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 (eight years ago) link
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 (eight years ago) link
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 (eight years ago) link
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 (eight years ago) link
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 (eight years ago) link
yeah I was happy to get that one!
― ghosts that don't exist (Neil S), Wednesday, 11 May 2016 14:21 (eight years ago) link
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 (eight years ago) link
Man I forgot about this thread
― Daithi Bowsie (darraghmac), Monday, 23 May 2016 14:54 (eight years ago) link
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 (eight years ago) link
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 (seven years ago) link
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 (seven years ago) link
Gag (anag of agg ('g' in 'a g'))
Gaganagofaggginag
― chad valley of the shadow of death (ledge), Thursday, 21 July 2016 21:26 (seven years ago) link
Clue fort in part of London (4,3)EAST ENDeasT 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)AUDITSimilarly, 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 (seven years ago) link
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 (seven years ago) link
Jesus fucking Christ, rufus
Guardian Cryptic crossword No 26,975, 4 Across: Unaltered, it's as I designed (2,2,2)
― meh π (wins), Monday, 29 August 2016 12:37 (seven years ago) link
very poor
― Ban Lencowink (Noodle Vague), Monday, 29 August 2016 13:01 (seven years ago) link
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 π (wins), Monday, 29 August 2016 16:05 (seven years ago) link
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 (seven years ago) link
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 (seven years ago) link
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 (seven years ago) link
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 (seven years ago) link
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 (seven years ago) link
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 (seven years ago) link
http://www.arcade-museum.com/images/105/1058094102.jpg
― meh π (wins), Tuesday, 20 September 2016 16:03 (seven years ago) link
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 (seven years ago) link
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 (seven years ago) link
"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 (seven years ago) link
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 (seven years ago) link
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 (seven years ago) link
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 (seven years ago) link
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 (seven years ago) link
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 (seven years ago) link
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 (seven years ago) link
As in "he declared that the Corporation was a βnest 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 (seven years ago) link
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 (seven years ago) link
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 (seven years ago) link
ha
― banfred bann (wins), Wednesday, 7 December 2016 16:21 (seven years ago) link
Ha, that's excellent. Was that in the Guardian? Sounds like one for Private Eye.
― heaven parker (anagram), Wednesday, 7 December 2016 16:25 (seven years ago) link
Yes, Guardian.
― Snorting and all (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 7 December 2016 16:28 (seven years ago) link
Lol accepted. And yeah, v Private Eye
― woke cop, boo! (Noodle Vague), Wednesday, 7 December 2016 17:21 (seven years ago) link
very good
― Neil S, Wednesday, 7 December 2016 19:16 (seven years ago) link
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 (seven years ago) link
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 (seven years ago) link
> 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 (seven years ago) link
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 (seven years ago) link
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 (seven years ago) link
They're mostly eighties but not all.
― the year of diving languorously (ledge), Wednesday, 28 December 2016 10:30 (seven years ago) link
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 (seven years ago) link
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 (seven years ago) link
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 π‘
― forgive me fader for I have sinned (wins), Wednesday, 28 December 2016 17:08 (seven years ago) link