

(everyman 3550 was this week's)

― koogs, Wednesday, 22 October 2014 15:31 (ten years ago)

It was: Gathered action involves Italy's leader (7) = DEDUCED. I see DEED and DUCE, but the 'involves' part just didn't work in this imo.

― Deliciously hard yet very accessible (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 22 October 2014 15:35 (ten years ago)

3548 was the italian leader one

Gathered action involves Italy's leader (7)

action = DEED
italy's leader = DUC
DE(DUC)ED = gathered

― koogs, Wednesday, 22 October 2014 15:39 (ten years ago)

Yes, but Italy's leader was DUCE not DUC. The setter actually admitted he got that one wrong.

― goth colouring book (anagram), Wednesday, 22 October 2014 15:40 (ten years ago)

i think you are right, i'm trying it on there with DUC

― koogs, Wednesday, 22 October 2014 15:42 (ten years ago)

(google turns up some hits but if you look at them they are nonsense)

― koogs, Wednesday, 22 October 2014 15:43 (ten years ago)

I thought involves was somehow meaning 'includes a part of' or 'shares a vowel with' or something else I didn't understand, but I had no idea it was actually an error.

― Deliciously hard yet very accessible (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 22 October 2014 15:43 (ten years ago)

No one wants to try mine? Dad can attempt beginning film. (6)

P_T_ _ _

Here's a pretty easy one I did for the Merriam Wenster word of the day:

Cyril composed poem (5)

― Deliciously hard yet very accessible (Dan Peterson), Friday, 24 October 2014 14:02 (ten years ago)

Wasps sting bears, yo (4)

― Deliciously hard yet very accessible (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 5 November 2014 21:10 (ten years ago)

Patina!

― individual meta dater (wins), Wednesday, 5 November 2014 22:23 (ten years ago)

I got your latest one too (it's good) but I'll leave for others for a bit

― individual meta dater (wins), Wednesday, 5 November 2014 22:25 (ten years ago)

The wasps one isn't mine, it's from The Nation, but I laughed.

― Deliciously hard yet very accessible (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 5 November 2014 22:33 (ten years ago)

is that wasps as in WASPs? Can think of an answer but can't really justify it.

― ledge, Thursday, 6 November 2014 12:45 (ten years ago)

― individual meta dater (wins), Thursday, 6 November 2014 13:14 (ten years ago)

There's a bit of misdirection in this one

― individual meta dater (wins), Thursday, 6 November 2014 13:14 (ten years ago)

Quite clever misdirection imo.

I just did an Everyman with what must be a record (for me) number of words I had never heard of, or usages I had never seen:

Guncotton
Auster (for South wind)
Snaffle
E'er (for always)
Lay (for a song)
Rum (for unusual)

― Deliciously hard yet very accessible (Dan Peterson), Thursday, 6 November 2014 19:23 (ten years ago)

Russian opera reportedly runs with blood online? (6,4)

Not sure I'm getting this. It's Prince Igor. Runs = prints, and gore = blood. Is the "online" making it "E"-gore?

Good grief...

― Deliciously hard yet very accessible (Dan Peterson), Friday, 7 November 2014 20:12 (ten years ago)

Yeah a bit of a stretch.

Had to cheat for psst *hangs head in shame* - it's a pretty straight clue, the lesson for me is to examine my preconceptions. I was so sure 'wasps sting' couldn't harbour any hidden words that I didn't even look. Gave it to some friends yesterday, they didn't get it either. Then we had a long discussion about the similarity or otherwise of psst and yo and the likelihood of us using either of them.

― ledge, Sunday, 9 November 2014 18:06 (ten years ago)

That's what's good about it, it's deceptive (& the solution being vowelless helps w that)

yo & psst aren't exactly synonymous but they can both be used to mean "listen up" so it works imo

― individual meta dater (wins), Sunday, 9 November 2014 18:16 (ten years ago)

also:

Rum (for unusual)

(Guardian prize spoiler warning) apparently a lustrum is a period of five years. Who knew.

― ledge, Sunday, 9 November 2014 19:46 (ten years ago)

I made this one up today:

Found during warmup: pet sheep, pig and frog, for example. (7)

― Deliciously hard yet very accessible (Dan Peterson), Friday, 14 November 2014 14:50 (ten years ago)

nice :)

― Stim McRaw (Noodle Vague), Friday, 14 November 2014 17:24 (ten years ago)

ty! One of the things I've discovered since getting addicted to cryptics is that every word I see I compulsively deconstruct in my head.

― Deliciously hard yet very accessible (Dan Peterson), Friday, 14 November 2014 17:56 (ten years ago)

Me too, although it rarely leads to a well defined clue. Here's one I struggled to fashion last night, somewhat lacking in finesse as usual:

Verbally introduced to a champagne socialist, primarily in charge within department for investigating the fundamental nature of things (11)

― ledge, Monday, 17 November 2014 09:19 (ten years ago)

tl;dr

― koogs, Monday, 17 November 2014 09:35 (ten years ago)

the rufus version: philosophy squared up to a science (11)

― ledge, Monday, 17 November 2014 10:20 (ten years ago)

zrgnculfvpf, i am guessing. "met a" and then some handwaving.

― koogs, Monday, 17 November 2014 11:52 (ten years ago)

Ha I like "champagne socialist" there but I don't think it quite works

― Fairly peng (wins), Monday, 17 November 2014 13:17 (ten years ago)

Male, brother of Rodney, and a boy for Champagne Socialist (9)

Sorry for British

― Ratt in Mi Kitchen (Neil S), Monday, 17 November 2014 13:30 (ten years ago)

xp met a phys sounds like fizz, socialist primarily = S, IC within. is how i break it down to an extent. i think it's sound...

― ledge, Monday, 17 November 2014 14:16 (ten years ago)

xp should've got that quicker, suppose i should be grateful it took a while to drag him from memory.

― ledge, Monday, 17 November 2014 14:59 (ten years ago)

hah apologies again

― Ratt in Mi Kitchen (Neil S), Monday, 17 November 2014 15:06 (ten years ago)

Here's my (super simple) made up one for today:

Urinate in South Dakota, go quickly! (5)

― Deliciously hard yet very accessible (Dan Peterson), Monday, 17 November 2014 17:09 (ten years ago)

SPEED

Suggestion of pain in arse leads to arguing (6)

― ledge, Friday, 21 November 2014 09:29 (ten years ago)

Rowing

Sorry I don't have any clues to hand, will try to find something in tmrws paper

― show me love alamuddin (qiqing), Friday, 21 November 2014 09:47 (ten years ago)

> tmrws

got it! "tomorrow's"

― koogs, Friday, 21 November 2014 09:59 (ten years ago)

Lol

Wait, I've got one, it's my first go at a clue so be easy on me

Picture from the mad sight, get kicks (3,3,4)

― show me love alamuddin (qiqing), Friday, 21 November 2014 10:05 (ten years ago)

Ah shit excitement got the better of me, that should be (3,3,5)

― show me love alamuddin (qiqing), Friday, 21 November 2014 10:07 (ten years ago)

Brit not quite overcome by a task all too tricky for Li Na? (6,6)

― lex pretend, Sunday, 23 November 2014 15:11 (ten years ago)

^^^ I glanced at that, and the rest of that puzzle. Gave up after 5 minutes, way too tough. I didn't get this one even looking at the answer:

Film notice written by pundits about that year’s output? (1,3,2,3,5)

― Deliciously hard yet very accessible (Dan Peterson), Monday, 24 November 2014 15:25 (ten years ago)

An envelope (‘about’) of AYATTHER, an anagram (‘output’) of ‘that year’ in AD (‘notice’) plus ACES (‘pundits’), for the Marx Brothers film.

clear as mud eh. 'output' as anag indicator is weak, and 'aces' for 'pundits' hardly squares with most of the rentagobs you get on tv.

qiqing's has me stumped i'm afraid.

― Kelly Gang Carey and the Mantels (ledge), Monday, 24 November 2014 15:28 (ten years ago)

wth is ayatther?

― Deliciously hard yet very accessible (Dan Peterson), Monday, 24 November 2014 15:32 (ten years ago)

it's all there...

― Kelly Gang Carey and the Mantels (ledge), Monday, 24 November 2014 15:33 (ten years ago)

Wait, what? I can't find this via Google or dictionary. Is this one of those that's too British for me?

― Deliciously hard yet very accessible (Dan Peterson), Monday, 24 November 2014 15:35 (ten years ago)

an anagram (‘output’) of ‘that year’

― Kelly Gang Carey and the Mantels (ledge), Monday, 24 November 2014 15:37 (ten years ago)

But doesn't ayatther have to be a real word? Sorry, I'm completely not getting this.

― Deliciously hard yet very accessible (Dan Peterson), Monday, 24 November 2014 15:39 (ten years ago)

the clue says "write 'ad' and 'aces' about an anagram of 'that year'", the anag doesn't have be a word. it's sound, but it's probably not fair, if you've got no hint as to what the anag should be.

― Kelly Gang Carey and the Mantels (ledge), Monday, 24 November 2014 15:47 (ten years ago)

Thanks! I have never seen one where the anagram is not a real word. Good example of why I could not do this puzzle.

― Deliciously hard yet very accessible (Dan Peterson), Monday, 24 November 2014 15:53 (ten years ago)

I'm not sure it's that unfair actually, there is a hint for the "word" you need, it's the one that will complete the clue to make the name of a film. And I thought "film" was a bit of a thin definition but "marx bros film" would be too easy, and lots of people at fifteensquared.net got it from the letter count. I think it's a bit of a setter's fave due to its length and being full of common letters, pretty sure I've seen it before.

― Kelly Gang Carey and the Mantels (ledge), Wednesday, 26 November 2014 13:07 (ten years ago)

also worth pointing out that the setter of that clue was Enigmatist whose puzzles are always some of the hardest to solve

― rising stones cross (anagram), Wednesday, 26 November 2014 13:57 (ten years ago)

Yup that too.

Last ever Araucaria today, finished by Philistine. Might have enjoyed it (or been hugely frustrated) if I hadn't spoiled the key clue by skimming the article about it, just like it warned me not to.

Puzzle:
http://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/cryptic/26427
Article:
http://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/crossword-blog/2014/nov/25/unexpected-treat-fans-araucaria-guardian-crossword-setter

― Kelly Gang Carey and the Mantels (ledge), Wednesday, 26 November 2014 14:38 (ten years ago)

I suppose enough time has passed for revelation

ledge mine upthread is The Red Shoes

― show me love alamuddin (qiqing), Thursday, 27 November 2014 00:45 (ten years ago)

enjoyed that posthumous Araucaria, thanks ledge. Liked the theme a lot though it took me a while to get it.

I didn't understand how some of the ones at the bottom worked, even after I filled them in according to what fitted or the magic of the Cheat button, so I went to fifteensquared to look. The one I was particularly puzzled by was 2 alternative definitions and 4 wordplays in one clue! Completely didn't notice that, I had no idea what any of the clue except the theme indicator/first def and final wordplay were doing in the clue. (smacks forehead)

Also for ILXy lols I got the last letter of 23D wrong (still fitting the def) and tried to convince myself it might be a reference to Manda Rin of Glaswegian 90s indie combo being a bit annoying.

― club mate martyr (a passing spacecadet), Friday, 28 November 2014 10:30 (ten years ago)

Porcine life form found in craft trapped in white hole at first, then zero gravity (7)

― Kelly Gang Carey and the Mantels (ledge), Monday, 1 December 2014 14:16 (ten years ago)

nice

― Ratt in Mi Kitchen (Neil S), Monday, 1 December 2014 14:18 (ten years ago)

i liked these from the everyman this week

Rim around gold dish (5)

'Stub' - no clue for it, cryptically (11)

― koogs, Monday, 1 December 2014 14:20 (ten years ago)

xp But not taxing, clearly. I'm destined to be a Rufus.

― Kelly Gang Carey and the Mantels (ledge), Monday, 1 December 2014 14:20 (ten years ago)

the zero gravity bit at the end gave it away

― Ratt in Mi Kitchen (Neil S), Monday, 1 December 2014 14:26 (ten years ago)

^^^ yeah I worked backwards too. Here's an easy one I made up:

Singer staples most of map and half of visa. (5)

― Deliciously hard yet very accessible (Dan Peterson), Monday, 1 December 2014 16:21 (ten years ago)

Ah, crap, make that 'most of map and most of visa.'

― Deliciously hard yet very accessible (Dan Peterson), Monday, 1 December 2014 16:22 (ten years ago)

nice def. 'most' tends to be frowned upon, too vague (not really a problem in this case but...) - you could go for last letter deletion instead, incomplete visa or something.

― Kelly Gang Carey and the Mantels (ledge), Monday, 1 December 2014 17:20 (ten years ago)

I was happy to work this one out in today's Grauniad

Weapon offering promise of American woman? (10)

― Ratt in Mi Kitchen (Neil S), Saturday, 13 December 2014 22:46 (ten years ago)

Not 100% sure this works, but I wrote one for Merriam-Webster's 2014 word of the year:

Huge rut luckily consumes backward social group and its beliefs. (7)

― The Thelonius Monk of nu-ki? (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 16 December 2014 19:28 (ten years ago)

^ Culture, yeah that works fine.

Little bleeder's reported break in to Electronic Arts' outpost in Devon (8,3)

― ledge, Saturday, 20 December 2014 13:24 (ten years ago)

No idea!

Is there a prize xword in today's guardian? It isn't on their (increasingly shit & buggy) iPhone app.

― tl;dr, gukbar, morbis detrius (wins), Saturday, 20 December 2014 18:15 (ten years ago)

yes, it's two grids so the app wouldn't be able to handle it.

― koogs, Saturday, 20 December 2014 18:27 (ten years ago)

Ah ok, worth getting the paper for or no? I have a train journey later but ample reading...

― tl;dr, gukbar, morbis detrius (wins), Saturday, 20 December 2014 18:34 (ten years ago)

it looks a bit convoluted "however, one letter must be added to one of each pair of solutions before entry into the grid"...

― koogs, Saturday, 20 December 2014 19:08 (ten years ago)

Oh I hate those ftmp

― tl;dr, gukbar, morbis detrius (wins), Saturday, 20 December 2014 19:17 (ten years ago)

"Forge the mine path". Primarily used in Minecraft when building a path into a mine.

― ledge, Saturday, 20 December 2014 22:16 (ten years ago)

It's tough but I'm enjoying it, clues are pretty straightforward and the instructions are clear and not a huge stumbling block.

― ledge, Saturday, 20 December 2014 22:18 (ten years ago)

I mean I'm like less than a quarter done.

― ledge, Saturday, 20 December 2014 22:18 (ten years ago)

Director of films to include head of penis? Almost - pianist

― tl;dr, gukbar, morbis detrius (wins), Saturday, 20 December 2014 22:49 (ten years ago)

(4,4)

― tl;dr, gukbar, morbis detrius (wins), Saturday, 20 December 2014 22:49 (ten years ago)

nope... gonna add an extra hint to mine.

Little bleeder's reported break in to Electronic Arts' south Devon seaside office? (8,3)

--d--t--/---

― ledge, Monday, 22 December 2014 13:41 (ten years ago)

I'm stumped

― tl;dr, gukbar, morbis detrius (wins), Tuesday, 23 December 2014 15:10 (ten years ago)

Got it. (not sure why it's office though?)

― oppet, Tuesday, 23 December 2014 15:29 (ten years ago)

Oh, 'outpost in Devon' makes sense though.

― oppet, Tuesday, 23 December 2014 15:31 (ten years ago)

I threw a question mark in there to indicate something fishy but I think it's ok, if EA had an office in T------ you'd just call it EA T------. Like errrrrr DKNY?

― ledge, Tuesday, 23 December 2014 17:40 (ten years ago)

r-d--t--/k--

― ledge, Tuesday, 23 December 2014 17:45 (ten years ago)

Guardian prize now the usual war of attrition, was hoping the parents would help but they'd completed less than me.

― ledge, Tuesday, 23 December 2014 18:30 (ten years ago)

Omg just got it

― tl;dr, gukbar, morbis detrius (wins), Tuesday, 23 December 2014 20:41 (ten years ago)

radiator key!

― tl;dr, gukbar, morbis detrius (wins), Tuesday, 23 December 2014 20:42 (ten years ago)

― ledge, Tuesday, 23 December 2014 20:53 (ten years ago)

That kind of cryptic definition would normally have me decrying the compiler as a scoundrel.

― ledge, Tuesday, 23 December 2014 20:54 (ten years ago)

It gets by because we like "little bleeder"

― tl;dr, gukbar, morbis detrius (wins), Tuesday, 23 December 2014 20:56 (ten years ago)

Did you get mine?

― tl;dr, gukbar, morbis detrius (wins), Tuesday, 23 December 2014 20:56 (ten years ago)

Nope, give us letters!

― ledge, Tuesday, 23 December 2014 22:03 (ten years ago)

Given up on the guardian in a huff, if anyone can explain how "comrade - stan's" is at all cryptic for "oliver" - well it probably won't change my mind.

― ledge, Wednesday, 24 December 2014 20:45 (ten years ago)

http://previous.presstv.ir/photo/20131210/339246_Laurel-%20Hardy-%20biographical%20film.jpg

― Noodle Vague, Wednesday, 24 December 2014 21:34 (ten years ago)

yeah but like

idgi

― tl;dr, gukbar, morbis detrius (wins), Wednesday, 24 December 2014 21:43 (ten years ago)

btw

--n-/-a--

― tl;dr, gukbar, morbis detrius (wins), Wednesday, 24 December 2014 21:45 (ten years ago)

those chuckleheads were the first thing I thought of, that still ain't no cryptic clue.

― ledge, Wednesday, 24 December 2014 21:48 (ten years ago)

Yeah unless "Oliver" is another word for "comrade" or sth

― tl;dr, gukbar, morbis detrius (wins), Wednesday, 24 December 2014 21:49 (ten years ago)

sth to do with the Song of Roland or...?

(don't even know if I'm overreaching here; did not attempt said crossword as the gimmick was beyond me, by which I don't even mean adding letters but the whole not knowing where to split the clues thing)

― club mate martyr (a passing spacecadet), Wednesday, 24 December 2014 22:04 (ten years ago)

Cromwellian perhaps, but that kind of "guess which Stan this refers to" isn't unheard of in cryptics

― Noodle Vague, Wednesday, 24 December 2014 22:05 (ten years ago)

not especially hard but i always appreciate arachne and her politics:

Ends of Rice, Brown and Garner? Time for anger (6)

― lex pretend, Thursday, 1 January 2015 15:10 (ten years ago)

nice

― Gombeen Dance Band (Noodle Vague), Thursday, 1 January 2015 15:32 (ten years ago)

(talking of hard, i don't think i've ever been as irritated with a crossword as that maskarade prize one from the other week)

― lex pretend, Thursday, 1 January 2015 15:38 (ten years ago)

There was a pop at ukip voters in the Boxing Day one, can't remember the setter

Gonna post this once more & then give solution

Director of films to include head of penis? Almost - /pianist/ (4,4)

--n-/-a--

― bife claro (wins), Thursday, 1 January 2015 23:52 (ten years ago)

Oops zing

Director of films to include head of penis? Almost - pianist(4,4)

--n-/-a--

― bife claro (wins), Thursday, 1 January 2015 23:53 (ten years ago)

Lang Lang

Thread could do w some more cryptic penile insertions

― joe selfie (qiqing), Friday, 2 January 2015 07:11 (ten years ago)

Took me a little while to come up with this one

Cheeky old man, measure with huge one out and give head direction, faint ring of a one hit wonder? (4,5)

― joe selfie (qiqing), Friday, 2 January 2015 08:53 (ten years ago)

Bit long i know but here's a clue a la wins

--n-/--u--

― joe selfie (qiqing), Friday, 2 January 2015 23:17 (ten years ago)

Objective: refuse to be heard in a thriller about a duck? (9)

I couldn't get this one for the life of me. Homonym AND a double definition!

― The Thelonius Monk of nu-ki? (Dan Peterson), Monday, 5 January 2015 18:24 (ten years ago)

Damn that is a tough one. All I can think is "equitable" fitting if the solution is another word for "objective", but I can't see how that works. Is refuse homonym something like nix/nicks or waste/waist? Still doesn't really help. Is duck referring to a type of duck eg pekin?

No bites for my clue so can I just

Wang Chung

― joe selfie (qiqing), Monday, 5 January 2015 23:05 (ten years ago)

>>> Is refuse homonym something like nix/nicks or waste/waist?

Neither. And part of my problem was the way I pronounce said word is not exactly a homophone with the word they're seeking, so I just didn't hear it.

Hint: G_L _ _ _ _ _ _

― The Thelonius Monk of nu-ki? (Dan Peterson), Monday, 5 January 2015 23:19 (ten years ago)

Goldeneye?

― joe selfie (qiqing), Monday, 5 January 2015 23:25 (ten years ago)

Yep. I pronounce 'deny' with a long e, so duh-nye just wasn't popping into my head. Plus not a fan of recent James Bond films and never heard of the duck.

― The Thelonius Monk of nu-ki? (Dan Peterson), Monday, 5 January 2015 23:29 (ten years ago)

today's Graun

Not too heavy a sea? That's fortunate (4,2,4)

― Ratt in Mi Kitchen (Neil S), Tuesday, 6 January 2015 12:55 (ten years ago)

oof, the goldeneye clue

some brilliant ones in the NYD arachne that gave us the relatively easy Rice/Brown/Garner clue upthread (er yes i've only just finished it). particularly enjoyed:

Split from husband, heading off to give birth in cowshed (5)
Do successors occupy country, having ousted last PM? (7)
Perfectly embodies the ultimate in courageous soldier material (5)
Six ducks living on Scottish islands, one with more than one tongue (8)

i think she might be my favourite setter by far

― lex pretend, Tuesday, 6 January 2015 13:02 (ten years ago)

idg qiqing's clue

― bife claro (wins), Tuesday, 6 January 2015 13:31 (ten years ago)

I'm not sure but I'll have a go at parsing it thus: wang = cheeky word for old man (penis), c - measure (celsius?), take one out of huge = hug + add N (header direction), Wang Chung = one-hit wonder. Bit of a slog imo.

― you've got no fans you've got no ground (anagram), Tuesday, 6 January 2015 14:18 (ten years ago)

AND Wang Chung had three top 10 hits here in the US.

― The Thelonius Monk of nu-ki? (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 6 January 2015 15:09 (ten years ago)

Er, actually just two. And "Dance Hall Days" wasn't one of them.

― The Thelonius Monk of nu-ki? (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 6 January 2015 15:12 (ten years ago)

I did suggest it was a bit long, overworked a tad, but hard to do w/o sacrificing nudgenudgewinkwinkoohergeorgeformby. Getting the n in there was a slog, but hard to do otherwise. It was initially going to be something like "curved spine" for penis but I couldn't get it to work for Wang Chung that easily and wanted it to resemble wins's clue.

I figured there would be dissent to the one hit wonder status, which is why I included a question mark. There's debate about it because they weren't really a one hit wonder but are sometimes tagged as such, AND in the UK they were known for one song afaik.

Getting a bit clever but wang is also a word meaning cheek and faint ring refers to Wang Chung meaning "yellow bell". Otherwise anagram otm.

― joe selfie (qiqing), Tuesday, 6 January 2015 17:17 (ten years ago)

Of course they were originally called Huang Chung which would have made it even more difficult.

― you've got no fans you've got no ground (anagram), Tuesday, 6 January 2015 19:55 (ten years ago)

Notices from Social Security about something that is to be shared. (5)

I so wanted this to be SPOTS.

― The Thelonius Monk of nu-ki? (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 7 January 2015 14:42 (ten years ago)

It isn't?

― ledge, Wednesday, 7 January 2015 14:59 (ten years ago)

Ha, no SPIES.

― The Thelonius Monk of nu-ki? (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 7 January 2015 15:46 (ten years ago)

Bit of a stretch from notices to spies, I might have gone with agents (and something like concealing instead of about). Also this pie is all mine, hands off.

― ledge, Wednesday, 7 January 2015 16:00 (ten years ago)

how is a pie something to be shared????

lol xp

― lex pretend, Wednesday, 7 January 2015 16:03 (ten years ago)

"Notices" seems fine for "spies" (as verb) to me.

Was trying to make the answer "slips" somehow. Could probably psychoanalyse what people first thought of for hours.

― club mate martyr (a passing spacecadet), Wednesday, 7 January 2015 16:05 (ten years ago)

Piece of the pie is a pretty common analogy for a share of something right? I thought the double def worked fine, "notices" being letters that could be received in the mail from SS, or another word for sees. Simple enough for my limited capacity anyway...

I came up with this one the other day: Rewoven vine mat divided country (4,3)

― The Thelonius Monk of nu-ki? (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 7 January 2015 16:08 (ten years ago)

the 4, 3 spelling might raise some eyebrows in the UK maybe

"notices" = "spies" is perfectly cromulent imo

― Gombeen Dance Band (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 7 January 2015 17:46 (ten years ago)

They are both on a continuum, just at radically different ends. "I couldn't help but notice, through my giant telescope trained on your bedroom window, your sexual predilection for dwarves." Yeah I mean that makes sense but... ok forget it jake it's crossword town.

― ledge, Wednesday, 7 January 2015 18:04 (ten years ago)

tbh i usually admire that kind of head fake that sends you after a completely different definition, as long as it's fair

― Gombeen Dance Band (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 7 January 2015 18:06 (ten years ago)

RE 4,3 spelling, wth was I thinking? Yes, make that a 7, in the US as well.

― The Thelonius Monk of nu-ki? (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 7 January 2015 18:09 (ten years ago)

i think i've seen the 4,3 used in print? may be archaic

― Gombeen Dance Band (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 7 January 2015 18:10 (ten years ago)

lol just realised where i was thinking of, may be 80s album'd

― Gombeen Dance Band (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 7 January 2015 18:11 (ten years ago)

How would you feel about idk, peeve for torture?

― ledge, Wednesday, 7 January 2015 18:16 (ten years ago)

Or to go the full Godwin, rogue for Hitler?

― ledge, Wednesday, 7 January 2015 18:19 (ten years ago)

seems slightly on the other side of the line, not seen peeve used in that sense, but could be corrected. peeve as verb rather than noun i'm fine with, wdn't quibble "vex" or "irritate"

― Gombeen Dance Band (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 7 January 2015 18:19 (ten years ago)

have seen "spies" used in the sense of "notices" plenty of times tho admittedly perhaps in older literature

― Gombeen Dance Band (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 7 January 2015 18:20 (ten years ago)

but it works like that in the game "i spy" really

― Gombeen Dance Band (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 7 January 2015 18:21 (ten years ago)

Ok ok ya got me.

― ledge, Wednesday, 7 January 2015 18:21 (ten years ago)

To spy is not the same as to spy on

In the corner of the room he spied a manila folder

― bife claro (wins), Wednesday, 7 January 2015 18:25 (ten years ago)

It's really really conmon

― bife claro (wins), Wednesday, 7 January 2015 18:26 (ten years ago)

*common c'mon

― bife claro (wins), Wednesday, 7 January 2015 18:26 (ten years ago)

^ socially conscious typo

― Gombeen Dance Band (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 7 January 2015 18:28 (ten years ago)

Merriam Webster's word of the day is a new one to me, so:

Clue holds a question for a group of sycophants. (6)

― Losing swag by the second (Dan Peterson), Thursday, 8 January 2015 15:34 (ten years ago)

two weeks pass...

Sinatra had a few royal birds (7)

― ledge, Tuesday, 27 January 2015 10:01 (ten years ago)

...but Scott didn't have any

― you've got no fans you've got no ground (anagram), Tuesday, 27 January 2015 10:09 (ten years ago)

oh yeah i should've thought of that!

― ledge, Tuesday, 27 January 2015 10:20 (ten years ago)

surprised no one got this, posted upthread

Not too heavy a sea? That's fortunate (4,2,4)

Too facile?

― Ratt in Mi Kitchen (Neil S), Tuesday, 27 January 2015 11:57 (ten years ago)

just as well, I got it

― o.m.g. lol @ hurt butt (wins), Tuesday, 27 January 2015 12:12 (ten years ago)

phew!

― Ratt in Mi Kitchen (Neil S), Tuesday, 27 January 2015 12:21 (ten years ago)

Something something main something.

― ledge, Tuesday, 27 January 2015 21:06 (ten years ago)

two weeks pass...

well this was a bummer in today's :-/

Animal raped and murdered (3, 5)

― k3ller of sh1p (wins), Thursday, 12 February 2015 16:43 (ten years ago)

an endangered species at that

― Keith Moom (Neil S), Thursday, 12 February 2015 16:48 (ten years ago)

ikr

― k3ller of sh1p (wins), Thursday, 12 February 2015 16:50 (ten years ago)

A half-hearted exhalalation;
Next, with no small delectation,
Vulgar act of masturbation
And rumoured ye ejaculation

― k3ller of sh1p (wins), Thursday, 12 February 2015 17:13 (ten years ago)

I would like to rewrite this I think

― k3ller of sh1p (wins), Thursday, 12 February 2015 20:30 (ten years ago)

spike of encouragement (2,2)

― ledge, Monday, 16 February 2015 10:10 (ten years ago)

Nice

― content raggettator (wins), Monday, 16 February 2015 10:43 (ten years ago)

In re: your previous post, fyi.

― ledge, Monday, 16 February 2015 11:27 (ten years ago)

don't know.

but it did prompt this:

Offer old Dutch coin as encouragement (2, 2)

― koogs, Monday, 16 February 2015 11:57 (ten years ago)

ok, got the spike one now.

― koogs, Monday, 16 February 2015 11:58 (ten years ago)

Xps I can't right now. Forgot to say (2,4,3,3) if anyone's still to get it

― content raggettator (wins), Monday, 16 February 2015 13:21 (ten years ago)

Wow, I got the spike one instantaneously, and I'm not British.

― Losing swag by the second (Dan Peterson), Monday, 16 February 2015 16:10 (ten years ago)

Also, new to me in a puzzle I'm working on: screw as in wages.

― Losing swag by the second (Dan Peterson), Monday, 16 February 2015 16:37 (ten years ago)

last week's everyman? i think that was my worst attempt at a crossword in years.

― koogs, Monday, 16 February 2015 16:39 (ten years ago)

Yep, I'm about 75% finished.

― Losing swag by the second (Dan Peterson), Monday, 16 February 2015 16:45 (ten years ago)

i didn't know this (well, i got the answer because i had the 1st and 3rd letter, but i didn't know the word the clue alludes to)

Crucifix over entrance (4)

― koogs, Tuesday, 24 February 2015 13:27 (ten years ago)

Got the basic idea quickly, but the way the clue is written I had the answer wrong way round. Was it just me, or was this overall a pretty poorly written puzzle?

― Losing swag by the second (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 24 February 2015 14:49 (ten years ago)

Touch brass instrument in retreat (4)

― koogs, Monday, 2 March 2015 14:51 (ten years ago)

(is there an unwritten rule that the definition comes first in such clues?)

― koogs, Monday, 2 March 2015 14:52 (ten years ago)

AFAIK the only rule is that the definition must come either at the beginning or at the end. This applies to all types of clue.

― anthony braxton diamond geezer (anagram), Monday, 2 March 2015 14:58 (ten years ago)

i guess the second one is a bit more obvious (the 'in retreat' at the end implies the brass instrument is the cryptic bit, meaning the first bit is the definition). but the crucifix one could be either way around.

― koogs, Monday, 2 March 2015 15:04 (ten years ago)

although, thinking about it, the 'over' makes more sense attached to the first bit leaving the last bit as the definition. ROOD / DOOR btw.

― koogs, Monday, 2 March 2015 15:05 (ten years ago)

^^^ the more I thought about my initial comment, yes, this.

― Losing swag by the second (Dan Peterson), Monday, 2 March 2015 15:49 (ten years ago)

the only "rule" afaic is that the clue leads grammatically to the solution

― daed bod (Noodle Vague), Monday, 2 March 2015 22:36 (ten years ago)

did ppl get my poem

― Luis Brañuel - Bell de Jour (wins), Tuesday, 3 March 2015 17:56 (ten years ago)

I appreciated it. Haven't got it yet though.

― ledge, Tuesday, 3 March 2015 20:02 (ten years ago)

Hint: ilx

― Luis Brañuel - Bell de Jour (wins), Tuesday, 3 March 2015 20:14 (ten years ago)

Stumped.

― ledge, Wednesday, 4 March 2015 22:36 (ten years ago)

--/-a--/--n/-a-

― Luis Brañuel - Bell de Jour (wins), Wednesday, 4 March 2015 22:54 (ten years ago)

we want hen fap

pls to dissect, thy bardy bacon sandwich

― ladies goatse to the queen (qiqing), Thursday, 5 March 2015 00:53 (ten years ago)

whew\and then\fap

I used "small" as an indicator for initial letter, I'm not sure if that's allowed but I feel like I've seen it in the less rigorous puzzles

― Luis Brañuel - Bell de Jour (wins), Thursday, 5 March 2015 00:59 (ten years ago)

"ye ejaculation", nice. thought that archaism must indicate something. i'm not down with 'small' but overall a+ v creative, love to see more along these lines.

― ledge, Thursday, 5 March 2015 09:39 (ten years ago)

Make drunk supply a beer in it (9)

If "supply" is doing what I think it does in this, I've never seen that before and it's clever.

― Losing swag by the second (Dan Peterson), Thursday, 12 March 2015 14:56 (ten years ago)

that anagram jumps out at you (me) anyway

― koogs, Thursday, 12 March 2015 15:05 (ten years ago)

Yeah, wasn't hard at all (Everyman), I just liked supply.

― Losing swag by the second (Dan Peterson), Thursday, 12 March 2015 15:22 (ten years ago)

I've seen supply before & was impressed, yeah. Enjoy stuff like that

― prole, you'll be a yeoman soon (wins), Thursday, 12 March 2015 16:08 (ten years ago)

sorry for British, today's Guardian

According to Spooner, Rooney's scandal is to put on a few pounds (4,6)

― Keith Moom (Neil S), Friday, 13 March 2015 13:06 (ten years ago)

Ha, I figured it out without even knowing who Rooney is.

― Losing swag by the second (Dan Peterson), Friday, 13 March 2015 13:46 (ten years ago)

American version: Gretzky, Kramer, Knight

― Keith Moom (Neil S), Friday, 13 March 2015 13:51 (ten years ago)

I went for Mickey at first, before I just looked at the length of the two words and went 'duh.'

Re: supply as an anagrind, I had resort yesterday, another good double usage. I'd seen that used several times before, but it still catches me and gets me trying to fit 'spa' in there somewhere.

― Losing swag by the second (Dan Peterson), Friday, 13 March 2015 14:05 (ten years ago)

Apprehensive when a vote is taken about your vitals (7)

― ledge, Monday, 16 March 2015 13:12 (ten years ago)

I'm all done cooking piece of meat (9)

an easy one from chifonie, except the fifth letter is i. guardian reading ukippers will be up in arms.

― ledge, Monday, 16 March 2015 13:29 (ten years ago)

(and the seventh letter is L)

― ledge, Monday, 16 March 2015 13:31 (ten years ago)

Not gonna lie, that confused me for a sec

― sexpost TMIing! (wins), Monday, 16 March 2015 13:33 (ten years ago)

finished the everyman this week, first time in a while. the two hardest bits:

Recent plays by key dramatist (7)

Elephant keeper, married with a husband no longer in the game (6)

the one i can't explain is:

Man on board heard in the dark (5) (NIGHT. is that a homophone for KNIGHT? ah, yes. chess board.)

― koogs, Tuesday, 17 March 2015 18:30 (ten years ago)

Rattigan? Nope. The ur-terence.

― ledge, Tuesday, 17 March 2015 20:56 (ten years ago)

Comprehensive schooling not big on Roman playwrights, it seems.

― koogs, Tuesday, 17 March 2015 21:52 (ten years ago)

me neither

― Keith Moom (Neil S), Tuesday, 17 March 2015 21:55 (ten years ago)

I looked up a list of playwrights and it was obvious enough, especially as i had half the letters. Anagram of RECENT with an extra E (the 'key' part of the clue).

― koogs, Wednesday, 18 March 2015 03:04 (ten years ago)

Apprehensive when a vote is taken about your vitals (7)

c'mon, this is rufus level. also:

Take part in march against rogues' gallery holding the ultimate banner (11)

― ledge, Wednesday, 18 March 2015 13:56 (ten years ago)

Got the 1st one now, vg

― sexpost TMIing! (wins), Wednesday, 18 March 2015 14:04 (ten years ago)

Can't remember if rufus-level is good or bad

― sexpost TMIing! (wins), Wednesday, 18 March 2015 14:05 (ten years ago)

Rufus is super easy level, and some of his cluing is a bit suspect ime. I don't mind his puzzles though.

― Losing swag by the second (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 18 March 2015 14:13 (ten years ago)

Rufus is super easy level, and some of his cluing is a bit suspect ime

yep, that's about my level.

― ledge, Wednesday, 18 March 2015 19:09 (ten years ago)

What paper is he in? Istr he made easy xwords that were nonetheless fun cause lots of themes &c, or am I thinking of someone else? Did a Simpsons themed one once eg

― sexpost TMIing! (wins), Wednesday, 18 March 2015 19:11 (ten years ago)

Rufus is in the Guardian. Ledge, you always seem (to a newbie like myself) like a cryptic go to guy in this thread?!

― Losing swag by the second (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 18 March 2015 19:14 (ten years ago)

rufus is good entry level stuff but even as a relative beginner i don't enjoy him - either the answer leaps out at you or if it doesn't the clue's rarely written in such a way that i'm motivated to think about it for long

arachne is easily my favourite i think

― lex pretend, Wednesday, 18 March 2015 19:26 (ten years ago)

xp i meant my own clues - super easy and often a bit suspect. really need to go have a go at doing a full puzzle instead of the odd "ooh that'd make a good clue" moment of inspiration.

― ledge, Wednesday, 18 March 2015 19:58 (ten years ago)

Rufus appears under that name in the Guardian and does the easy Monday puzzles, but has done stuff under other names for most other papers too (particularly the Telegraph iirc, although they don't name their setters)

I quite like his Monday Graun puzzles or at least think they're unfairly maligned but then they are, to quote ledge, "about my level"

(haven't finished a cryptic in so long I'm not sure I even have a level any more. got ledge's second, not the first)

― undergraduate dance (a passing spacecadet), Wednesday, 18 March 2015 21:44 (ten years ago)

I just this second got the second - actually brilliant imo

I like Paul, s/he seems to be quite consciously aiming for some kind of nu-auracaria upstart status, tho I'm a xword dilettante & can't really remember who is who

I seem to either complete grids or get no clues at all, & couldn't tell you why. Completed the guardian in hardly any time whilst on MDMA once

― sexpost TMIing! (wins), Wednesday, 18 March 2015 21:52 (ten years ago)

I was thinking of a different person before I think, not rufus

― sexpost TMIing! (wins), Wednesday, 18 March 2015 21:54 (ten years ago)

yeah I really liked the second! please could someone give a poor moron a letter or other additional hint for the first?

btw

Man on board heard in the dark (5) (NIGHT. is that a homophone for KNIGHT? ah, yes. chess board.)
― koogs, Tuesday, March 17, 2015 6:30 PM

that "on board" thing appeared in a couple of Guardian Quicks recently! fine by me but my cryptic-fearing quick-crossword companion was not amused
http://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/quick/13964 12D "All the men on board? (5,3)"
http://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/quick/13965 17A "Horse's head on board (6)"

― undergraduate dance (a passing spacecadet), Wednesday, 18 March 2015 22:38 (ten years ago)

paul is my bf's favourite and has definitely been upgraded since araucaria died. they've brought out a few new ones in the past couple of weeks, i enjoyed screw's debut.

i really feel like there's a massive gap in the market for a setter with, like, modern references...not just the occasional beyoncé clue but incorporating modern slang. my least favourite aspect of them are the old-fashioned slang/military abbreviation shit that i just don't care about at all.

― lex pretend, Wednesday, 18 March 2015 22:43 (ten years ago)

-n--o-- xp

― sexpost TMIing! (wins), Wednesday, 18 March 2015 22:44 (ten years ago)

Too many &lits in Rufus. Like I'm hanging with someone constantly making puns.

Maybe said before, but Paul is probably my favourite setter with Aur. gone – surprising and smart clues in any given puzzle, his* range of references & expected knowledge is vg for the modern Guardian audience, really good themer.

btw can I say again my friend's history and culture of crosswords book is great and everyone should read it:

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Two-Girls-One-Each-Knee/dp/0141977108/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1426718920&sr=8-1

Chapter on the nyt xword in the simpsons quotes ilx (nabisco) iirc.

*he is male

― woof, Wednesday, 18 March 2015 22:51 (ten years ago)

^I'm interested, I read that dreadful hornbyesque book about being a crossword fan

just remembered that I did already know paul's sex cause I met a guy in a pub who knew him, there is some hilarious anecdote behind his name or something iirc

― sexpost TMIing! (wins), Wednesday, 18 March 2015 22:55 (ten years ago)

Oh I asked for your friend's book for Christmas after yr previous mention and thoroughly enjoyed it, ty woof's friend

I liked the end-of-chapter roundup of some of the best/worst of the Telegraph quick crossword puns; these things brighten my life now I a) don't have the brainpower for cryptics b) have a local pub which takes the Torygraph

― undergraduate dance (a passing spacecadet), Wednesday, 18 March 2015 23:14 (ten years ago)

i really feel like there's a massive gap in the market for a setter with, like, modern references...not just the occasional beyoncé clue but incorporating modern slang.

ikwym - but I think there are setters who could do it (& would really really enjoy exploring a new field of play), but it's about the venue more than anything – you've got to publish somewhere where the audience will see smh references as fair. (sorry, too sleepy & tipsy to put together a whole ship-in-reverse hms/smh clue there)

― woof, Wednesday, 18 March 2015 23:39 (ten years ago)

fuckboys incapacitated as per Spooner (8)

― sexpost TMIing! (wins), Wednesday, 18 March 2015 23:48 (ten years ago)

modern slang still doesn't mean i'm able to work it out :(

― lex pretend, Thursday, 19 March 2015 11:08 (ten years ago)

ps thanks for the letters wins, I had a feeling I was failing due to some voting time-based ignorance and tbh I still am but now the answer and likely components are apparent I'll do some googling, eh

no idea on the Spoonerism but perhaps it will come to me at 3am as these things often do

― undergraduate dance (a passing spacecadet), Thursday, 19 March 2015 11:42 (ten years ago)

i didn't get the 'your vitals' part, but the two bits are both things and match up with the definition so i guess that's ok.

― koogs, Thursday, 19 March 2015 12:17 (ten years ago)

oh, i see now. more classic ledge assemble-from-tiny-bits cluing. 8)

"I.O.U.s" might've been better

― koogs, Thursday, 19 March 2015 12:19 (ten years ago)

whoops I overlooked the "is" in the clue, missed the "s" in my mental rearrangements of the deduced answer, and was going "huh, well 11am must be a standard parliamentary division time or something"

sorry ledge, it is a perfectly fine clue to people who can read

still really liked the second clue!

― undergraduate dance (a passing spacecadet), Thursday, 19 March 2015 16:54 (ten years ago)

"I.O.U.s" might've been better

old chestnut, mate. (plus the 'is' was already clued.) i considered 'oxford university heads' or similar but thought that was too obvious.

― ledge, Thursday, 19 March 2015 22:01 (ten years ago)

anyone else exasperated by arachne this sat? SPOILERS, but legend != leg end, coupledoms not an actual word iirc.

― ledge, Monday, 23 March 2015 13:42 (ten years ago)

i've definitely seen words split like that before, i thought that clue was terrific (and the puzzle in general confirmed why she's my favourite, all her sentences are amusing/elegant in themselves and cryptically she's so neat)

― lex pretend, Monday, 23 March 2015 14:56 (ten years ago)

and i rarely have to squint or side-eye her definitions

― lex pretend, Monday, 23 March 2015 14:57 (ten years ago)

"coupledoms"

About 2,230 results (0.32 seconds)

― anthony braxton diamond geezer (anagram), Monday, 23 March 2015 15:26 (ten years ago)

legend seems fair enough tbh

― anthony braxton diamond geezer (anagram), Monday, 23 March 2015 15:28 (ten years ago)

idk i'm all for ximenean rule bending for the sake of elegance and amusement, don't mind the odd e.g. 'headcase = c', but legend... it doesn't sound like leg end, damnit.

― ledge, Monday, 23 March 2015 15:46 (ten years ago)

that one was a bit easier when you get the theme

― Keith Moom (Neil S), Monday, 23 March 2015 16:01 (ten years ago)

Oh good a numberless grid to ruin my weekend

― Finn McCoolit (wins), Saturday, 4 April 2015 22:33 (ten years ago)

(I completed the last one tbf but)

― Finn McCoolit (wins), Saturday, 4 April 2015 22:34 (ten years ago)

Btw

fuckboys incapacitated as per Spooner (8)

― sexpost TMIing! (wins), Wednesday, 18 March 2015 23:48 (2 weeks ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

A clue: some people would prefer (5,3)

― Finn McCoolit (wins), Saturday, 4 April 2015 22:38 (ten years ago)

xp making progress? I have the theme and more than half the answers, am slowly fitting them into the grid...

― Keith Moom (Neil S), Sunday, 5 April 2015 16:17 (ten years ago)

Got the theme & some of the clues, not even started fitting them in yet

― Finn McCoolit (wins), Sunday, 5 April 2015 18:34 (ten years ago)

worth noting that the P (9) cue has been corrected from "set" to "sat", that caused some pausing for thought!

― Keith Moom (Neil S), Sunday, 5 April 2015 20:02 (ten years ago)

Ha. I put it in anyway with the 'a', even though it didn't show up as an alternate spelling anywhere. Got about halfway through before losing steam, can't be arsed to go looking up obscure [redacted theme spoiler].

― ledge, Sunday, 5 April 2015 22:01 (ten years ago)

I'm determined but yeah, I keep working out the themed ones & going "is that a thing?" & having to check. One of them doesn't even show up on the 1st page of google, so I thought I'd got it wrong!

― Finn McCoolit (wins), Sunday, 5 April 2015 22:05 (ten years ago)

gonna put this one to bed

fuckboys incapacitated as per Spooner (8)

― sexpost TMIing! (wins), Wednesday, 18 March 2015 23:48 (2 weeks ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

-a--e-e-

― Finn McCoolit (wins), Sunday, 5 April 2015 22:06 (ten years ago)

If you want to share the F: "Sweet donkey (4)" answer should you have it I wd be very grateful...

― Keith Moom (Neil S), Monday, 6 April 2015 09:47 (ten years ago)

all I could come up with for that was "fool", which is unsatisfactory. Still struggling with the grid, I've started filling in a couple of places but it's like pulling teeth

― Finn McCoolit (wins), Monday, 6 April 2015 10:13 (ten years ago)

yeah not perfect though it could well be. If that's right I will have all the 4 letter words, which is a big help, so thanks!

― Keith Moom (Neil S), Monday, 6 April 2015 10:44 (ten years ago)

it's weak but satisfactory, both clue words are definitions if it's correct

― week of 'puter action (Noodle Vague), Monday, 6 April 2015 10:45 (ten years ago)

M: Two months acting (7) I think I have, but can't see why. It's a thematic answer. Wins? Anyone?

― Keith Moom (Neil S), Tuesday, 7 April 2015 09:19 (ten years ago)

we finished the easter crossword though I can't parse the D or G themed answers for the life of me. had a better time with it than some others of late. I'm rarely motivated to fit the answers into the grid, luckily my bf cares about that sort of thing.

Neil - that M is one of the annoying ones where one of the words in the clue is randomly abbreviated to its initial

― lex pretend, Tuesday, 7 April 2015 09:54 (ten years ago)

"fool" seemed pretty obvious to me? donkey/idiot, dessert/fool

― lex pretend, Tuesday, 7 April 2015 09:54 (ten years ago)

yeah it's two months plus "a" - I assume that this is from abbreviated job titles, eg "AD" for "acting director"? Seems tenuous to me. My rule of thumb w/abbrevs is that they should be in the dictionary, like if you look up a (abbrev.) in a decent dictionary & it says acting then fair enough. I'd also make exceptions for commonly used internet slang abbrevs & the like

― Finn McCoolit (wins), Tuesday, 7 April 2015 10:07 (ten years ago)

I don't really like this puzzle at all tbh, might give up

― Finn McCoolit (wins), Tuesday, 7 April 2015 10:07 (ten years ago)

fuckboys incapacitated as per Spooner (8)

― sexpost TMIing! (wins), Wednesday, 18 March 2015 23:48 (2 weeks ago) Bookmark Flag Post Permalink

-a-teme-

― Finn McCoolit (wins), Tuesday, 7 April 2015 10:08 (ten years ago)

[Paxman "come on!"]

― Finn McCoolit (wins), Tuesday, 7 April 2015 10:08 (ten years ago)

the G one is pretty neat I think [SPOILERS] think Hunter S Thompson. The D is very confused I, unhelpfully over-clued.

― Keith Moom (Neil S), Tuesday, 7 April 2015 10:12 (ten years ago)

so many are tortuously constructed, not elegant at all. The J one makes a mockery of "not further defined"!

― Finn McCoolit (wins), Tuesday, 7 April 2015 10:19 (ten years ago)

Like don't do double-definition clues for this type of clueset, that's just stupid

― Finn McCoolit (wins), Tuesday, 7 April 2015 10:21 (ten years ago)

Yeah given up on this bollocks, doing today's Paul instead & will be petitioning for the immediate dismissal of "maskerade"

Mine was "wastemen" btw

― Finn McCoolit (wins), Tuesday, 7 April 2015 12:26 (ten years ago)

thanks i was too hungover to get that

― week of 'puter action (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 7 April 2015 12:28 (ten years ago)

am too hungover rather

― week of 'puter action (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 7 April 2015 12:28 (ten years ago)

"mays twen"? Am I being thick here or what.

― ledge, Tuesday, 7 April 2015 12:36 (ten years ago)

Maced when

― Finn McCoolit (wins), Tuesday, 7 April 2015 12:40 (ten years ago)

yes, iow.

― ledge, Tuesday, 7 April 2015 12:42 (ten years ago)

I didn't think that was that difficult but I am very smug at how I took advantage of the "as" in "as per" being redundant

― Finn McCoolit (wins), Tuesday, 7 April 2015 12:46 (ten years ago)

back to my usual level post-bank hol: on the paul crossword full of the mysterious affairs/places i managed to get a meagre seven clues and have literally no ideas about any of the rest :((((

― lex pretend, Wednesday, 8 April 2015 15:22 (ten years ago)

then again i've ONLY JUST got "maced when" despite having actually read that post yesterday

― lex pretend, Wednesday, 8 April 2015 15:29 (ten years ago)

Mysterious affair, yeti? Mysterious place (4,5-3)

This is out and out cheating, imo.

― ledge, Wednesday, 8 April 2015 15:49 (ten years ago)

Rot13 nern svsgl bar if you can't be bothered.

― ledge, Wednesday, 8 April 2015 15:52 (ten years ago)

Yeah, that's too clever by half.

― The job killing and likely illegal (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 8 April 2015 16:20 (ten years ago)

yeah that's a foul imo

― division of bowker (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 8 April 2015 17:38 (ten years ago)

Happy to give a pass sometimes e.g. for the ungrammatical solution to araucaria's "a y is one also" (axis) because lol cuet. But not here.

― ledge, Wednesday, 8 April 2015 17:54 (ten years ago)

groan

21 US president, a two-dimensional pussy (8)

― Keith Moom (Neil S), Saturday, 11 April 2015 18:13 (ten years ago)

a couple of nice ones in today's Graun:

Stage a coup? Balls might (9)
Tree-hugger repeatedly getting Sturgeon's vote? (3-3)

― Keith Moom (Neil S), Wednesday, 22 April 2015 12:45 (ten years ago)

more cheating for ledge to enjoy:

December 25th but not April 5th or July 3rd? (4)

― nults of 2 ppl don't amount to a will have beens in this crazy (wins), Sunday, 26 April 2015 06:15 (ten years ago)

it's taken me two days to think of two four letter words for christmas, one of them is more promising than the other but i can't justify it, cheating or otherwise.

― ledge, Tuesday, 28 April 2015 08:27 (ten years ago)

Noel. No-el.

Don't fight it.

― koogs, Tuesday, 28 April 2015 08:32 (ten years ago)

Shoots self

― ledge, Tuesday, 28 April 2015 09:35 (ten years ago)

Right? That question mark is being made to work overtime. "L" rendered as a word is "ell"! Any dictionary will tell you that.

― nults of 2 ppl don't amount to a will have beens in this crazy (wins), Tuesday, 28 April 2015 16:38 (ten years ago)

That doesn't bother me next to my inability to think of three four letter words for Christmas.

― ledge, Tuesday, 28 April 2015 21:13 (ten years ago)

my objection to that is, why is "l" clued twice? why do we need july 3rd there at all? i dislike inefficient cluing almost as much as archaic slang.

― lex pretend, Wednesday, 29 April 2015 11:35 (ten years ago)

This one, for being an Everyman, I could not parse for the life of me, even after I figured out the answer:

Doctor with obligations guarding against inducements (7)

― Competent Cracker Barrel Manager (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 12 May 2015 21:04 (ten years ago)

inducements are IOUs

docious? doesn't really mean what the clue says tho

― ☂ (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 12 May 2015 21:08 (ten years ago)

If you want hints, it involves a medical abbreviation I've never seen before, and another for "against" that I have seen but it just wasn't registering.

― Competent Cracker Barrel Manager (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 12 May 2015 21:14 (ten years ago)

drivers?

― ☂ (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 12 May 2015 21:20 (ten years ago)

MOTIVES

― ☂ (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 12 May 2015 21:21 (ten years ago)

yeah, you see MO for doctor occasionally, short for "medical officer" iirc

― ☂ (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 12 May 2015 21:22 (ten years ago)

MO was new to me, and I just wasn't getting the V either. Totally fair once I saw the solution, though.

― Competent Cracker Barrel Manager (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 12 May 2015 21:29 (ten years ago)

Speaking of Everyman, the new one is vexing me greatly. I just can't parse most of these, I only have one answer so far. 13 and 14 letter words, really?

― Competent Cracker Barrel Manager (Dan Peterson), Thursday, 14 May 2015 18:20 (ten years ago)

On 3578 I got one 3-letter word.

Doing slightly better this week, but only slightly.

― koogs, Thursday, 14 May 2015 18:37 (ten years ago)

I finished 3578, although didn't understand the MOTIVES clue above. 3579 is the one I'm on, and I only have 9 down. I think I read they changed setters?

― Competent Cracker Barrel Manager (Dan Peterson), Thursday, 14 May 2015 18:41 (ten years ago)

idk I just loaded it up on my phone to see what a difficult Everyman looks like & I'm getting thru it at the normal rate, not seen anything that's made me go "oh c'mon!". It helps that I got three of the long clues almost instantly. Having said that I'm sure I'll hit a wall now

― italosVEVO (wins), Thursday, 14 May 2015 19:59 (ten years ago)

Yeah, this isn't as hard as I first thought, I just think the cluing and my brain are not quite on the same wavelength sometimes. I'm about halfway in.

― Competent Cracker Barrel Manager (Dan Peterson), Friday, 15 May 2015 16:41 (ten years ago)

Finally finished, with a bit on online research. These are examples of "harder than past Everyman puzzles" imo:

14 King with work in store around westward citadel
ACROPOLIS

24 Capital account without pound in it is abandoned
TBILISI

― Competent Cracker Barrel Manager (Dan Peterson), Friday, 22 May 2015 15:05 (ten years ago)

Although this one I liked a lot!

27 Employ glam rock band with energy coming back
EXERT

― Competent Cracker Barrel Manager (Dan Peterson), Friday, 22 May 2015 15:20 (ten years ago)

Yeah that was nice.

― time trafel 2015 💨 2012 (wins), Friday, 22 May 2015 15:30 (ten years ago)

Not really enjoying cryptics all that much at the mo. Probably because since moving jobs I'm doing them on my own, where before I'd do them with a couple of colleagues every lunchtime. Maybe because I'm doing them at my desk, instead of in the pub. Perhaps because I'm no longer having a pint alongside.

― ledge, Saturday, 23 May 2015 11:26 (ten years ago)

all that stuff takes the shine off, true

― gong mad (Noodle Vague), Saturday, 23 May 2015 13:34 (ten years ago)

Yeah those are the best contexts

Been doing crosswords at work with the deputy lab manager - not my boss, but my immediate superior. He's a novice so still learning the conventions/frustrations. It's been fun, yesterday we had like half an hour longer for break cause he wanted to finish it!

― So You've Been Pubically Shaved (wins), Saturday, 23 May 2015 13:52 (ten years ago)

Been meaning to ask: why are setters always using "rejected" to mean backwards/inverted? It's one of those things you just accept but I'm not convinced it actually makes sense.

― So You've Been Pubically Shaved (wins), Tuesday, 26 May 2015 13:40 (ten years ago)

Is the thinking "rejected"="sent back"?

― So You've Been Pubically Shaved (wins), Tuesday, 26 May 2015 13:42 (ten years ago)

that wd be my guess. it's not the best but so much of cryptics is learning the jargon

― gong mad (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 26 May 2015 13:43 (ten years ago)

Cryptics are a solo experience for me (being American, anyone I've ever showed them to reacts like I'm explaining quantum physics.) No pubs either, puzzles are mainly for my train ride to/from work. Although I've taken long car trips with my parents and had them read the clues out loud, and I solve them in my head as I drive.

Was anyone able to solve this one in the Everyman unaided?

Flower in good composition held by small child (10)

― Competent Cracker Barrel Manager (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 26 May 2015 14:05 (ten years ago)

my botanical knowledge would have to be a hell of a lot better to get that unaided.

― ledge, Wednesday, 27 May 2015 12:30 (ten years ago)

in the grauniad today "up the eiffel tower" indicates a french word. "in paris" or similar is common enough and i guess i don't mind setters getting a bit more florid if it leads to a nice surface. that wasn't the case here.

― ledge, Wednesday, 27 May 2015 12:46 (ten years ago)

is there a list of French indicators anywhere?

― koogs, Wednesday, 27 May 2015 13:10 (ten years ago)

Yeah that was awful even if he did question-mark it. Liked the grid on the whole though - nice and easy!

― So You've Been Pubically Shaved (wins), Wednesday, 27 May 2015 13:21 (ten years ago)

In general I think "in [place in france]" or "for [french person]" is acceptable, there's nothing wrong with "the Eiffel Tower" per se except it's awkward & feels like he's going for some weak euphemism w "poked my darling up the Eiffel Tower"

― So You've Been Pubically Shaved (wins), Wednesday, 27 May 2015 13:25 (ten years ago)

Flower in good composition held by small child = Mignonette, by the way, which I'd never heard of. Add in that "composition" = nonet and "small child" = mite, and I couldn't get this even with all the crossers.

― Competent Cracker Barrel Manager (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 27 May 2015 14:01 (ten years ago)

yeah that's v tough for everyman. still at least it was an actual flower, not a river. (flower = thing that flows, if you haven't come across that delightful construction before.)

― ledge, Wednesday, 27 May 2015 14:46 (ten years ago)

I have come across that so many times I usually think of it *before* I think of an actual flower.

― emil.y, Wednesday, 27 May 2015 14:52 (ten years ago)

Me too!

― Competent Cracker Barrel Manager (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 27 May 2015 15:14 (ten years ago)

Detective wearing singlet on air got rattled (12)

Easy enough clue in today's Everyman, but one element I could see upsetting people (not me tho, I like stuff like that)

― Vaguely Fettening WAPCHAS (wins), Sunday, 31 May 2015 16:21 (ten years ago)

grauniad going for the web developer audience: Minister from cabinet almost right about several bits of information (9)

― ledge, Wednesday, 3 June 2015 12:11 (ten years ago)

^ That confused me a lot because I thought your formatting error was part of the clue!

It's hardly obscure though? I'm far from a web developer and I got it, the computery bit of the clue is a p common word

― Vaguely Fettening WAPCHAS (wins), Wednesday, 3 June 2015 13:39 (ten years ago)

the tags were included in the clue as printed

― Keith Moom (Neil S), Wednesday, 3 June 2015 13:41 (ten years ago)

Oh haha

(They aren't on the app version)

― Vaguely Fettening WAPCHAS (wins), Wednesday, 3 June 2015 13:43 (ten years ago)

It almost sounds like John Connor and Kyle Reese avoid Sinatra's regrets (3,3,2,7)

― ledge, Thursday, 4 June 2015 08:27 (ten years ago)

don't get why the setter would want to italicize "almost" anyway

also "press" for cabinet is v obscure

― anthony braxton diamond geezer (anagram), Thursday, 4 June 2015 09:23 (ten years ago)

xp I could give this a more contemporary spin:

It almost sounds like Mad Max and Immortan Joe avoid Sinatra's regrets (3,3,2,7)

― ledge, Thursday, 4 June 2015 16:23 (ten years ago)

c.mon, with the letter count it's a gimme

― ledge, Friday, 5 June 2015 11:03 (ten years ago)

too few to mention

but i don't get why. i recognise the terminator references and the mad max reference but...

i think last week's everyman is languishing in my bag with 0 (zero) clues done. 8(

― koogs, Friday, 5 June 2015 11:12 (ten years ago)

two future men shun?

would not have got there without letter count (also, while reconstructing the pun got stuck on "Menschen" for a while, and now I'm trying to think of a not completely tortuous context where that could work... afraid I didn't like the "future"/"few to" part so much)

― undergraduate dance (a passing spacecadet), Friday, 5 June 2015 12:10 (ten years ago)

two future men shun?

groans, tortuously constructed ♥️♥️♥️

― Vaguely Fettening WAPCHAS (wins), Friday, 5 June 2015 13:13 (ten years ago)

afraid I didn't like the "future"/"few to" part so much

i'd certainly have been cursing the compiler if i'd seen in a real crossword. even with the 'almost'.

― ledge, Friday, 5 June 2015 13:14 (ten years ago)

^this post is a clue btw xp

― sink marker (wins), Saturday, 6 June 2015 12:01 (ten years ago)

― ledge, Saturday, 6 June 2015 19:19 (ten years ago)

It was a cult AND a sincere post! thats why it's so clever.

― sink marker (wins), Saturday, 6 June 2015 20:03 (ten years ago)

*clue ffs

― sink marker (wins), Saturday, 6 June 2015 20:03 (ten years ago)

Two points in dog delight (7)

Made me laugh out loud on the train this morning.

― Half as cool as Man Sized Action (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 17 June 2015 14:04 (ten years ago)

two weeks pass...

still working on it...

grauniand puzzle after lex's heart today, but i struggled.

― ledge, Thursday, 2 July 2015 12:59 (nine years ago)

yeah it's a toughie. Got the long anagram, scratching my head over the rest

― Keith Moom (Neil S), Thursday, 2 July 2015 13:38 (nine years ago)

Tuesday's Guardian had Eric Clapton as an anagram of Narcoleptic, which was pretty good.

― mahb, Thursday, 2 July 2015 15:11 (nine years ago)

So I finished the prize crossword yesterday, but I can't for the life of me parse this clue:

Guardian Prize crossword No 26,615, 18 Down: President might introduce ads to create trends or reach family men? (4)

I have the answer but don't see how "create trends" fits in? The clue would work without it, so it must mean something, but what?

― the story of ilm: an ottyssey (wins), Sunday, 5 July 2015 14:11 (nine years ago)

I can't solve the clue but I think trends = fads

― anthony braxton diamond geezer (anagram), Sunday, 5 July 2015 18:25 (nine years ago)

ok that makes no sense to me still. The answer is ford (for dads), I think you're right that fads fits in somehow but I can't make it work. Seems an overstuffed clue to me but maybe it all works lovely once you can see it idk

― the story of ilm: an ottyssey (wins), Monday, 6 July 2015 08:46 (nine years ago)

ah then it's "might introduce ads to create trends" = F + OR + "[might introduce ads to] reach family men" = D

― anthony braxton diamond geezer (anagram), Monday, 6 July 2015 11:47 (nine years ago)

Oh yeah lol

― the story of ilm: an ottyssey (wins), Monday, 6 July 2015 12:03 (nine years ago)

Having no preference in bedroom, police enter here, finding killer in bed (9)

maybe cheeky, maybe offensive, who can say

― This is for my new ringpiece, so please only serious answers (Noodle Vague), Friday, 10 July 2015 15:20 (nine years ago)

Seems like setters are really into clueing "bi" recently

― the story of ilm: an ottyssey (wins), Friday, 10 July 2015 15:43 (nine years ago)

first time i've noticed it but i've not been doing crosswords very often lately

― This is for my new ringpiece, so please only serious answers (Noodle Vague), Friday, 10 July 2015 15:47 (nine years ago)

One was like "fan of guys and dolls" something something

― the story of ilm: an ottyssey (wins), Friday, 10 July 2015 15:49 (nine years ago)

surely time for setters to start incorporating "cis" into their work

― This is for my new ringpiece, so please only serious answers (Noodle Vague), Friday, 10 July 2015 15:51 (nine years ago)

*writes letter to editor*

― the story of ilm: an ottyssey (wins), Friday, 10 July 2015 15:53 (nine years ago)

just seems a handy 3 letter block

― This is for my new ringpiece, so please only serious answers (Noodle Vague), Friday, 10 July 2015 15:54 (nine years ago)

Hard to clue for in a non-obvious but non-offensive way prob

― the story of ilm: an ottyssey (wins), Friday, 10 July 2015 16:16 (nine years ago)

didn't stop them with "bi"

― This is for my new ringpiece, so please only serious answers (Noodle Vague), Friday, 10 July 2015 16:17 (nine years ago)

Ha true, it's just I can't even think of a way to clue that without adding like a sentence to the clue

― the story of ilm: an ottyssey (wins), Friday, 10 July 2015 16:35 (nine years ago)

It's not sufficiently clear or accurate ("having no preference in bedroom" is obv super-accurate) but the first thing that came to mind was e.g.

Pope's father gets first point as assigned (7)

(I'm not verr good at these; mostly do quicks/GKs these days tbh, over booze w/a cryptic-hating companion)

― Abraham raves doubtlessly (a passing spacecadet), Friday, 10 July 2015 18:37 (nine years ago)

that's nice. the SJW crossword movement proceeds apace

― This is for my new ringpiece, so please only serious answers (Noodle Vague), Friday, 10 July 2015 20:25 (nine years ago)

three weeks pass...

Annoying one in front of king and son in capital city (7)

i had I _ K _ O _ _ and really wanted this to be INKTOMI but it wasn't to be

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iktomi

― koogs, Wednesday, 5 August 2015 09:38 (nine years ago)

that must've been irritating ;)

― the lion tweets tonight (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 5 August 2015 10:05 (nine years ago)

The answer looks really obvious but I can't parse the capital city part?

― anthony braxton diamond geezer (anagram), Wednesday, 5 August 2015 10:19 (nine years ago)

somewhere in Italy

― Neil S, Wednesday, 5 August 2015 10:21 (nine years ago)

yes indeed

― paolo, Wednesday, 5 August 2015 11:44 (nine years ago)

did all but one of that one on the train on sunday with an eyebrow pencil. left with 'Overall employment system', N_T_O_K, I daresay it will come to me five seconds after typing this...

― ledge, Wednesday, 5 August 2015 12:03 (nine years ago)

nope.

― ledge, Wednesday, 5 August 2015 12:06 (nine years ago)

cheated. kicking myself. not sure about 'overall' though - seems like exactly the opposite?

― ledge, Wednesday, 5 August 2015 12:12 (nine years ago)

I think it works

― killfile with that .exe, you goon (wins), Wednesday, 5 August 2015 12:14 (nine years ago)

overall
adjective
ˈəʊvərɔːl/
1.
taking everything into account.

― killfile with that .exe, you goon (wins), Wednesday, 5 August 2015 12:16 (nine years ago)

I agree with ledge, it's hard to see the relationship between 'overall' and the answer

on the earlier one, d'oh. I was thinking of R as 'king' and trying to work around that.

― anthony braxton diamond geezer (anagram), Wednesday, 5 August 2015 12:17 (nine years ago)

Net = taking everything into account, it's like a straight definition

― killfile with that .exe, you goon (wins), Wednesday, 5 August 2015 12:19 (nine years ago)

yeah that's fine IMO

― Neil S, Wednesday, 5 August 2015 12:21 (nine years ago)

I can see how that works but:

2: covering or including everything

my salary, including everything (ie tax) = gross

So it's ambiguous - imo - but legit.

― ledge, Wednesday, 5 August 2015 12:23 (nine years ago)

Did that puzzle this morning on the train. I thought "overall" was fine, but elsewhere "ending in rubble" = E threw me. I kept trying to put "dreams ending" (S) into a word for rubble.

― Half as cool as Man Sized Action (Dan Peterson), Thursday, 6 August 2015 13:58 (nine years ago)

Guardian Cryptic crossword No 26,644, 13 Down: Actors awarded stars? Done! (9)

Classic Paul but so does "done" mean this? Is it a farming thing?

― killfile with that .exe, you goon (wins), Friday, 7 August 2015 16:38 (nine years ago)

Haha I'm working through this grid atm, Paul is king of the xword dadjoke

Guardian Cryptic crossword No 26,644, 11 Across: Insect in diminutive temple, might you say? (8)

Guardian Cryptic crossword No 26,644, 21 Across: Behind — behind London it's sung out loud? (8)

― killfile with that .exe, you goon (wins), Friday, 7 August 2015 17:29 (nine years ago)

Classic Paul but so does "done" mean this? Is it a farming thing?

more of a family pet thing. "we're going to have him 'done'"

― anthony braxton diamond geezer (anagram), Friday, 7 August 2015 20:19 (nine years ago)

I've never heard of that. Fixed, yes.

― Half as cool as Man Sized Action (Dan Peterson), Saturday, 8 August 2015 02:01 (nine years ago)

there was a great clue in Saturday's Guardian crossword:

One attached to an arrangement of holes? (8)

― Neil S, Monday, 17 August 2015 12:35 (nine years ago)

v good. christ i hardly ever get clues when they're posted out of context in this thread.

― ledge, Monday, 17 August 2015 14:14 (nine years ago)

the previous week's prize crossword was also very good, once you get the theme http://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/prize/26645

― Neil S, Monday, 17 August 2015 14:25 (nine years ago)

I completed the most recent prize crossword but couldn't get anywhere with that one

― killfile with that .exe, you goon (wins), Monday, 17 August 2015 15:33 (nine years ago)

btw:

Activities of writer surrounded by cocks (6)

― cis terfs /r/ doing it for themselves (wins), Monday, 17 August 2015 15:44 (nine years ago)

HA! That didn't actually get published, did it?

― Half as cool as Man Sized Action (Dan Peterson), Monday, 17 August 2015 16:49 (nine years ago)

No that was me

― cis terfs /r/ doing it for themselves (wins), Monday, 17 August 2015 16:50 (nine years ago)

On another note, a setter used UFFIZI as part of a clue last week. Seems a bit arcane, or maybe my world gallery knowledge is not all it could be.

― Half as cool as Man Sized Action (Dan Peterson), Monday, 17 August 2015 16:56 (nine years ago)

what was the clue? Uffizi is one of the world's greatest galleries...

― Neil S, Monday, 17 August 2015 17:15 (nine years ago)

Went on securing gallery, ejecting one unknown thug (7)

― Half as cool as Man Sized Action (Dan Peterson), Monday, 17 August 2015 17:57 (nine years ago)

Save this nonsense for a bank holiday imo

― cis terfs /r/ doing it for themselves (wins), Saturday, 22 August 2015 10:48 (nine years ago)

(Actually I'm enjoying this grid more since I figured out there were special instructions that don't show up in the app)

― cis terfs /r/ doing it for themselves (wins), Saturday, 22 August 2015 11:01 (nine years ago)

Awful din that is not linked to major label (5)

Ha!

― Half as cool as Man Sized Action (Dan Peterson), Thursday, 3 September 2015 22:26 (nine years ago)

One of the few I got this week.

― koogs, Friday, 4 September 2015 04:18 (nine years ago)

Pls can someone explain the uffizi one?

― kinder, Friday, 4 September 2015 09:10 (nine years ago)

RAN containing UFFIZI

― oddesseslessness (wins), Friday, 4 September 2015 09:35 (nine years ago)

yeah that seems fair enough tbh

― anthony braxton diamond geezer (anagram), Friday, 4 September 2015 10:17 (nine years ago)

Oh yeah, totally fair. I'd just never heard of Uffizi.

― Half as cool as Man Sized Action (Dan Peterson), Friday, 4 September 2015 13:29 (nine years ago)

I think my other problem with this is Uffizi is *a* gallery, but it's not a synonym for gallery.

― Half as cool as Man Sized Action (Dan Peterson), Friday, 4 September 2015 15:47 (nine years ago)

Guardian Prize crossword No 26,669, 14 Across: Labouring obsession in creation of an icon, barmy? (11)

^liked this, finding the rest of this one hard to crack tho

― oddesseslessness (wins), Sunday, 6 September 2015 12:20 (nine years ago)

yeah just came to post that one!

― Neil S, Monday, 7 September 2015 19:52 (nine years ago)

Desert Youth's broadcast for intermediary of fly fisherman's cousin, perhaps (3,2-7)

Obvious, inelegant, and UK only reference. Thumbs up!

― steppenwolf in white van speaker scam (ledge), Sunday, 20 September 2015 19:28 (nine years ago)

OK, helped by the fact that is on TV as we speak...

I thought broadcast was an anagram indicator, not a homophone indicator... Makes some sense though.

― koogs, Sunday, 20 September 2015 21:11 (nine years ago)

that is ridiculous. yeah thumbs up.

― OshoKosho B'Gosho (Noodle Vague), Sunday, 20 September 2015 21:16 (nine years ago)

idgi

― syphilis sive morbus cameronus (wins), Monday, 21 September 2015 18:01 (nine years ago)

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Fly-Fishing-Memories-Angling-Days/dp/009177909X

― koogs, Monday, 21 September 2015 19:36 (nine years ago)

Guardian Cryptic crossword No 26,691, 11 Across: Vicious, regressive Blairism, without originator strangely different (10)

― fappy board (wins), Thursday, 1 October 2015 12:30 (nine years ago)

Googling Blairism leads to Atlanticism. so that

― The Once-ler, Thursday, 1 October 2015 13:38 (nine years ago)

Paul being corny again, like it

Guardian Cryptic crossword No 26,692, 18 Across: Singer rated worst, two-starred, and rotter with wads to splash around (3,7)

― fappy board (wins), Friday, 2 October 2015 10:23 (nine years ago)

fell asleep before I got to the end of the clue

― nameReinhard Gruhl/name (Noodle Vague), Friday, 2 October 2015 12:08 (nine years ago)

It's the exact opposite of elegant clueing but I appreciate this guys tendency to go for the groan

Btw isdg the fly fishing one

― fappy board (wins), Friday, 2 October 2015 12:28 (nine years ago)

LP Hartley, author, could be cousin to JR Hartley, fly-fisherman. LP Hartley wrote...?

― Neil S, Friday, 2 October 2015 12:29 (nine years ago)

Aiaiai

― fappy board (wins), Friday, 2 October 2015 12:38 (nine years ago)

I know right

― Neil S, Friday, 2 October 2015 12:54 (nine years ago)

don't get the "Desert Youth's broadcast" bit?

― schlep and back trio (anagram), Friday, 2 October 2015 13:19 (nine years ago)

Gobi tween

― fappy board (wins), Friday, 2 October 2015 13:21 (nine years ago)

sorry (not sorry)

― Do you feel guilty about your wight western priva (ledge), Friday, 2 October 2015 13:22 (nine years ago)

jeez, would never have gotten that. seems unnecessary? clue would have worked just as well with just "intermediary of fly fisherman's cousin, perhaps"

― schlep and back trio (anagram), Friday, 2 October 2015 13:23 (nine years ago)

i aspire to greater things than rufusian minimalism

― Do you feel guilty about your wight western priva (ledge), Friday, 2 October 2015 13:29 (nine years ago)

The homophone is the best part of that one

― fappy board (wins), Friday, 2 October 2015 13:29 (nine years ago)

I have to confess I used that exact homophone for a pictogram round when I ran a music quiz. (In the plural, for the Gobi Tweens.)

― emil.y, Friday, 2 October 2015 16:32 (nine years ago)

(I also used Wand Erection in the same round. I am a terrible human.)

― emil.y, Friday, 2 October 2015 16:32 (nine years ago)

I like doing Rufus puzzles because he's pretty easy, but too many purely cryptic clues.

Also, for as long as I've been doing these you'd think I'd have learned that monarch, or similar, can = ER. Catches me every time.

― Half as cool as Man Sized Action (Dan Peterson), Friday, 2 October 2015 16:57 (nine years ago)

I enjoyed this clue in today's Graun:

Start of parenthood: man and woman having swell time? (9)

― Neil S, Thursday, 8 October 2015 12:26 (nine years ago)

lol

― Do you feel guilty about your wight western priva (ledge), Thursday, 8 October 2015 12:28 (nine years ago)

very elegant, no?

― Neil S, Thursday, 8 October 2015 12:29 (nine years ago)

yep, i like it when the clue ties in with the def without going the full &lit.

― Do you feel guilty about your wight western priva (ledge), Thursday, 8 October 2015 12:31 (nine years ago)

Just got, A+

― fappy board (wins), Thursday, 8 October 2015 17:24 (nine years ago)

another good Paul clue today:

On which a squatter may be counting back two from 6 June 1944, fancifully speaking? (5)

― Neil S, Thursday, 22 October 2015 12:40 (nine years ago)

as usual with paul i don't know where to begin.

― ledge, Thursday, 22 October 2015 14:29 (nine years ago)

OK I GET IT

― ledge, Thursday, 22 October 2015 14:30 (nine years ago)

bit perplexed by 'fancifully speaking'

― ledge, Thursday, 22 October 2015 14:31 (nine years ago)

fancifully speaking = sounds like. seems pretty necessary to me.

― koogs, Thursday, 22 October 2015 14:37 (nine years ago)

yeah I think so too

― Neil S, Thursday, 22 October 2015 15:02 (nine years ago)

fancifully, though? maybe he favours the la-di-da french pronunciation.

― ledge, Thursday, 22 October 2015 15:06 (nine years ago)

Yeah fancifully has no purpose there

ilx would crucify woman in conversation as a means of keeping out unwanted intruders (10)

― hasid matzos temple (wins), Saturday, 24 October 2015 10:02 (nine years ago)

Fanciful, I think, In that there's no such thing as B Day, it's made up for the sake of the pun. I never would have gotten that one.

― Retro novelty punk (Dan Peterson), Saturday, 24 October 2015 15:04 (nine years ago)

I figured this one out by process of elimination, but I have never heard the idiom "thin on the ground" in my life.

― Retro novelty punk (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 27 October 2015 16:56 (nine years ago)

Britishism perhaps

― Neil S, Tuesday, 27 October 2015 22:36 (nine years ago)

Unsettled night last night, every time I half woke up I tried in my semi-conscious state to write a sounds-like clue for the middle row of a qwerty keyboard, 'acid if jekyll'. Except a) I thought this was the start of the alphabet, not the middle of a keyboard; ii) I forgot about g and h; and 3) 'acid if jekyll' wtf.

ilx would crucify woman in conversation as a means of keeping out unwanted intruders (10)

is this still up for grabs? i don't have a scooby.

― ledge, Monday, 9 November 2015 12:48 (nine years ago)

haha

I can start revealing letters if ppl want, it's maybe not amazingly formed

― Tell The BTLs to Fuck Off (wins), Monday, 9 November 2015 14:17 (nine years ago)

i'm thinking we/us/forum + sounds like woman's name + an x in there somewhere (crucify = hang on or nail to a cross, don't really know what to do with that), = portcullis or drawbridge or something. but yeah, letters.

― ledge, Monday, 9 November 2015 15:00 (nine years ago)

-e---i--e-

― Tell The BTLs to Fuck Off (wins), Monday, 9 November 2015 15:03 (nine years ago)

-ee--i--e-

btw had to share this from earlier in the week:

Guardian Cryptic crossword No 26,727, 17 Down: Fifty-fifty to catch Frisbee when laughing out loud (3)

Is this the most pathetic clue of all time?

― Amblyomma_americanum_tick.jpg (wins), Sunday, 15 November 2015 08:27 (nine years ago)

very poor

― John Dope Assos (Noodle Vague), Sunday, 15 November 2015 09:26 (nine years ago)

just got yours btw, i like the definition

― John Dope Assos (Noodle Vague), Sunday, 15 November 2015 09:29 (nine years ago)

thx, I think I might get a telling off from ledge for one element but I was going for the laugh

I hate everything about that Frisbee clue but actually using "laughing out loud" as the definition is appalling. It's like having idk "shortening of the hooter for National Aeronautics and Space Administration (4)". Sackable imo

― Amblyomma_americanum_tick.jpg (wins), Sunday, 15 November 2015 10:11 (nine years ago)

thx, I think I might get a telling off from ledge for one element

Seems terribly corny and perfectly fine to me.

― ledge, Sunday, 15 November 2015 17:15 (nine years ago)

too much time on ilx

Guardian Cryptic crossword No 26,734, 22 Across: Entertaining female describing athlete's foot, perhaps? (6)

― noe love derp wev (wins), Friday, 20 November 2015 17:38 (nine years ago)

"Chinese Leaves" showed up in the Everyman recently. Is that really what Britishes call bok choy? I'd never heard that one.

― Retro novelty punk (Dan Peterson), Friday, 20 November 2015 19:55 (nine years ago)

We call bok choy bok choy (or pak choy), Chinese leaf is something else (sometimes called Chinese cabbage). Not sure what the "proper" name is

― noe love derp wev (wins), Friday, 20 November 2015 19:59 (nine years ago)

Google clarifies: napa cabbage

― noe love derp wev (wins), Friday, 20 November 2015 20:00 (nine years ago)

Yeah, GIS gave me one image that was napa cabbage, another that was baby bok choy,

― Retro novelty punk (Dan Peterson), Friday, 20 November 2015 20:02 (nine years ago)

xxxp lol good clue

― Neil S, Saturday, 21 November 2015 10:44 (nine years ago)

one month passes...

Guardian Cryptic crossword No 26,766, 24 Down: Plan polkaing periodically (4)

― curvy coombian coiffe (wins), Tuesday, 29 December 2015 13:26 (nine years ago)

Whoops

― Coombesbat 18 (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 29 December 2015 13:32 (nine years ago)

yeah I was wondering about that clue.

Did anyone have luck with the Graun Xmas monster jigsaw one?

― The Male Gaz Coombes (Neil S), Tuesday, 29 December 2015 14:00 (nine years ago)

so the setter posted on fifteensquared:

Arachne says:
December 29th, 2015 at 12:21 pm
Many thanks to Eileen for the blog, and to everyone for taking the trouble to comment not just on this, but on all puzzles through the year. Thanks, too, to the indefatigable Gaufrid for all his hard work.

24dn – aargh. This was submitted as “Propose polkaing periodically”.

Warmest wishes for 2016 to all of you, my friends.

Love and hugs,

Arachne

― carly rae jetson (thomp), Tuesday, 29 December 2015 14:04 (nine years ago)

xp Didn't see that, those never show up on the app. Might print it out & take a look.

Latest prize was a bastard, got down to 4 clues & gave up

― curvy coombian coiffe (wins), Tuesday, 29 December 2015 14:08 (nine years ago)

my GF (much better than me at crosswords) nearly finished it bar a couple. Once you get the theme it is possible to at least answer a large number of clues.

― The Male Gaz Coombes (Neil S), Tuesday, 29 December 2015 15:30 (nine years ago)

Parents and I finished the big Xmas one. We had a lot of answers but were stuck putting them into the grid, just had to sit down and be painstakingly analytical about it, sudoku style.

― ledge, Saturday, 2 January 2016 13:56 (nine years ago)

Yesterday's was the easiest prize I can recall - had to get a lot of checking letters before I cracked the theme but most of the non themed clues were v straightforward. I had to cheat minorly to get the final clue though :(

― ledge, Sunday, 3 January 2016 14:16 (nine years ago)

one month passes...

Hello to Spooner's straight guy (4,6,4,3)

― ledge, Wednesday, 10 February 2016 13:44 (nine years ago)

I know you just *love* these tortured and unguessable spoonerisms.

Pompous hello to Spooner's very straight man (4,6,4,3)

― ledge, Thursday, 11 February 2016 09:10 (nine years ago)

I think I have the answer, but I can't parse the surface at all?

― Retro novelty punk (Dan Peterson), Thursday, 11 February 2016 15:04 (nine years ago)

http://www.merriam-webster.com/dictionary/het

― koogs, Thursday, 11 February 2016 15:10 (nine years ago)

Okay, if that works the way I think it does,it relies on a synonym for "very" that we Yanks don't use.

And also, ouch.

― Retro novelty punk (Dan Peterson), Thursday, 11 February 2016 15:40 (nine years ago)

i thought it was well wicked.

― koogs, Thursday, 11 February 2016 15:49 (nine years ago)

lol

― offshore syntax maven (wins), Thursday, 11 February 2016 16:14 (nine years ago)

Scrambling on crag's rim - here? (10)

Oh sure, there, says the befuddled American...

― Retro novelty punk (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 24 February 2016 21:17 (nine years ago)

I have scrambled there, maybe not quite on a crag's rim.

― ledge, Thursday, 25 February 2016 09:07 (nine years ago)

relatively straightforward I would think? at least in the UK a well-known mountain range

― Gaz upon my works ye mighty, and despair (Neil S), Thursday, 25 February 2016 09:11 (nine years ago)

have i mentioned before how much i love arachne? from the other day alone

Czech barman and I entranced by Stan Wawrinka's bottom (7)

Iron Lady contrarily embracing little in the women's movement (8)

Those prophesying doom of Corbyn back off, beginning to admire his alternative (9)

― cher guevara (lex pretend), Thursday, 25 February 2016 11:50 (nine years ago)

today's Graun is a Maskarade, who usually only appears at Bank Holidays to confound with those jigsaw puzzles. Here's a clue I liked:

Rival of S. Ovett? Get away! (5)

― Gaz upon my works ye mighty, and despair (Neil S), Wednesday, 9 March 2016 12:40 (nine years ago)

General knowledge rather than cryptic but this was still a bit o_O in the guardian today:

Dystopian novel by Ray Bradbury (10, 3)

― koogs, Saturday, 19 March 2016 12:47 (nine years ago)

The middle of the 3 was the end of this clue:

Political movement founded by Yanis Varoufakis (6)

(The one below that was BREXIT)

― koogs, Saturday, 19 March 2016 12:49 (nine years ago)

My brain hurts trying to fit my first-choice answers for those two together and as yet I haven't found any more plausibly intersecting answers, but I'm going to assume I'm just being very stupid.

Does the Graun have a GK crossword on Saturdays, or indeed ever? I did not know this!

(I never buy it on Saturdays - too expensive and I feel overwhelmed and wasteful when a heap of supplements flops out onto the floor never to be read - but I do enjoy occasionally stealing the jumbo GK crossword from the local pub's Telegraph at the weekends.)

― a passing spacecadet, Saturday, 19 March 2016 14:19 (nine years ago)

the GK one is in the magazine.

― koogs, Saturday, 19 March 2016 14:28 (nine years ago)

http://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/feb/10/yanis-varoufakis-launches-pan-european-leftwing-movement-diem25

― koogs, Saturday, 19 March 2016 14:34 (nine years ago)

one month passes...

So I've had enough boy = RON or lad = TED clues to see them coming and anticipate a name going in there. Is the idea behind this that Ron and Ted are youthful names, and adults would be Ronald and Theodore? They're usually short or nicknames. Or are boy and lad just signifying male? Just curious about the convention.

― Double Nickels on the Pecunidigm (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 19 April 2016 16:22 (nine years ago)

i think you could well be right about the short form signifying youthfulness, but i also feel like that connotation has almost disappeared from conscious thinking maybe and become simply conventional

― some men just want to watch the world Bern (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 19 April 2016 16:25 (nine years ago)

I'd like to introduce the setters to Ron Mael. And Teddy Kennedy. But yeah, I just kind of roll with it now.

― Double Nickels on the Pecunidigm (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 19 April 2016 16:37 (nine years ago)

like a lot of conventions it's of a more formal era tho. and British, obviously.

― some men just want to watch the world Bern (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 19 April 2016 16:42 (nine years ago)

two weeks pass...

This was good from yesterday's Graun:

The old racer racing around Italy? (10)

― ghosts that don't exist (Neil S), Thursday, 5 May 2016 12:05 (nine years ago)

nice bit of misdirection here

Work by Joyce Grenfell initially in broadcast wins a keen fan (9,4)

― koogs, Wednesday, 11 May 2016 14:17 (nine years ago)

yeah I was happy to get that one!

― ghosts that don't exist (Neil S), Wednesday, 11 May 2016 14:21 (nine years ago)

Had a tossy, turny sleep last night and came up with this one while my brain was whirling:

Tom Cruise in top bad films (6, 8)

― Double Nickels on the Pecunidigm (Dan Peterson), Monday, 23 May 2016 14:19 (nine years ago)

Man I forgot about this thread

― Daithi Bowsie (darraghmac), Monday, 23 May 2016 14:54 (nine years ago)

Xp nice, I often come up with clues while trying to sleep too, this from last night:

Gina G remix is a joke (3)

― I've had Eno, ugh (ledge), Monday, 23 May 2016 15:49 (nine years ago)

one month passes...

I never did solve that last one.

btw, isn't Rufus in the Guardian generally considered easy? (Despite his predilection for purely cryptic clues, which I often struggle with.) Because no way was I getting Sassenach or exeants.

― this is a salad for the BALSAMIC REVIVAL (Dan Peterson), Thursday, 21 July 2016 14:42 (eight years ago)

Well that's just a vocab thing, if you're familiar with the terms both of those clues are easy. I hadn't come across exeants before but the term sassenach is fairly well-known in the uk and that clue is practically straight

― wins, Thursday, 21 July 2016 16:55 (eight years ago)

Gina G remix is a joke (3)

Gag (anag of agg ('g' in 'a g'))

Gaganagofaggginag

― chad valley of the shadow of death (ledge), Thursday, 21 July 2016 21:26 (eight years ago)

Clue fort in part of London (4,3)
EAST END
easT end is a possible clue for T

Hadn't seen this type of clue before, you have to separate the "for" and the "t"?

And again:

Cart inspection (5)
AUDIT
Similarly, we need to separate the letters of the first word of the clue: AUDI + T

― this is a salad for the BALSAMIC REVIVAL (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 3 August 2016 18:57 (eight years ago)

ximenes is spinning in his grave. hmmm that sounds a bit like a clue. his sex in me, deep...

― chad valley of the shadow of death (ledge), Thursday, 4 August 2016 12:13 (eight years ago)

three weeks pass...

Jesus fucking Christ, rufus

Guardian Cryptic crossword No 26,975, 4 Across: Unaltered, it's as I designed (2,2,2)

― meh 😐 (wins), Monday, 29 August 2016 12:37 (eight years ago)

very poor

― Ban Lencowink (Noodle Vague), Monday, 29 August 2016 13:01 (eight years ago)

Serves me right, I read the first six paragraphs or so of the special instructions for the prize this morning & was like fuck this I'll take a look at the Monday

Even for rufus this one is insulting but it almost works as a joke

― meh 😐 (wins), Monday, 29 August 2016 16:05 (eight years ago)

LOL I solved the Rufus one so quickly as STASIS (which I thought was a poor def for unaltered) and then saw the 2,2,2.

― Donald Trump eats people of all races and religions (Dan Peterson), Monday, 29 August 2016 22:11 (eight years ago)

Never mind, that doesn't make stasis. I should be concentrating on work.

― Donald Trump eats people of all races and religions (Dan Peterson), Monday, 29 August 2016 22:12 (eight years ago)

three weeks pass...

RACES

May be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letters TT.

Why is this??

― Wants to impose Sriracha law in America (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 20 September 2016 14:03 (eight years ago)

The TT Races = an annual motorbike race on the Isle of Man:
https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Isle_of_Man_TT

(tbf I'm not sure I've ever seen this in a crossword and while I could get to "race" from TT could probably not get to "TT" from "races", but I am p out of practice at the whole cryptic crossword thing)

― a passing spacecadet, Tuesday, 20 September 2016 14:12 (eight years ago)

Thanks. The clue was in yesterday's Rufus: He races in circles (4)

The crossers were _T_O, so I figured it had to be OTTO, but is there some famous Otto this alludes to, or does "he" just = "man's name?"

― Wants to impose Sriracha law in America (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 20 September 2016 14:46 (eight years ago)

TT is kind of archaic but there were more meetings than the Isle of Man in the past so it used to be a better connotation maybe

― you can't drowned a duck (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 20 September 2016 15:55 (eight years ago)

http://www.arcade-museum.com/images/105/1058094102.jpg

― meh 😐 (wins), Tuesday, 20 September 2016 16:03 (eight years ago)

I think "TT Races" is a general term for the event, it's always been held on the Isle of Man afaik

And yes, he = man's name

― heaven parker (anagram), Tuesday, 20 September 2016 17:26 (eight years ago)

three weeks pass...

Another one I don't get: At university or to university be a bits-and-pieces indicator indicating the letters UP.

Why up?

― Their all losers and I like associating with loser (Dan Peterson), Friday, 14 October 2016 15:16 (eight years ago)

"Up" is a snobbish British archaism meaning to be attending a university, as in "he's gone up to Oxford"

― Neil S, Friday, 14 October 2016 15:25 (eight years ago)

Thanks. I learned that and "stump up" in one clue.

― Their all losers and I like associating with loser (Dan Peterson), Friday, 14 October 2016 15:35 (eight years ago)

that was the Guardian from the other day wasn't it? Seem to remember nearly finishing that one...

― Neil S, Friday, 14 October 2016 15:37 (eight years ago)

Yeah, the most recent Rufus. I can generally do him and the Everyman, the other days not so much.

― Their all losers and I like associating with loser (Dan Peterson), Friday, 14 October 2016 15:41 (eight years ago)

two weeks pass...

I learn new slang every day: TROT = RED, really?

― Their all losers and I like associating with loser (Dan Peterson), Thursday, 3 November 2016 21:41 (eight years ago)

Er, yeah? Is it that you're reading as the verb 'to trot' rather than Trot qua Trotskyite?

― emil.y, Thursday, 3 November 2016 21:51 (eight years ago)

No, I get that, but I'm American. I've just never heard anyone called a Trot. Commie, more likely.

― Their all losers and I like associating with loser (Dan Peterson), Thursday, 3 November 2016 21:55 (eight years ago)

As in "he declared that the Corporation was a ‘nest of long-haired Trots.'" I've never seen this.

― Their all losers and I like associating with loser (Dan Peterson), Thursday, 3 November 2016 22:00 (eight years ago)

Ah, it's really common over here. We do specific left-wing bickering more than fearing a general Red Menace.

― emil.y, Thursday, 3 November 2016 22:09 (eight years ago)

one month passes...

Removal of Bush or Blair, unfortunately associated with Nazi (9)

I laughed so hard at this one.

― Snorting and all (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 7 December 2016 16:20 (eight years ago)

― banfred bann (wins), Wednesday, 7 December 2016 16:21 (eight years ago)

Ha, that's excellent. Was that in the Guardian? Sounds like one for Private Eye.

― heaven parker (anagram), Wednesday, 7 December 2016 16:25 (eight years ago)

Yes, Guardian.

― Snorting and all (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 7 December 2016 16:28 (eight years ago)

Lol accepted. And yeah, v Private Eye

― woke cop, boo! (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 7 December 2016 17:21 (eight years ago)

very good

― Neil S, Wednesday, 7 December 2016 19:16 (eight years ago)

two weeks pass...

Guardian seasonal bumper prize xword has a theme of interest to those of this parish, or the adjacent one.

― the year of diving languorously (ledge), Sunday, 25 December 2016 16:12 (eight years ago)

I've got all but two of the theme clues, can't explain two of them, never heard of one of them.

― the year of diving languorously (ledge), Sunday, 25 December 2016 17:54 (eight years ago)

> I've got all but two of the theme clues, can't explain two of them, never heard of one of them

Xenia???

i liked this:

V Leading vocalist with a poor single (8)

have about 15 answers, have filled in exactly 1.

― koogs, Tuesday, 27 December 2016 18:46 (eight years ago)

Yeah we got almost all of them before putting any in, but it came together fairly quickly after that. Forgot about xenia, is probably like the G, not famous but the only thing the setter could fit in the grid by that point. The F is the more well known one that I'd never heard of.

― the year of diving languorously (ledge), Tuesday, 27 December 2016 18:58 (eight years ago)

are all the theme answers from the '80s? i haven't had a chance to really properly pore over it but I expected a few more to leap out at me...

I actually looked up Xenia and dismissed it on the grounds of being too obscure even for cryptic crosswords, haha

― lex pretend, Wednesday, 28 December 2016 08:43 (eight years ago)

They're mostly eighties but not all.

― the year of diving languorously (ledge), Wednesday, 28 December 2016 10:30 (eight years ago)

is F a fictional [theme] from a film? i don't understand the porridge bit.

i liked B, bit of dickens in there...

― koogs, Wednesday, 28 December 2016 12:29 (eight years ago)

This has been quite enjoyable - have about three-quarters done, about ready to start fitting them in to see if that helps reveal the rest. E (non-theme) seems a bit cruel for the time of year

xp F is irl afaict, I think I figured out the porridge part with a bit of googling but not 100% sure

― forgive me fader for I have sinned (wins), Wednesday, 28 December 2016 14:49 (eight years ago)

they do that thing that I hate tho (and complain about every bank holiday) of unnecessarily throwing in definitions to the "undefined" thematic clues, which makes a mockery of the whole conceit 😡

― forgive me fader for I have sinned (wins), Wednesday, 28 December 2016 17:08 (eight years ago)

It's the setter showing off innit, doubly insufferably in the case of 'savoyard castle'. What was the porridge then, I couldn't get that even with googling.

― the year of diving languorously (ledge), Wednesday, 28 December 2016 17:43 (eight years ago)

the w clue annoyed me so much too

re porridge, I'm not confident - the explanation I landed on doesn't really explain the king part, for one - but I'll go into it more in a day or so when ppl are ready for spoilers

― forgive me fader for I have sinned (wins), Wednesday, 28 December 2016 18:09 (eight years ago)

i had one too many for F. n is a proper [theme] n + 1 is a fictional [theme]

― koogs, Wednesday, 28 December 2016 19:04 (eight years ago)

I'm intrigued! I had an irl one that didn't fit any part of the clue and an irl one that kinda maybe sorta in parts

― forgive me fader for I have sinned (wins), Wednesday, 28 December 2016 19:15 (eight years ago)

spoiler: this is wrong - http://www.imdb.com/title/tt0052809/

― koogs, Wednesday, 28 December 2016 19:39 (eight years ago)

disappointed i didn't get the king part (have googled and it makes sense). but there's a bit of overlap with the rest of the clue so it didn't really matter (but it did).

― koogs, Wednesday, 28 December 2016 19:47 (eight years ago)

thoroughly disliked this crossword, both extremely difficult and unsatisfying. the quarter of it i've managed to do, anyway. i think i'm actually getting progressively worse at cryptics though, and my patience for reference points only pensioners understand has worn thin

― lex pretend, Sunday, 1 January 2017 19:24 (eight years ago)

the second V is maybe the worst cryptic crossword clue i've ever seen. both Ws are annoying for separate reasons. have no idea how to parse the first I. if what I have for the first T is correct it's a term that literally only exists on the internet in relation to this crossword. 90% of the theme answers are shit.

― lex pretend, Sunday, 1 January 2017 19:28 (eight years ago)

also i have literally no ideas on how to get the second F, none at all

― lex pretend, Sunday, 1 January 2017 19:28 (eight years ago)

Oh yeah I never returned to that - looking now I haven't got the second V or either T, and my reasoning for F is shaky as F

― wins, Sunday, 1 January 2017 20:33 (eight years ago)

ok I started fearlessly filling in answers and now I'm coming along pretty well, but yeah wtf at that second T I'd be interested to know if anyone has ever seen or heard that used

― wins, Sunday, 1 January 2017 21:06 (eight years ago)

*first, rather

― wins, Sunday, 1 January 2017 21:07 (eight years ago)

A box containing tar, carried by shepherds for anointing sores on sheep.

took some tracking down, have never come across this word in the wild as far as i remember

― Rock Wokeman (Noodle Vague), Sunday, 1 January 2017 21:31 (eight years ago)

https://www.wordnik.com/words/tar-box

sources and a 19th century usage linked here

― Rock Wokeman (Noodle Vague), Sunday, 1 January 2017 21:33 (eight years ago)

Yes but it doesn't mean 'shepherd', unless it's through even more obscure and unsourced synecdoche.

90% of the theme answers are shit

Is this a musical judgement?

― brekekekexit collapse collapse (ledge), Sunday, 1 January 2017 21:45 (eight years ago)

The Cs annoyed me w/their references to sportsmen of decades ago

(admittedly the 80s = my era of pretending to be interested in sport for playground conversation, so I got that one, but still, 50 year old cricket references, grr)

― a passing spacecadet, Sunday, 1 January 2017 21:53 (eight years ago)

I've got all but two clues now, I think I ultimately agree with lex but there is something very satisfying about fucking storming through it once you start chucking answers into the grid. Some horrible clues here tho yeah

― wins, Sunday, 1 January 2017 21:55 (eight years ago)

a lot of what you'd loosely term general knowledge in this lot, which is a foul imo

― Rock Wokeman (Noodle Vague), Sunday, 1 January 2017 21:56 (eight years ago)

and altho i've grown up taking it for granted i pretty much agree with lex and spacecadet, the cricket stuff is actively exclusionary in 2016

― Rock Wokeman (Noodle Vague), Sunday, 1 January 2017 22:00 (eight years ago)

oh fuck that shit for sure, although I can imagine people saying the same thing about the "expressions I know cause I've heard granny say them" eg "never-never" as a synonym no one uses anymore for a term no one uses anymore, but I quite like them (and it's not like the centenarian retired civil servants who set these are capable of speaking any other language)

― wins, Sunday, 1 January 2017 22:07 (eight years ago)

it's where the fresh blood comes in on from that puzzles me

― Rock Wokeman (Noodle Vague), Sunday, 1 January 2017 22:11 (eight years ago)

I liked this puzzle, and I think some of the shoe-horned clues are inevitable when setting an A-Z jigsaw

― Neil S, Sunday, 1 January 2017 22:21 (eight years ago)

that is fair enough I SUPPOSE but they should still be executed for putting definitions in the undefined clues

― wins, Sunday, 1 January 2017 22:30 (eight years ago)

oh yes hanging's too good for them!

― Neil S, Sunday, 1 January 2017 22:36 (eight years ago)

can someone explain "four pennies" to me now? My best guess is that "4p porridge" was a meme a few years ago due to Anne Jenkin

― wins, Sunday, 1 January 2017 22:36 (eight years ago)

king = george rex = GR
porridge = OATS

GROAT - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Groat_(coin)

(also, a tanner = 6p in old money)

― koogs, Sunday, 1 January 2017 22:40 (eight years ago)

morelike GROAN

(I forgot "could provide" as a reverse-clue thingy)

― wins, Sunday, 1 January 2017 22:44 (eight years ago)

got the tanner thing obv, even tho unlike the setter I live in the time when George is not the King

― wins, Sunday, 1 January 2017 22:46 (eight years ago)

oh yeah it is def v satisfying filling them all into the grid, working out which ones can go in first, etc, and I felt vaguely triumphant when I half-cheated/half-guessed some of the last few and suddenly worked out how the apparently inscrutable clue fitted together - yes, that is the usual joy of crosswords, but there were some particularly inscrutably surfaced clues here, for better or for worse

also either I was lucky or the grid was quite kindly and cleverly put together, in that I started filling in when I had maybe only half the answers worked out and tentatively filled in several spots which might also have fitted not-yet-solved ones and yet I didn't have to backtrack at all, so that was nice

but still, 3 clue types which are not my favourites: cricket + lots of wacky reverse clues (no real reason why I don't like these except that I'm bad at spotting them) + "undefined" clues which sort of are defined and you lose track of which words are clue and which are spurious definition and which are both or neither

― a passing spacecadet, Monday, 2 January 2017 00:19 (eight years ago)

one I've just remembered not liking/not getting: the unthemed U, a double def where the answer doesn't fit the 1st half of the clue grammatically, and the second half doesn't seem great either

maybe I am just a parts of speech pedant and/or reading it wrong

― a passing spacecadet, Monday, 2 January 2017 00:27 (eight years ago)

That was one I got pretty quickly but went "nah it can't be that surely" then saw that it had to be when I was jigsawing

― wins, Monday, 2 January 2017 00:37 (eight years ago)

"expressions I know cause I've heard granny say them" eg "never-never" as a synonym no one uses anymore for a term no one uses anymore

how did this one even work?

the 50-year-old idioms/synonyms and cultural references only pensioners would get bug me more, and there are so many of them. feels like the actual current world of slang and linguistic evolution is completely untapped and i'm actually wondering, like NV, whether anyone involved has any idea of how to keep this going as an art form?

also, a lot of the time when an answer is outside your frame of reference it's still satisfying to see how it works and learn something new - enigmatist crosswords are always good for this - but this was both difficult and unsatisfying. seeing how the 4p porridge thing and never-never work are just like, oh, i don't give a shit about these.

― lex pretend, Tuesday, 3 January 2017 08:43 (eight years ago)

Perhaps this one is a bit more to people's taste: https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/prize/27082 Saturday's prize, which has a good thematic element but is very tough IMO.

― Neil S, Tuesday, 3 January 2017 09:27 (eight years ago)

found the HP abbreviation more problematic than never-never tbh, although the latter is indeed more a thing my granny might have said (or more likely some 70s/80s sitcom) rather than something I'd say

I might just be ignorant and/or brought up terribly middle class tho seeing as a quick google for "hire purchase" includes "(HP)" in most of the first several results

― a passing spacecadet, Tuesday, 3 January 2017 10:58 (eight years ago)

I've def seen HP used (maybe in GCSE history tho tbf, that's genuinely where I first encountered the phrase hire-purchased)

xp I started that one, it is indeed fiendish - might be out of practice tho as I hadn't done any in ages until I saw this thread bumped

― wins, Tuesday, 3 January 2017 11:11 (eight years ago)

HP and "never-never" are within my actual memory but I'm provincial working class oldster which explains a lot

― Rock Wokeman (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 3 January 2017 11:13 (eight years ago)

oh also I've been doing it on the app & didn't see there are special instructions ffs xp

― wins, Tuesday, 3 January 2017 11:14 (eight years ago)

also 20-odd years ago I did debt chasing for the Inland Revenue and hire purchase was a thing we needed to know about on vehicles and factory plant etc

― Rock Wokeman (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 3 January 2017 11:15 (eight years ago)

xp yeah that would certainly make it more difficult! I failed to understand the instructions properly to begin with until the other half managed to set me straight, after which we made some progress...

― Neil S, Tuesday, 3 January 2017 12:32 (eight years ago)

one month passes...

http://www.bbc.co.uk/programmes/b08h7trr

― koogs, Wednesday, 1 March 2017 20:15 (eight years ago)

(whoops, was expecting facebook-style embed to happen)

The Riddle of the Sphinx
Inside No. 9, Series 3

Nina thinks Professor Squires has all the answers when actually, neither has a clue what the future holds. With deadly intent, they commence a battle of wits to solve the puzzle and reveal the guardian of their fate.

― koogs, Wednesday, 1 March 2017 20:16 (eight years ago)

in other news, finished my first Everyman in about 6 months the other day, No 3670.

― koogs, Wednesday, 1 March 2017 20:18 (eight years ago)

nearly fell off my chair when I saw the 50 Cent reference in the Sphinx crossword

― lex pretend, Wednesday, 1 March 2017 21:22 (eight years ago)

four months pass...

quiet round here lately! My very own hand-crafted clue:

Substitute for one getting married results in a busy area? (8, 4)

― André Ryu (Neil S), Friday, 21 July 2017 14:20 (seven years ago)

three months pass...

Rats I meant this one (not a clue)

Wound, sounds like rapt attention (4)

― Gary Synaesthesia (darraghmac), Sunday, 12 November 2017 22:14 (seven years ago)

gaze? as in graze rhymes with it

― Einstein, Bazinga, Sitar (abanana), Sunday, 12 November 2017 22:44 (seven years ago)

Nope!

― Gary Synaesthesia (darraghmac), Sunday, 12 November 2017 23:00 (seven years ago)

*shrugs*

I'm busy but can someone do something with Isambard/Islamabad, thx

― Monogo doesn't socialise (ledge), Thursday, 16 November 2017 14:22 (seven years ago)

Hmm I'm either too clever or wrong and I know which one it usually is

Answer is coil

― fake pato is kind of racist, dude (darraghmac), Thursday, 16 November 2017 14:52 (seven years ago)

answer to my clue above is "standing room"

― Neil S, Thursday, 16 November 2017 14:56 (seven years ago)

Ha

idg the coil one at all, all I got is that wound = coiled

― treeship: a year in the life (wins), Thursday, 16 November 2017 15:03 (seven years ago)

Wrapped at tension but I mean idk

― fake pato is kind of racist, dude (darraghmac), Thursday, 16 November 2017 16:21 (seven years ago)

one month passes...

"not further defined" is bad enough, "a letter must be added" twists the knife. bullshit, not fun.

― Here comes the phantom menace (ledge), Sunday, 24 December 2017 18:25 (seven years ago)

Hah I've printed it off & will have a crack maybe Boxing Day but my initial reaction to these is always jfc

― sonnet by a wite kid, "On Æolian Grief" (wins), Sunday, 24 December 2017 19:01 (seven years ago)

I've started it, it's not so bad. As ever the special instructions are confusingly worded so they sound more complicated than they are - basically each set contains two complete clues, definition and all, and you have to add a letter to one of the solutions to form a new word. Does that make sense?

― sonnet by a wite kid, "On Æolian Grief" (wins), Sunday, 24 December 2017 20:31 (seven years ago)

what's this about now?

― Einstein, Bazinga, Sitar (abanana), Sunday, 24 December 2017 20:48 (seven years ago)

saturday's guardian holiday crossword.

― koogs, Sunday, 24 December 2017 20:53 (seven years ago)

it's not on the site because it has two grids. i can post it if you're interested.

― koogs, Sunday, 24 December 2017 20:55 (seven years ago)

is this it? https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/2017/dec/24/jumbo-everyman-christmas-crossword

― Einstein, Bazinga, Sitar (abanana), Sunday, 24 December 2017 21:00 (seven years ago)

no. two identical 15x15 grids with special instructions

― koogs, Sunday, 24 December 2017 21:17 (seven years ago)

It's the prize xword

― sonnet by a wite kid, "On Æolian Grief" (wins), Sunday, 24 December 2017 21:55 (seven years ago)

this must be it https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/2017/dec/23/prize-crossword-no-27388

― Einstein, Bazinga, Sitar (abanana), Sunday, 24 December 2017 22:06 (seven years ago)

That's the one

― sonnet by a wite kid, "On Æolian Grief" (wins), Sunday, 24 December 2017 22:09 (seven years ago)

each set contains two complete clues, definition and all

no, one is undefined!

― Here comes the phantom menace (ledge), Monday, 25 December 2017 09:11 (seven years ago)

ps happy christmas!

― Here comes the phantom menace (ledge), Monday, 25 December 2017 09:11 (seven years ago)

Oh sure the new words aren't defined, I just mean that neither of the clues is just the wordplay part (which is what I usually dislike about "not further defined"), so eg a (6;6) has a pair of complete clues inc definitions but one will be for a 5-letter word & then you just need to add a letter to make another word. By maskerade's standards, not that annoying imo!

And yes, merry x(word)mas!

― Bitcoin Baja (wins), Monday, 25 December 2017 10:12 (seven years ago)

hmm putting it like that doesn't sound so bad. i've only been looking at this with the 1% of my attention left over from looking after a 21 month old, maybe that explains my difficulties.

― Here comes the phantom menace (ledge), Monday, 25 December 2017 10:36 (seven years ago)

two months pass...

Nice one in the Gdn today:

After drink, rock group has drugs for another group (8)

― the word dog doesn't bark (anagram), Wednesday, 21 March 2018 07:45 (seven years ago)

got stuck on '...eloes' then thought hmm maybe it's not elo, bingo.

― lana del boy (ledge), Wednesday, 21 March 2018 12:51 (seven years ago)

Oh that's a great one! Took me Ledge's comment to get it though

― carrotless, turnip-pocketed (fionnland), Wednesday, 21 March 2018 13:02 (seven years ago)

Couldn't get it, had to cheat and peek. "ES" for drugs bugs me.

This one made me laugh recently: Vegetable rubbish in dump (6)

― No energy, only great chaos (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 21 March 2018 17:40 (seven years ago)

Can someone tell me that drinks one please? I think I have it but not sure...

― kinder, Wednesday, 21 March 2018 19:16 (seven years ago)

Supremes

― stuck on the darraghmac (qiqing), Wednesday, 21 March 2018 20:09 (seven years ago)

Guessed REM right away as it's a short name that could fit in other words. Didn't get the rest.

― adam the (abanana), Wednesday, 21 March 2018 20:59 (seven years ago)

that's what i thought but wasn't sure about 'sup'.

― kinder, Wednesday, 21 March 2018 22:07 (seven years ago)

sup = drink

Continuing the musical theme:

Type of rock garden looked a mess to begin with (4)

― the word dog doesn't bark (anagram), Thursday, 22 March 2018 07:59 (seven years ago)

Glam

Here's my horribly formed clue for the day:

Submit before backwards hood and spread end out and in (10,6)

― stuck on the darraghmac (qiqing), Thursday, 22 March 2018 21:27 (seven years ago)

how about a hint?

― adam the (abanana), Sunday, 25 March 2018 11:49 (seven years ago)

― stuck on the darraghmac (qiqing), Sunday, 25 March 2018 22:19 (seven years ago)

four weeks pass...

Laughed out loud at this one in the Guardian:

Home with red exterior? Blow me! (8)

― hair-grabbing ear-grabbing fetishist squaredance caller (Dan Peterson), Monday, 23 April 2018 14:59 (seven years ago)

three weeks pass...

Novel end for festival with electronic beams wrapping displays up (3,10)

please to explain. 'end of festival' is l, 'electronic' is e, 'beams' is in there as well, but the rest of it?

― koogs, Monday, 14 May 2018 08:21 (seven years ago)

"displays up" = serab = "bares" up, beams = smiles. It's pretty tortuous but I think it works?

― Thomas NAGL (Neil S), Monday, 14 May 2018 08:26 (seven years ago)

i hope it was a down not an across clue...

― lana del boy (ledge), Monday, 14 May 2018 08:28 (seven years ago)

This was a good one from Saturday's Guardian:

Children's book in minor novel (3, 5)

― Thomas NAGL (Neil S), Monday, 14 May 2018 08:28 (seven years ago)

three months pass...

Bewildered risible shits (7, 5)

― home, home and deranged (ledge), Thursday, 16 August 2018 16:21 (six years ago)

lol

― jeremy cmbyn (wins), Thursday, 16 August 2018 16:26 (six years ago)

invisiturds

― Rabbit Control (Latham Green), Thursday, 16 August 2018 16:49 (six years ago)

*applause*

Guardian Cryptic crossword No 27,595, 17 Down: Jimmy Carr, with offshore banking, primarily fiddled (7)

― jeremy cmbyn (wins), Thursday, 23 August 2018 17:42 (six years ago)

I think I get it but I don't know how. Is it a word that could be split in two to form a verb?

― kinder, Thursday, 23 August 2018 19:17 (six years ago)

Not sure I know what you mean. It’s a verb, one word, you could split it into two words but then it wouldn’t be a verb

― jeremy cmbyn (wins), Thursday, 23 August 2018 20:22 (six years ago)

like 'X is going to .... ...'

― kinder, Thursday, 23 August 2018 20:26 (six years ago)

No sorry idgi

― jeremy cmbyn (wins), Thursday, 23 August 2018 20:28 (six years ago)

I think I done it wrong, will think on

― kinder, Thursday, 23 August 2018 20:31 (six years ago)

i done got it, it's good. don't think it's strictly ximenean though, apologies for nit-picking. it's good, it's fun, that's all that matters \o/

― home, home and deranged (ledge), Thursday, 23 August 2018 21:53 (six years ago)

presumably summat to do with first violin

― flaneur brayin (darraghmac), Thursday, 23 August 2018 21:54 (six years ago)

there was another great clue in today's Graun:

Let's take most of Harrison Ford's fantastic film (7, 2, 3, 4, 3)

― Neil S, Thursday, 23 August 2018 22:02 (six years ago)

I don’t think I’ll ever understand what ximenean means because I don’t see anything remotely cheaty about the jimmy carr clue

― jeremy cmbyn (wins), Thursday, 23 August 2018 22:18 (six years ago)

I looked up the Jimmy Carr one. I'll forever be a newb at these but what part hints at the meaning of the answer?

I was doing what i always do which is madly guessing the word then trying to retcon the clue.

― kinder, Thursday, 23 August 2018 22:56 (six years ago)

oh nm I see it now

― kinder, Thursday, 23 August 2018 22:58 (six years ago)

one day i will understand a single cryptic crossword clue

― ( ͡☉ ͜ʖ ͡☉) (jim in vancouver), Thursday, 23 August 2018 23:03 (six years ago)

> I looked up the Jimmy Carr one. I'll forever be a newb at these but what part hints at the meaning of the answer?

SPOILERS

With the Jimmy Carr one, "Carr with offshore banking" contribute letters to the answer and "primarily fiddled" tells you how to get and what to do with those letters which leaves "Jimmy" as the definition. Then you just have to rely on your knowledge of Victorian criminal slang 8)

― koogs, Friday, 24 August 2018 00:30 (six years ago)

I don’t think I’ll ever understand what ximenean means because I don’t see anything remotely cheaty about the jimmy carr clue

Well it's the worst kind of old-fashioned prescriptivist pedanticism which even i rmde at; but although the words are in the right order, Carr, with offshore banking, primarily can't really mean carr & wob. The second comma is the problem - Carr, with offshore banking primarily, would be ok, and more or less leave the surface reading intact.

― home, home and deranged (ledge), Friday, 24 August 2018 07:13 (six years ago)

Let's take most of Harrison Ford's fantastic film (7, 2, 3, 4, 3)

some kind of anag, 'something of the something something', need letters!

― home, home and deranged (ledge), Friday, 24 August 2018 07:14 (six years ago)

ok duh

― home, home and deranged (ledge), Friday, 24 August 2018 07:15 (six years ago)

p great I think

― Neil S, Friday, 24 August 2018 07:50 (six years ago)

agreed!

― home, home and deranged (ledge), Friday, 24 August 2018 08:23 (six years ago)

is it not just the name of a very famous movie he was in

i mean

― flaneur brayin (darraghmac), Friday, 24 August 2018 09:12 (six years ago)

It's an anagram tho

― the word dog doesn't bark (anagram), Friday, 24 August 2018 09:13 (six years ago)

is it?

of what

― flaneur brayin (darraghmac), Friday, 24 August 2018 09:17 (six years ago)

and i mean i can see it kinda is if you dont mind it kinda being one

but i mean rly

― flaneur brayin (darraghmac), Friday, 24 August 2018 09:18 (six years ago)

sorry for disappointing clue

― Neil S, Friday, 24 August 2018 09:25 (six years ago)

SPOILER

let's take harriso ford

It's a cryptic clue. If the clue was just "Harrison Ford film" then it would be a quick clue. The clever thing is that the definition is just "film"

― the word dog doesn't bark (anagram), Friday, 24 August 2018 09:25 (six years ago)

its imo a copout clue

(i know what a cryptic clue is btw)

― flaneur brayin (darraghmac), Friday, 24 August 2018 10:19 (six years ago)

It’s perfectly cromulent and very good

― jeremy cmbyn (wins), Friday, 24 August 2018 10:41 (six years ago)

in what way is it a copout?

― the word dog doesn't bark (anagram), Friday, 24 August 2018 10:54 (six years ago)

some of, part of, most of are lazy anagrams

nb yes i recognise the irony here

― flaneur brayin (darraghmac), Friday, 24 August 2018 11:00 (six years ago)

koogs yeah I got everything on that one except Jimmy being the definition. It did dawn on me eventually.

― kinder, Friday, 24 August 2018 11:44 (six years ago)

“Most of” to mean “all but the last letter” is standard wordplay that nobody would balk at if it were just part of the construction of the word, using it to get anagram fodder is acceptable because you can have more than one kind of wordplay in a cryptic clue.

Also if you see that you can get “raiders of the lost ark” from “let’s take Harrison Ford” with the simple addition of the word “most”, you take the damn shot; that’s not lazy, that’s elegant

― jeremy cmbyn (wins), Friday, 24 August 2018 12:08 (six years ago)

one of my objections is that the clue is a simplex one, the anagram (or if i prefer, pseudoanagram) is mere reverse-engineering merely to suit requirements

lookit thats long enough on the subject im glad everyone else enjoyed it

― flaneur brayin (darraghmac), Friday, 24 August 2018 13:34 (six years ago)

two weeks pass...

Fuck usefulness - what’s the use in it? (8)

― coetzee.cx (wins), Wednesday, 12 September 2018 17:42 (six years ago)

i have no idea where to begin, but, letters?

― Winner of the 2018 Great British Bae *cough* (ledge), Friday, 21 September 2018 12:51 (six years ago)

futility

― Dmac TT (darraghmac), Friday, 21 September 2018 13:00 (six years ago)

all the letters, sure, that'll do.

― Winner of the 2018 Great British Bae *cough* (ledge), Friday, 21 September 2018 13:33 (six years ago)

two weeks pass...

inspired by real life events:

Place where they stockpile organs (9)

― koogs, Friday, 5 October 2018 17:06 (six years ago)

(spoilers - https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Alder_Hey_organs_scandal although it's in the news again today)

― koogs, Friday, 5 October 2018 17:08 (six years ago)

cold

― Toss another shrimpl air on the bbqbbq (ledge), Friday, 5 October 2018 17:29 (six years ago)

lol

This week’s prize had “dollar” as a clue for the letter S which doesn’t seem quite kosher but whatever

Mainly I came here to note that the wasteperson who’s doing the Monday xwords lately is fucking dreadful and almost makes me pine for rufus RIP. Just a load of dumb pure cryptic clues (or whatever they’re called) that are both basic and sloppy - there was one that was “put a sock in it (4)” and the answer was SHOE. That’s like a “cryptic clue” a 10 year old would come up with!

― coetzee.cx (wins), Sunday, 7 October 2018 14:16 (six years ago)

three months pass...

Why would 'Slaughter in the theatre' be "BLOODSHED"?

― Gravel Puzzleworth, Saturday, 26 January 2019 12:57 (six years ago)

operating theatre? pretty weak.

― large bananas pregnant (ledge), Saturday, 26 January 2019 14:59 (six years ago)

Unless there’s some clever thing I’m not seeing that clue makes no sense

― gray say nah to me (wins), Saturday, 26 January 2019 15:33 (six years ago)

I made this one up this morning:

Nora is in bra, nervously holding breakfast. (6,4)

― I don't come off well (Dan Peterson), Thursday, 31 January 2019 15:13 (six years ago)

raisin bran®

Head chef is a knob (4)

― large bananas pregnant (ledge), Tuesday, 5 February 2019 09:03 (six years ago)

Man, I got nothin' on that one.

― I don't come off well (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 6 February 2019 16:11 (six years ago)

Boss, possibly?

― Your dad's Carlos Boozer and you keep him alive (fionnland), Wednesday, 6 February 2019 18:14 (six years ago)

correct. it's legit, right?

― large bananas pregnant (ledge), Thursday, 7 February 2019 09:03 (six years ago)

Is it a triple definition?

― gray say nah to me (wins), Thursday, 7 February 2019 09:24 (six years ago)

yep.

― large bananas pregnant (ledge), Thursday, 7 February 2019 09:38 (six years ago)

Where does chef come in?

― the word dog doesn't bark (anagram), Thursday, 7 February 2019 09:41 (six years ago)

it's french for chief. maybe a little sneaky...

― large bananas pregnant (ledge), Thursday, 7 February 2019 09:44 (six years ago)

The nit I’d pick there is that two of the definitions are essentially the same. I’d have kept it simple and gone with “knob head (4)”

― gray say nah to me (wins), Thursday, 7 February 2019 09:52 (six years ago)

good to see a thread revive here. A nice clue in today's Guardian:

All welcome here, but we have not decided on kind of dance music (4, 5)

― Neil S, Thursday, 7 February 2019 11:26 (six years ago)

ha i was trying to parse acid house for a while there

― nxd, Thursday, 7 February 2019 12:21 (six years ago)

Got one in the Saturday Guardian for the first time today

Keep your chin up to apply warpaint (3,2,1,5,4)

― paolo, Saturday, 9 February 2019 13:38 (six years ago)

put on a happy face

saw this one in a 'history of crosswords' book i have -- it's not hard but it has a clue i hadn't seen before:

British flee in all directions, to town in part of Canada (3, 9)

― adam the (abanana), Wednesday, 13 February 2019 05:17 (six years ago)

Brave face surely

― gray say nah to me (wins), Wednesday, 13 February 2019 08:16 (six years ago)

yeh it's brave

― nxd, Wednesday, 13 February 2019 09:14 (six years ago)

"Way to the top - and why you can't get there." - ROAD UP

Is this some kind of phrase I've never heard of? I don't get the second half at all.

― Gravel Puzzleworth, Thursday, 14 February 2019 00:13 (six years ago)

The road surface has been taken up making it impossible to traverse.

― koogs, Thursday, 14 February 2019 01:08 (six years ago)

It's a road sign, I think, probably one of those things that cartoons depict that isn't really a thing any more.

― koogs, Thursday, 14 February 2019 01:09 (six years ago)

Thanks Koogs! I'm really struggling with expressions that I just don't know at the moment, I had "In a pet" just now which I'd never heard of.

― Gravel Puzzleworth, Monday, 18 February 2019 20:41 (six years ago)

Some others I couldn't make sense of:

Bitter about a man - ALEC
Lower class fare - COMMONS (is fare 'S' for "standard" or something? But then I feel like the whole thing would need to clue "Commons")?
Common cleric constantly in pain - REVEREND (I think constantly is 'ever', which leaves pain as... rend? I guess being rent would be painful? Also, why 'common'?
Rock a shade of yellowish green - LIMESTONE (It's... a rock? And lime is green? I can't seem to make this one fit together.)

― Gravel Puzzleworth, Monday, 18 February 2019 20:47 (six years ago)

The first one is ale (bitter) c. (about, as in circa)
Third one is exactly as you say (to pain, to rend)
Fourth: a shade of yellowish green = lime’s tone

― A funny tinge happened on the way to the forum (wins), Monday, 18 February 2019 21:00 (six years ago)

I'm always amused by a good, off-color surface reading, and this one was excellent, if a bit convoluted.

Before taking off partner's clothes, firstly extinguish flash lamp (9)

― Dial Alexa, derelict! (Dan Peterson), Thursday, 21 February 2019 16:54 (six years ago)

Lower class fare - COMMONS (is fare 'S' for "standard" or something? But then I feel like the whole thing would need to clue "Commons")?

iirc "commons" is an oldfashioned word for a meal served communally such as in a monastery refectory, university hall, etc, so it's a double definition - I think

no idea about yours yet, Dan, but I look forward to thinking it over

― a passing spacecadet, Thursday, 21 February 2019 19:19 (six years ago)

Yeah, in researching it, commons (plural) can mean "the common people" i.e. lower class, and "food provided for meals in common for all members of a group." So it's a double def. Not a particularly satisfying one imo.

Here's another one I liked from the same puzzle as above. Dictator's pampering young swimmer (7)

― Dial Alexa, derelict! (Dan Peterson), Thursday, 21 February 2019 19:37 (six years ago)

Creole tune originally played as synthesised music (7)

― paolo, Tuesday, 5 March 2019 14:17 (six years ago)

got it!
that's a nice cute one

― nxd, Tuesday, 5 March 2019 16:20 (six years ago)

lolz

Bones found here in your ass, remarkably (7)

― Neil S, Friday, 8 March 2019 13:01 (six years ago)

finally got that Creole one!

― kinder, Friday, 8 March 2019 13:20 (six years ago)

xp is that from a newspaper? either way i approve of this increased ass content.

― large bananas pregnant (ledge), Friday, 8 March 2019 13:49 (six years ago)

Yeah today’s Graun

― Neil S, Friday, 8 March 2019 16:53 (six years ago)

one month passes...

another Graun, from today's

Doubtful The Sting was Peter's kind of film (9, 7)

― Neil S, Wednesday, 17 April 2019 10:21 (six years ago)

nice anag though the apostrophe s might make ximenes slightly shuffle in his grave.

― what if bod was one of us (ledge), Wednesday, 17 April 2019 10:32 (six years ago)

still parse-able enough IMO

― Neil S, Wednesday, 17 April 2019 10:34 (six years ago)

yeah it's fine. just not perfect :)

― what if bod was one of us (ledge), Wednesday, 17 April 2019 10:39 (six years ago)

lord knows it's hard enough to write good clues without pedants like me sticking their oar in; i hereby rescind all previous remarks and will refrain from all future such.

― what if bod was one of us (ledge), Wednesday, 17 April 2019 10:46 (six years ago)

i like it

lovely clue

― nxd, Wednesday, 17 April 2019 11:37 (six years ago)

Recent clues I don't understand:

An opening celebration or its finale (DOOR)
Cases prepared for Italian consumer groups (RAVIOLI) - I kiiiind of get this one but 'consumer groups' confuses me
Left in charge (OVER)
Baked beans need this lid for protection (TOPI)
Show symbol of authority, namely, before holding exercises (SCEPTRE)
Screen for illness in advance? Imagine! (PRETEND) - this kinda makes sense but... 'screen for illness' doesn't clue tend???

― Gravel Puzzleworth, Wednesday, 17 April 2019 14:08 (six years ago)

celebration or = DO OR. could it be that obvious / clumsy?

― koogs, Wednesday, 17 April 2019 14:41 (six years ago)

Some of these explanations may be missing something, I'm sure others will correct me if so:

1. celebration = do (party) + or but there seem to be two definition parts, "opening" and "finale"... hmm
2. cryptic definition, ravioli is in a case, consumer groups = eaters of food
3. double definition, left = over (left over?) and in charge of something is to be over it
4. top = lid, other than that I got nothing
5. a sceptre is a symbol of authority, PT = exercises? other than that I got nothing

― the word dog doesn't bark (anagram), Wednesday, 17 April 2019 14:45 (six years ago)

'_or_ its finale' is descriptive of the word after celebration / 'do'

― nxd, Wednesday, 17 April 2019 14:53 (six years ago)

ha i kinda guess thats what you guys said, it's quite hard with common words like 'or' to pick apart definitions

― nxd, Wednesday, 17 April 2019 14:56 (six years ago)

SCEPTRE relies on you knowing that sc is a less common equivalent to viz (which I didn’t)

A similar expression is scilicet (from earlier scire licet), abbreviated as sc., which is Latin for "it is permitted to know".

So SC (namely) + ERE (before) holding PT (exercises, as in physical training)

― mumsnet blvd (wins), Wednesday, 17 April 2019 15:02 (six years ago)

lord knows it's hard enough to write good clues without pedants like me sticking their oar in; i hereby rescind all previous remarks and will refrain from all future such.

From the same puzzle: Guardian Cryptic crossword No 27,797, 1 Across: Lightweight compiler in trouble with a bunch of pedants (7,6)

― mumsnet blvd (wins), Thursday, 18 April 2019 16:14 (six years ago)

wtf!

― what if bod was one of us (ledge), Thursday, 18 April 2019 16:44 (six years ago)

Thanks to everyone on the last batch! 'Sc' namely is hmm.

― Gravel Puzzleworth, Thursday, 25 April 2019 12:44 (six years ago)

two weeks pass...

bit in the observer yesterday

https://www.theguardian.com/global/2019/may/12/anna-shechtman-the-new-queen-of-crosswords

american crosswords are strange things.

― koogs, Monday, 13 May 2019 14:41 (six years ago)

I read that whole thing this morning really confused; assumed it was a cryptic setter

― kinder, Monday, 13 May 2019 14:46 (six years ago)

the one i couldn't get from yesterday's observer:

Tests idiot about uniform (2-6) and i have the letters _S-_E_E_S

("as sevens" i thought. 'ass' around 'even'. but that leaves an unexplained 's' and also isn't a thing)

― koogs, Monday, 20 May 2019 10:48 (six years ago)

AS Levels

― The Pingularity (ledge), Monday, 20 May 2019 10:49 (six years ago)

though i would say that's 1-1-6

― The Pingularity (ledge), Monday, 20 May 2019 10:50 (six years ago)

Idiot = Ass
Uniform = level

AS Levels?

― help yourself to another slice of apple ... crumble (Willl), Monday, 20 May 2019 10:59 (six years ago)

Beat me to it

― help yourself to another slice of apple ... crumble (Willl), Monday, 20 May 2019 10:59 (six years ago)

thanks. i should've got that.

was also convinced about similies being an anagram of missle until the other letters got in the way.

― koogs, Monday, 20 May 2019 11:02 (six years ago)

>american crosswords are strange things.

This article def made me realise that the weirdly arbitrary set of canonical UK-crossword acronyms are just, like, locked in annoyingly until someone consciously challenges them though - are there setters who just don't use the R.E./R.A. ones or the others that always have to be introduced to learner solvers with an apology?

― Gravel Puzzleworth, Thursday, 23 May 2019 15:07 (six years ago)

H.E. (his excellency) for ambassador had me rmde when I learned about it not very many years ago.

― The Pingularity (ledge), Thursday, 23 May 2019 15:13 (six years ago)

made you what, sorry

― daenerys baker (darraghmac), Thursday, 23 May 2019 15:30 (six years ago)

smdh

― The Pingularity (ledge), Thursday, 23 May 2019 15:32 (six years ago)

Never come across this clue type before:
Cryptic crosswords for beginners: cycling clues

https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/crossword-blog/2019/may/27/cryptic-crosswords-for-beginners-cycling-clues

― The Pingularity (ledge), Monday, 27 May 2019 16:16 (six years ago)

Me neither! But seems both fair and useful to me.

― anatol_merklich, Tuesday, 28 May 2019 19:22 (six years ago)

loved this one in todays times

rogue cop wearing blue material flicks food (7)

― nxd, Friday, 31 May 2019 20:39 (six years ago)

p good

― shhh / let peaceful like things (wins), Friday, 31 May 2019 20:41 (six years ago)

two weeks pass...

Controversy at 30A: https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/cryptic/27852

― The Pingularity (ledge), Thursday, 20 June 2019 13:03 (six years ago)

wow

some cute ones in the times quick cryptic on my week off i enjoyed...

Outfit for the tango follower? (7)
Braved winds bravely, say (6)

― nxd, Monday, 24 June 2019 10:45 (six years ago)

cuet, second one v sneaky considering the mechanism is pretty obvious.

Smash up Tracy Chapman's car, it's what you do first thing in the morning. (9)

― The Pingularity (ledge), Tuesday, 25 June 2019 09:19 (six years ago)

ooh I got that one

― kinder, Tuesday, 25 June 2019 13:08 (six years ago)

today's Graun

Monk controls a new church in Don's area (2, 6)

― Captain ACAB (Neil S), Wednesday, 26 June 2019 12:07 (six years ago)

No way I could get that without letters. An unstraightforward synonym, an unconventional indicating word and a somewhat cryptic definition. Maybe they'd all jump out at you if you do these things more frequently than I do.

― The Pingularity (ledge), Friday, 28 June 2019 07:39 (six years ago)

the "a new church" bit in the middle was a good start for me, it followed quickly from that. I had also been thinking about definitions of "Don's area" along the lines of Sicily, and the solution wasn't too far away from that.

― Captain ACAB (Neil S), Friday, 28 June 2019 07:58 (six years ago)

one month passes...

From today's grauniad (SPOILERS omg):

Fens used to be drained, Hull also (8)
WASHLAND
WAS=”used to be” + H[ul]L drained of inside letters + AND=”also”

I know I promised upthread to stop being pedantic but this just doesn't ahem wash with me - the comma clearly separates 'drained' from 'Hull' so the former can't apply to the latter. Should just entirely ignore punctuation when reading clues from now on?

― The Pingularity (ledge), Friday, 16 August 2019 08:56 (five years ago)

I've always believed that most punctuation is to be ignored as it's merely part of the surface reading and is designed even as deliberate misdirection. Of course there are exceptions, but commas are definitely something I try to mentally expunge when reading the clue in the hope of finding the solution.

― brain (krakow), Friday, 16 August 2019 09:40 (five years ago)

Yes, you should

― TS: “8:05” vs. “905” (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 16 August 2019 09:46 (five years ago)

Just checked Ximenes in The Art of the Crossword and he is definitely not in favour of 'misleading' punctuation, which aids the surface but obscures the solution. Maybe that is an old fashioned view.

― The Pingularity (ledge), Friday, 16 August 2019 09:49 (five years ago)

its bad cluing and you are otm

― phil neville jacket (darraghmac), Friday, 16 August 2019 11:41 (five years ago)

*delighted emoji*

― The Pingularity (ledge), Friday, 16 August 2019 12:41 (five years ago)

today's Graun

Monk controls a new church in Don's area (2, 6)

I looked this up because I was tired but feel I could have gotten it.

― TS: “8:05” vs. “905” (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 16 August 2019 12:48 (five years ago)

Sometimes I think I'm just not cut out for these things; today's grauniad doesn't help, half the answers are or involve politicians from the last 70+ years, on top of that it's Paul's usual tricky clues or obscure answers:

Politician's baby (7) - 'baby' here is not what you'd think

Barking, mog admits arrogance (9) - easy anag but not a straightforward synonym.

Sweet thing, a Scot unfortunately beset by wind (9) - I was aware of lots of sweet things in the same category, but not this one.

https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/cryptic/27906

― The Pingularity (ledge), Thursday, 22 August 2019 08:51 (five years ago)

I figured out long ago that Paul is beyond my skill set; I don't even bother.

Arachne (who did the WASHLAND clue) is generally very fair, and clever, when she's setting on the beginner end of the spectrum. This one was mostly too dense for me.

― confusementalism (Dan Peterson), Thursday, 22 August 2019 18:44 (five years ago)

I like Paul and his corny dad joke clues, I think I might be the only one

imo the first one there is not only perfectly cromulent but kind of easy

― YouGov to see it (wins), Thursday, 22 August 2019 20:07 (five years ago)

yeah I like Paul too, tough but fair by and large

― Captain ACAB (Neil S), Thursday, 22 August 2019 20:44 (five years ago)

aye i'm just bitter cause he's too hard for me.

― The Pingularity (ledge), Thursday, 22 August 2019 21:40 (five years ago)

(Good that the guardian crossword widget now works ok on mobiles - the way Google keyboard is tuned for inputting words rather than letters always used to make it awkward)

― koogs, Friday, 23 August 2019 05:03 (five years ago)

Not to turn thread into just our pet grievances but it’s another bank holiday so you know what that means

imo it doesn’t speak well of maskarade’s skill as a cluer that their instructions are so poorly worded that you spend ten minutes just trying to parse them. I made ok (slowish) progress on the puzzle during my long train journey today but it’s definitely offputting when the instructions make it seem more convoluted than it actually is.

― YouGov to see it (wins), Saturday, 24 August 2019 23:33 (five years ago)

I can't make head nor tail of it, but then my level is generally Mondays rather than Prize.

I've been managing the odd few clues further through the week though recently, which has been heartening. Watching some solvers on Youtube (mainly 'Cracking the Cryptic' I think it's called) and listening in on a weekly Sunday group live solve on Twitch a couple of times (https://www.twitch.tv/bupkes_) have helped, I think.

― brain (krakow), Sunday, 25 August 2019 13:58 (five years ago)

I'm talking about my attempts at The Guardian cryptics there. They're curated to roughly increase in difficulty from Monday through Friday and culminate in the most difficult Saturday Prize crossword, right?

Rufus was always my favourite setter (because I could manage his crosswords!) and I've not really latched on to anyone else in particular since he retired.

― brain (krakow), Sunday, 25 August 2019 14:06 (five years ago)

(archel bupkes is ex-ilx)

― koogs, Sunday, 25 August 2019 14:41 (five years ago)

Rufus is sorely missed. I do enjoy the extra challenge of the special instruction ones; often they actually aid in the solving, the alphabetical ones especially. "Not further defined" can always fuck off though. Gonna give this a go but will be leaning hard on anagram solvers et al.

Chances of being able to sit down and watch something live on a sunday are basically zero, unfortunately.

― The Pingularity (ledge), Sunday, 25 August 2019 14:58 (five years ago)

two weeks pass...

https://www.theneweuropean.co.uk/top-stories/guardian-crossword-hidden-bollocks-to-brexit-1-6266121

― wasdnuos (abanana), Friday, 13 September 2019 12:28 (five years ago)

How common is this? Is it something that slipped past the editor?

― wasdnuos (abanana), Friday, 13 September 2019 12:29 (five years ago)

Hidden messages like that crop up now and again, & they’re always sneaking in naughty/political content, it’s not common to see both at once - I’m in favour of it even if it is eyerolly Lib Dem kinda stuff

― YouGov to see it (wins), Friday, 13 September 2019 14:02 (five years ago)

I’d got out of the habit of doing crosswords since the person I used to do them with at work quit, but a few weeks ago I was in the pub and a group of people at the next table were doing the listener together. I was trying to read my book but I couldn’t help eavesdropping - scornfully at first like “get a load of these posh ninnies” but eventually I just had to (politely) butt in and supply and answer, and they invited me to join them

Last night I went back to that pub and they were there again so I asked if it was a weekly thing they did & would they mind if I joined from time to time. Despite my initial unkind thoughts they are a nice bunch & taking on the listener in a group is pretty fun! I like the satisfaction of figuring out what the deal is: the one we did yesterday was titled “don’t tell” and it was Burroughs-themed, with one aspect of the puzzle relating to the Vollmer incident and several of the clues having been subjected to the cut-up technique!

I will say tho that these people are a bit too quick to cheat for my liking

― YouGov to see it (wins), Saturday, 14 September 2019 14:10 (five years ago)

one month passes...

TIL that hidden messages as discussed above are called 'ninas' and are both fairly common and a longstanding tradtion: https://www.crosswordunclued.com/2009/10/what-is-nina.html

― The Pingularity (ledge), Thursday, 24 October 2019 14:42 (five years ago)

six months pass...

last clue i need in everyman xword from january

Draws a tableau originally with expanses of land (8)

a.t.a.t.

nothing in the standard mac /usr/share/dict/words that matches. all the letters are correct. looks like it'd be an anagram of 'a tableau' but...

― koogs, Wednesday, 20 May 2020 21:08 (five years ago)

a _ t _ a _ t _

― koogs, Wednesday, 20 May 2020 21:09 (five years ago)

attracts?

― koogs, Wednesday, 20 May 2020 21:10 (five years ago)

Yes

― What fash heil is this? (wins), Wednesday, 20 May 2020 21:11 (five years ago)

thanks for all your help 8)

(of course, it being an old puzzle i can just hit 'check this')

― koogs, Wednesday, 20 May 2020 21:13 (five years ago)

Well you got it!

But yeah A T tracts = draws

― What fash heil is this? (wins), Wednesday, 20 May 2020 21:18 (five years ago)

So have the guardian just stopped doing the big bank holiday weekend puzzles? There wasn’t one earlier this month but I assumed that was to do with the VE Day fuckery in some way. None again today - fuckers can keep begging for the price of a cup of coffee till they’re blue in the face afaic if they’re gonna serve me up a standard issue Paul grid in a fuckin lockdown 😤

― What fash heil is this? (wins), Saturday, 23 May 2020 09:13 (five years ago)

I stopped caring when Araucaria died tbh :(

― come out you melts and bams (Noodle Vague), Saturday, 23 May 2020 09:16 (five years ago)

He was good but I’m not partic invested in the cult, plenty of inspired clues out there still. I have phases where I’m more or less into doing these but they are a good way to pass the time, especially now

― What fash heil is this? (wins), Saturday, 23 May 2020 09:55 (five years ago)

one month passes...

Serbians detest commerce? At heart, I don't care. (4,2)

― Orson Well Yeah (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 22 July 2020 18:34 (four years ago)

rude

― neith moon (ledge), Wednesday, 22 July 2020 20:10 (four years ago)

three months pass...

Democrat gripped by hysteria prevalent everywhere (8)

― wasdnous (abanana), Friday, 6 November 2020 22:56 (four years ago)

Good one

― Michael F Gill, Friday, 6 November 2020 22:59 (four years ago)

From 2002!

― wasdnous (abanana), Saturday, 7 November 2020 02:46 (four years ago)

three weeks pass...

Partly reveals orange loser in an election (4-3)

― Wayne Grotski (symsymsym), Saturday, 28 November 2020 22:20 (four years ago)

nice

― knowing for certain the first touch of the light will finish you (fionnland), Saturday, 28 November 2020 22:50 (four years ago)

four months pass...

Wild social do - put easy chair away (4,5,5)

― paolo, Tuesday, 13 April 2021 12:55 (four years ago)

Acid house party all night long

― Michael F Gill, Tuesday, 13 April 2021 13:06 (four years ago)

Hell yeah

― paolo, Tuesday, 13 April 2021 13:30 (four years ago)

apologies to fluent french speakers but a) i am not one and ii) this one came to me when i was half asleep:

'vous regrette rien, ne regrette pas' translated for a keepsake.

― Scheming politicians are captivating, and it hurts (ledge), Monday, 19 April 2021 09:09 (four years ago)

Wait, is this an anagram?! Gonna need number of words and their lengths, at least!

― Three Rings for the Elven Bishop (Dan Peterson), Monday, 19 April 2021 13:52 (four years ago)

oops, was still half asleep at 9 this morning, or wishing i was anyway.

(8)

― Scheming politicians are captivating, and it hurts (ledge), Monday, 19 April 2021 14:08 (four years ago)

got it, nice!

― Neil S, Monday, 19 April 2021 14:14 (four years ago)

I got the answer and I *think* I parsed it.

― Three Rings for the Elven Bishop (Dan Peterson), Monday, 19 April 2021 14:26 (four years ago)

three months pass...

I thought Mondays were supposed to be gentle, but Vlad offered up this:

ROTTEN ROW
Shabby Italian rider’s content to go up bridle path (6,3)

A reversal (‘to go up ‘in a down light) of WORN (‘shabby’) plus dETTORi (Frankie, jockey, ‘Italian rider’) minus the outer letters (‘content’). Rotten Row is a bridle path in Hyde Park, London.

I'm supposed to know that "Italian rider" = some jockey I've never heard of, and then take the outside letters off that? GTFO

I'd never heard of Rotten Row either, but that's my shortcoming I guess.

― Three Rings for the Elven Bishop (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 18 August 2021 16:02 (three years ago)

Seems a little too indirect, but his wiki page seems to indicate he has been very popular in the UK for a long time, and he’s got an MBE.

― Michael F Gill, Wednesday, 18 August 2021 21:45 (three years ago)

With a clue like that the thing to do is focus on the definition. It can only be 'shabby' or 'bridle path'. A little research might have led you to Rotten Row, which you then have to retrofit around the other stuff.

― joni mitchell jarre (anagram), Wednesday, 18 August 2021 22:10 (three years ago)

For what it's worth I'd say Frankie Dettori is perhaps the most famous jockey in the UK and probably the only one that a lot of people (i.e. non horse racing fans) could name (myself included). The only other contender I can think of might be Lester Piggott. I'd never get a clue like that though.

― brain (krakow), Thursday, 19 August 2021 17:34 (three years ago)

My biggest problem is that it's a vague definition by one example. "Italian rider" doesn't denote "Dettori" any more than "New York slugger" would lead me to "Ruth" vs. say "A-Rod." Maybe it'd be more likely to a non-American? I do think the setter needed "ROTTE" to make the answer work and, as anagram says, retrofit the jockey in there.

Sorry all, I'm not *that* salty about it, but I was so close to completing a very difficult puzzle.

― Three Rings for the Elven Bishop (Dan Peterson), Thursday, 19 August 2021 19:39 (three years ago)

one year passes...

Rapper has blood transfusion for heart related thing (6)

― ledge, Wednesday, 3 May 2023 09:50 (two years ago)

lol

― Three Rings for the Elven Bishop (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 3 May 2023 13:21 (two years ago)

two months pass...

American here. So the bits and pieces clue "Brussels" = EU?

― Three Rings for the Elven Bishop (Dan Peterson), Friday, 21 July 2023 14:19 (one year ago)

Yep, it's where the EU headquarters is.

― a holistic digital egosystem (ledge), Friday, 21 July 2023 14:32 (one year ago)

Yeah, but that's sorta like "Washington" = USA. Just hadn't seen it before, filing with my knowledge of RA, AB and TT.

― Three Rings for the Elven Bishop (Dan Peterson), Friday, 21 July 2023 14:36 (one year ago)

I guess it's referring to the governmental not geographical entity, which makes a bit more sense synecdoche-wise. Probably inspired by endless references to bonkers brussels bureaucrats in the tabloids.

― a holistic digital egosystem (ledge), Friday, 21 July 2023 14:41 (one year ago)

I also had never seen "uppers" for broke either, but I think I learn a new British slang term every couple of days.

― Three Rings for the Elven Bishop (Dan Peterson), Friday, 21 July 2023 14:50 (one year ago)

i'm brassic mate, i'm skint, i'm on me uppers. i can't even qualify for my pension.

― a holistic digital egosystem (ledge), Friday, 21 July 2023 14:54 (one year ago)

Okay, brassic just blew my mind.

― Three Rings for the Elven Bishop (Dan Peterson), Friday, 21 July 2023 15:00 (one year ago)

it threw me a bit the first few times i heard it irl. you're what?

― a holistic digital egosystem (ledge), Friday, 21 July 2023 15:07 (one year ago)

Most posh wine shops getting into alcohol-free (8)

TOFFIEST. I actually got this one with a little guessing, but it cracked me up because both parts of the clue, plus the answer, are three things that an American who has never encountered a cryptic crossword would be flabbergasted by.

― Three Rings for the Elven Bishop (Dan Peterson), Monday, 31 July 2023 14:21 (one year ago)

(narrator) I was still flabbergasted.

― Three Rings for the Elven Bishop (Dan Peterson), Monday, 31 July 2023 14:22 (one year ago)

That is funny, but I although I could work out what “toffiest” means I’ve never heard it used. For that matter, I’ve never heard anyone say “toffy” meaning posh (or manifesting as posh). Toff, by all means.

― Tim, Monday, 31 July 2023 14:37 (one year ago)

https://ih1.redbubble.net/image.3906317085.6465/st,small,507x507-pad,600x600,f8f8f8.jpg

― koogs, Monday, 31 July 2023 15:22 (one year ago)

five months pass...

Doing cryptics every few days I encounter a new slang term I’ve never heard before. Today it’s budgie smuggler.

― Large, Complex, Detailed but Irrefutable POST (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 23 January 2024 02:29 (one year ago)

Pretty much universally understood here in Australia, expressions like this are what we have instead of culture (with apologies to our First Peoples)

― meat and two vdgg (emsworth), Tuesday, 23 January 2024 05:53 (one year ago)

four weeks pass...

Lots of them in this week’s Quiptic: clobber, beanfeast, browned off, as well as discovering that spaghetti on toast is a thing.

― Requiem for a Dream: The Musical! (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 20 February 2024 03:34 (one year ago)

I would imagine it's mostly done with tinned spaghetti, similar to beans on toast (obviously i am far too well bred to have ever had such a thing myself).

― ledge, Tuesday, 20 February 2024 09:37 (one year ago)

That’s it exactly, looks particularly nauseating with SpaghettiOs.

― Requiem for a Dream: The Musical! (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 20 February 2024 13:16 (one year ago)

two months pass...

I’ve seen it often enough but still get tripped up by MY = COR. Do people still say Cor? Or better yet gorblimey?

― Requiem for a Dream: The Musical! (Dan Peterson), Monday, 13 May 2024 18:24 (one year ago)

I'd figure it out once I already had the answer but doubt it would help me to get there.

― ledge, Monday, 13 May 2024 18:48 (one year ago)

five months pass...

have had 10 Everyman crosswords open in different browser tabs for light relief at work (numbers 4000-9). none quite finished, a few are down to 2 and a half unsolved clues.

anyway, Alice Roberts has just solved one for me whilst traveling across Turkey (sultan-a).

― koogs, Sunday, 10 November 2024 12:09 (seven months ago)

there's another dried grape related clue in today's everyman and it's one of the worst clues I've ever seen:

‘Time to get up, Mr. Warne: would you like some dried fruit?’ (4,3,5)

― french cricket in the usa (ledge), Sunday, 10 November 2024 12:20 (seven months ago)

isn't that missing something? like why we are mispronouncing words so badly

― koogs, Sunday, 10 November 2024 12:22 (seven months ago)

There seems to be a bit of a vogue for clues like that recently. It’s supposed to be an accent gag but doesn’t actually work

― Heartbreaking: the worst novel you’ve finished has a staggering genius (wins), Sunday, 10 November 2024 12:26 (seven months ago)

Just got that, it's dreadful

― badder living thru Kemistry (Noodle Vague), Sunday, 10 November 2024 19:56 (seven months ago)

Doesn't sound true in my head either

― badder living thru Kemistry (Noodle Vague), Sunday, 10 November 2024 19:58 (seven months ago)

That’s awful, made moreso for an American by referencing cricketers.

I always hate accent clues, if that’s actually what this is, like this one from last week:

Yorkshireman’s ultimately mean (6)

― Glam conspiracist (Dan Peterson), Monday, 11 November 2024 12:46 (seven months ago)

ok that's gently amusing tbf

― badder living thru Kemistry (Noodle Vague), Monday, 11 November 2024 12:48 (seven months ago)

This was another recent one:

Noddy Holder’s dairy-free cuppa in evening wear? (5,3)

― Heartbreaking: the worst novel you’ve finished has a staggering genius (wins), Monday, 11 November 2024 12:56 (seven months ago)

i know that's just a retread of an old joke but tbh as a west midlander we do not make that vowel sound

― badder living thru Kemistry (Noodle Vague), Monday, 11 November 2024 13:03 (seven months ago)

So it’s common knowledge that Noddy is from West Midlands and solvers know to apply a regional speech pattern to dairy free cuppa? That’s mind-boggling.

I’ve actually started to understand some of the similar Cockney accent clues occasionally.

― Glam conspiracist (Dan Peterson), Monday, 11 November 2024 13:24 (seven months ago)

I get the Warney one and the Noddy Holder one, but what's the Yorkshireman one?

― kinder, Monday, 11 November 2024 20:21 (seven months ago)

int’end

― Heartbreaking: the worst novel you’ve finished has a staggering genius (wins), Monday, 11 November 2024 20:35 (seven months ago)

ah cheers

― kinder, Monday, 11 November 2024 21:55 (seven months ago)

two months pass...

Angler hopes for this amount of information, we're told (4)

so, easy enough, but can you tell which of the two they want? the i/y was unchecked so it could be either

― koogs, Friday, 31 January 2025 13:35 (five months ago)

You want the one in the first half cause the “we’re told” is in the latter half indicating that’s the wordplay part & the other is the definition part

― the babality of evil (wins), Friday, 31 January 2025 13:39 (five months ago)

that was indeed the case (everyman #4017)

― koogs, Friday, 31 January 2025 14:44 (five months ago)

anyone do the daily minutecryptic? just one clue a day which is about my pace. oddly I have been able to do them all with minimal hints.

― kinder, Thursday, 13 February 2025 07:36 (four months ago)

just started! an easy one today.

― birming man (ledge), Thursday, 13 February 2025 08:41 (four months ago)

three weeks pass...

loads of pop references in the guardian prize https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/prize/29637

in clues or answers - bowie (cracked actor), big star, rem, stones, royksopp, ac/dc, spice girls, the police...

― birming man (ledge), Monday, 10 March 2025 15:08 (three months ago)

amazing clue in grauniad:

Do I monitor racy act in shot? (8,11)

― birming man (ledge), Tuesday, 11 March 2025 09:09 (three months ago)

internet anagram server to the rescue

― koogs, Tuesday, 11 March 2025 09:38 (three months ago)

xxp the Norwegian one was a surprise!

― Critique of the Goth Programme (Neil S), Tuesday, 11 March 2025 09:43 (three months ago)

I wonder if the commenters at fifteensquared will be up in arms about it.

― birming man (ledge), Tuesday, 11 March 2025 10:45 (three months ago)

the second of dave gorman's new Modern Life Is Goodish had a bit about his 15^2 beefs. he sets cryptic crosswords for three different papers.

so r......p with anag(spooky) in it. why r......p though?

― koogs, Tuesday, 11 March 2025 12:48 (three months ago)

crypt intermittently

― birming man (ledge), Tuesday, 11 March 2025 13:08 (three months ago)

internet anagram server to the rescue

would not have got that otherwise!

― kinder, Tuesday, 11 March 2025 16:43 (three months ago)

I have never heard that phrase before, but yes that’s amazing!

― Founder of America’s Golden Age (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 11 March 2025 16:55 (three months ago)

four weeks pass...

Being American I have never heard of this in my life, even in cryptic crosswords. This is a common expression?

https://qmhistoryoftea.wordpress.com/2015/01/27/shall-i-be-mother/

― Founder of America’s Golden Age (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 8 April 2025 21:07 (two months ago)

I'm well aware of it, have come across it on TV and in books, possibly I've heard it jokingly irl. I wouldn't be that surpised if it's still used seriously by older generations.

― constant gravy (ledge), Tuesday, 8 April 2025 21:29 (two months ago)

one month passes...

!!!

Earth cover lifted revealing some stimulating objects (6)

― Founder of America’s Golden Age (Dan Peterson), Monday, 19 May 2025 20:35 (one month ago)

Nice

― the babality of evil (wins), Monday, 19 May 2025 20:43 (one month ago)

one month passes...

Anyone else doing the Minute Cryptic? I enjoyed today’s:

One goes into debt flying private jet? (5)

https://www.minutecryptic.com/

― once beloved, recently troubled (Dan Peterson), Saturday, 28 June 2025 20:31 (two days ago)

i had to get a hint to the definition, then I got it. oddly I was reading a book that day with that word being discussed!

― kinder, Saturday, 28 June 2025 20:54 (two days ago)

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