nice
― The drone that was played caused panic and confusion (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 18 June 2013 13:03 (ten years ago) link
Siamese twin taken in by audible element of debt scam (11)
― New Authentic Everybootsy Collins (Dan Peterson), Tuesday, 18 June 2013 20:12 (ten years ago) link
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 (ten years ago) link
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 (ten years ago) link
Glad I'm not the only one!
― New Authentic Everybootsy Collins (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 19 June 2013 16:42 (ten years ago) link
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 (ten years ago) link
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 (ten years ago) link
Fish can do on lines (4, 4) (observer yesterday)
― koogs, Monday, 1 July 2013 12:06 (ten years ago) link
A sailor tours museum for manifestation of a god (6)
― Neil S, Monday, 1 July 2013 12:34 (ten years ago) link
Guardian, today. Thinking on yours koogs!
― Neil S, Monday, 1 July 2013 12:35 (ten years ago) link
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 (ten years ago) link
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 (ten years ago) link
Avatar
Can't get the fish lines one
― paolo, Tuesday, 2 July 2013 08:33 (ten years ago) link
yes! and neither can I on the fish lines clue.
― Neil S, Tuesday, 2 July 2013 08:36 (ten years ago) link
lines = railway = ry...
― ledge, Tuesday, 2 July 2013 08:58 (ten years ago) link
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 (ten years ago) link
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 (ten years ago) link
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 (ten years ago) link
in crosswords that is...
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 (ten years ago) link
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 (ten years ago) link
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 (ten years ago) link
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 (ten years ago) link
> a john dory is not really obscure if you like fisheses
if...
― koogs, Tuesday, 2 July 2013 09:46 (ten years ago) link
(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 (ten years ago) link
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 (ten years ago) link
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 (ten years ago) link
i liked this from last week:
Mussels and lychees for starters at The Fat Duck? (7)
― lex pretend, Tuesday, 2 July 2013 10:09 (ten years ago) link
nice!
― woof, Tuesday, 2 July 2013 10:11 (ten years ago) link
brilliant
― ledge, Tuesday, 2 July 2013 10:17 (ten years ago) link
hint?
― kinder, Tuesday, 2 July 2013 17:26 (ten years ago) link
for starters = first letters of...
― koogs, Tuesday, 2 July 2013 17:54 (ten years ago) link
(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 (ten years ago) link
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 (ten years ago) link
lol yeah i was wrestling with muscovy
Good clue, I got it instantly but I've never heard of a muscovy!
― sjuttiosju_u (wins), Tuesday, 2 July 2013 17:59 (ten years ago) link
ah
― kinder, Tuesday, 2 July 2013 18:00 (ten years ago) link
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 (ten years ago) link
Specula.
― ledge, Tuesday, 2 July 2013 18:10 (ten years ago) link
damn
― sjuttiosju_u (wins), Tuesday, 2 July 2013 18:12 (ten years ago) link
internet anagram server in doesn't know the word 'specula' shocker.
― koogs, Tuesday, 2 July 2013 19:57 (ten years ago) link
The duck one is mallard right?
― paolo, Wednesday, 3 July 2013 10:15 (ten years ago) link
correct
― Neil S, Wednesday, 3 July 2013 10:18 (ten years ago) link
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 (ten years ago) link
Guardian, today, I suspect non-Britishers need not apply:
Morals in Violet Elizabeth's county (6)
― Neil S, Tuesday, 23 July 2013 12:43 (ten years ago) link
lol nice one
― what makes a man start polls? (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 23 July 2013 12:48 (ten years ago) link
ha nice
― woof, Tuesday, 23 July 2013 12:51 (ten years ago) link
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 (ten years ago) link
sounds like WR---E-
― click here to start exploding (ledge), Tuesday, 23 July 2013 13:01 (ten years ago) link
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 (ten years ago) link