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

otm

this was neat (observer, sunday)

Flat in which Frenchman entertains girlfriend? (4-1-4)

---- - a - ----

probably

dammit i thought it was pied-a-terre yesterday but gave it up cos of the number of letters

but i think you meant (4-1-5) koogs which would allow for pie - date - erre

arse, i do. yes, pierre with date in the middle.

sunday's xword still only half finished, worst performance in a while.

Learned today:
EXTRA = non-batted cricket run
IOM = Isle of Man

HINNY = Geordie or Scots tearm of endearment, variant of "Honey"

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.

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

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

so tempted to post 'lol aw diddums' but tbh that does sound infuriating.

Anywhere i can sample one of these?

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.

i got 22A without really understanding the answer. reverse burlesque?

'maybe head; = definition; BT = telecommunicators, which leaves ODYPAR or RAPYDO backwards... yeah i got nuthin'.

it's Parody

wait what was the clue?

Parody did jump out as the anagram but i was lost looking for context.

is RAPYDO a word? cos all google's getting me is python modules and flickr user names

xp, ok. i think.

Maybe head of telecommunicators accepting inverted burlesque (4,4)

ODY - PAR

inverted, it is a meaning of "burlesque"

not wholly satisfying i agree

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.

hmm. Is this fucker an overclever fucker i wonder

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)

Do not GIS for the answer if at work.

knew all those years playing the hobbit on the spectrum would pay off...

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?

love = 0 (tennis)

That was quick! This is a common referent, I gather?

very.

ty. One other:

City's key in sink. (7) = SEATTLE

I get "settle" but the A?

Musical key of 'A'

Did anyone mention the "duck" in cricket yet?

Chop stick? Start to chop up sticks (6)

Really liked this one from same puzzle:
9a Grandma who supposes erroneously (5)

'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.

note can also be do, re, mi etc

This is somewhat helpful for septics- sorry, Americans- from Peter Biddlecombe: http://www.biddlecombe.demon.co.uk/yagcc/YAGCC7.html

OK, still don't quite know why you need first "Chop" in that clue.

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.

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?

Not at all common nowadays. 'In a bit of a pet', I think I've read, and possibly heard in, Derby was it?

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.

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.

I think you're right! That's pretty nice.

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

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!

Sure, no problem.

Starting to appreciate why the rules are different in the US and the UK.

That 'U' thing featured in that same Guardian puzzle:
18d: Posh policeman defending article that's put online? (6)

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

u plo(a)d