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 (twelve years ago) link
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 (twelve years ago) link
Learned today: EXTRA = non-batted cricket runIOM = Isle of Man
― Spirit of the Me Hive (James Redd and the Blecchs), Monday, 30 May 2011 00:49 (twelve years ago) link
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 (twelve years ago) link
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 (twelve years ago) link
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 (twelve years ago) link
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 (twelve years ago) link
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 (twelve years ago) link
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 (twelve years ago) link
i got 22A without really understanding the answer. reverse burlesque?
― koogs, Tuesday, 31 May 2011 15:14 (twelve years ago) link
'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 (twelve years ago) link
it's Parody
― banter panchali (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 31 May 2011 15:18 (twelve years ago) link
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 (twelve years ago) link
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 (twelve years ago) link
Maybe head of telecommunicators accepting inverted burlesque (4,4)
― England's banh mi army (ledge), Tuesday, 31 May 2011 15:20 (twelve years ago) link
ODY - PAR
inverted, it is a meaning of "burlesque"
― banter panchali (Noodle Vague), Tuesday, 31 May 2011 15:21 (twelve years ago) link
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.
― England's banh mi army (ledge), Tuesday, 31 May 2011 15:23 (twelve years ago) link
hmm. Is this fucker an overclever fucker i wonder
― ♪♫ hey there lamp post, feelin' whiney ♪♫ (darraghmac), Tuesday, 31 May 2011 15:24 (twelve years ago) link
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 (twelve years ago) link
Do not GIS for the answer if at work.
― England's banh mi army (ledge), Friday, 3 June 2011 10:56 (twelve years ago) link
knew all those years playing the hobbit on the spectrum would pay off...
― koogs, Friday, 3 June 2011 13:28 (twelve years ago) link
Noob help again, thanks:
Poison part-time love and principal sweet-heart (8) = PTOMAINE.
part-time = PTprincipal = 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 (twelve years ago) link
love = 0 (tennis)
― England's banh mi army (ledge), Friday, 3 June 2011 13:59 (twelve years ago) link
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 (twelve years ago) link
very.
― England's banh mi army (ledge), Friday, 3 June 2011 14:02 (twelve years ago) link
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 (twelve years ago) link
Musical key of 'A'
Did anyone mention the "duck" in cricket yet?
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 (twelve years ago) link
'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 (twelve years ago) link
note can also be do, re, mi etc
― koogs, Friday, 3 June 2011 14:11 (twelve years ago) link
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 (twelve years ago) link
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.
― England's banh mi army (ledge), Friday, 3 June 2011 14:20 (twelve years ago) link
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 (twelve years ago) link
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 (twelve years ago) link
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 (twelve years ago) link
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 (twelve years ago) link
I think you're right! That's pretty nice.
― England's banh mi army (ledge), Friday, 3 June 2011 14:44 (twelve years ago) link
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 (twelve years ago) link
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 (twelve years ago) link
Sure, no problem.
― Pwn of Blood (James Redd and the Blecchs), Friday, 3 June 2011 15:59 (twelve years ago) link
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 (twelve years ago) link
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 (twelve years ago) link
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 (twelve years ago) link
u plo(a)d
― koogs, Saturday, 4 June 2011 11:49 (twelve years ago) link
Yup. Had no idea who PC Plod was.
― Valuable New Polish Film Posters (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 4 June 2011 11:56 (twelve years ago) link
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 (twelve years ago) link
Just wow, posh policeman = U PLOD.
― The hoppiest hop hopper now with xtra hops (Dan Peterson), Monday, 6 June 2011 17:01 (twelve years ago) link
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 (twelve years ago) link
Oh. I think I see now. Urea? (you're 'ere?)
― portrait of velleity (woof), Wednesday, 8 June 2011 08:58 (twelve years ago) link