Balsa?
― Oz, Wednesday, 16 September 2009 11:27 (fourteen years ago) link
yup
― Not the real Village People, Wednesday, 16 September 2009 11:30 (fourteen years ago) link
Pregnant pause (9,5)
― Oz, Wednesday, 16 September 2009 11:35 (fourteen years ago) link
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 (fourteen years ago) link
Not what i had in mind....
― Oz, Wednesday, 16 September 2009 13:17 (fourteen years ago) link
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 (fourteen years ago) link
Maternity leave
― ailsa, Thursday, 17 September 2009 07:00 (fourteen years ago) link
oh ffs, open goal
― What are the benefits of dating a younger guy, better erections? (darraghmac), Thursday, 17 September 2009 09:22 (fourteen years ago) link
You're too damn good ailsa. Do you do them in the newspaper every day too?
― krakow, Thursday, 17 September 2009 09:24 (fourteen years ago) link
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 (fourteen years ago) link
One isn't that woman, but someone else (7)
― this must be what FAIL is really like (ledge), Thursday, 17 September 2009 12:46 (fourteen years ago) link
another?
― thomp, Thursday, 17 September 2009 12:49 (fourteen years ago) link
aye
― this must be what FAIL is really like (ledge), Thursday, 17 September 2009 12:59 (fourteen years ago) link
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 (fourteen years ago) link
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 (fourteen years ago) link
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 (fourteen years ago) link
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 (fourteen years ago) link
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 (fourteen years ago) link
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 (fourteen years ago) link
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 (fourteen years ago) link
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 (fourteen years ago) link
Flattery will get you anywhere
(crap clue as it's not a common phrase)
― astronimo domino (onimo), Thursday, 17 September 2009 13:58 (fourteen years ago) link
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 (fourteen years ago) link
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 (fourteen years ago) link
well done onimo, i had to check fifteensquared for that
― thomp, Thursday, 17 September 2009 14:00 (fourteen years ago) link
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 (fourteen years ago) link
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 (fourteen years ago) link
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 (fourteen years ago) link
"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 (fourteen years ago) link
I completed a whole one once.It was in the Metro :(
― Not the real Village People, Friday, 18 September 2009 17:59 (fourteen years ago) link
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 (fourteen years ago) link
Unexpected bonus for sailor (5)
― Garnet Memes (James Redd and the Blecchs), Sunday, 20 September 2009 12:27 (fourteen years ago) link
Bosun
― menelaus, Sunday, 20 September 2009 13:24 (fourteen years ago) link
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 (fourteen years ago) link
poverty stricken
I too am terrible at making up clues, so someone else can have a go.
― ailsa, Sunday, 20 September 2009 17:36 (fourteen years ago) link
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 (fourteen years ago) link
A little help
__S__ __ ___ ___E__S
― Lloyd George and the Commotions (Noodle Vague), Sunday, 20 September 2009 18:52 (fourteen years ago) link
how does that help?
― What are the benefits of dating a younger guy, better erections? (darraghmac), Sunday, 20 September 2009 19:08 (fourteen years ago) link
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 (fourteen years ago) link
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 (fourteen years ago) link
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 (fourteen years ago) link
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 (fourteen years ago) link
no the phrase is anywhere, not everywhere.
― do you want to be happier? (whatever), Sunday, 20 September 2009 21:40 (fourteen years ago) link
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 (fourteen years ago) link
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 (fourteen years ago) link
you trust google? xp
― do you want to be happier? (whatever), Sunday, 20 September 2009 21:44 (fourteen years ago) link
Yes, I am being entirely serious.
― ailsa, Sunday, 20 September 2009 21:44 (fourteen years ago) link
I like the first "Tyre problem - the same..." bit, but it's a totally unwieldy clue overall.
― krakow, Sunday, 20 September 2009 21:44 (fourteen years ago) link
I think the phrase is "anywhere", not "everywhere".
― krakow, Sunday, 20 September 2009 21:45 (fourteen years ago) link
"nowhere".
― this must be what FAIL is really like (ledge), Sunday, 20 September 2009 21:46 (fourteen years ago) link