Comments on: Guardian 24,142/Rufus – It’s Monday, so it must be…

By: roland

roland — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 21:02:28 +0000

As a sop to the setter, I must say that four of us scratched our heads as we deliberated over (and finally chose) BATTEN (various non-existent alternatives were desperately concocted: HAPTON? etc.). At the time, we attributed our confusion, not without justification, to our inebriated state (morbidly exacerbated by pickled eggs: if you haven’t, don’t). However, once Chambers was enlisted as I recovered the next day, I did not feel especially hard done by.

Since Rufus graciously raises the subject of the relative easiness of his puzzles, I feel able to mention that I think they have become considerably more abstruse in recent weeks. BATTEN is just the latest example of occasional clues that have stopped me in my tracks. As far as I’m concerned, this can only be a good thing.

By: struggler

struggler — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 19:02:21 +0000

Rufus’s is the only broadsheet crossword I attempt, and it always gives me a lot of satisfaction to complete one. For what it is worth, I do find that some of his puzzles are much easier than others. And I have also noticed that whenever I have to resort to this blog for enlightenment the old pros are reporting problems with clues that I got straight away (batten being a case in point).

By: Rufus

Rufus — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 16:25:57 +0000

Oops Peter! We overlapped. Many thanks too! Also best wishes! R

By: Rufus

Rufus — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 16:22:27 +0000

Thanks Loonapick. Much mollified. You were just the one in the firing line and I accept that you have to write what you feel. Best wishes! R

By: petebiddlecombe

petebiddlecombe — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 16:18:07 +0000

The (unintended) inconsistency in the Setters page has now been fixed – Roger is ‘Ximenean’ throughout. I’ve dished out a bit of flak about Rufus puzzles in the past, possibly unfairly. If they help people who struggle with most other puzzles to think that cryptic crosswords can be done, they’re playing an important role whatever you think about the details of individual clues. If I could travel back in time, I might well find that the first Guardian puzzle I finished was a Rufus one.

By: loonapick

loonapick — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 12:23:16 +0000

I’m happy to be criticised, too, and am glad that Rufus has joined in the discussion. It would be great if more setters gave feedback, and explained their clues. I am sure that Rufus’s explanation of BATTEN has enlightened many solvers who read this blog.
My comment for 14 ac may have been harsh, but I have definitely come across something like the clue for 17ac before. Lack of originality is not a criticism, and I apologise if Rufus took it that way. Crosswords have been around for three-quarters of a century, and, as in other fields such as literature or art, it is getting harder to be truly original.
20ac – I maybe should have qualified that a bit as it does paint a good picture and Rufus has done well to find a link between “lighting a candle” and “matches”. In my defence, I did state that I was short of time yesterday. Personally, I prefer double definitions where the light has two completely different meanings (eg FILE being a document and a tool, each meriting separate bold entries in a dictionary.) or where the clue has two significantly different definitions.
22ac – sorry, don’t agree – I just don’t like the clue, but we’ll have to agree to disagree on that one.
22dn – Again, like 17ac – I have seen it before, although not with the “naturally” bit. It was the use of that word that led me to think of the clue as clever.

By: Testy

Testy — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 11:41:02 +0000

Personally I’m glad to see a bit of feedback from the setters and would like to see more.

By: Rufus

Rufus — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 10:31:34 +0000

I do wonder whether, as the setter, I should join in these discussions. However, a compiler’s work enters the public domain and must accept criticism, but for the same reason the bloggers must also accept mild criticism, though they do a fantastic job, for no financial reward.
My puzzles are easy and straightforward because the editors, and I must have worked with over 30 over the last 44 years, ask me to provide them that way; basically to help solvers get the idea of cryptics before enjoying the more difficult puzzles. However, fifteensquared has now decided that, as well as “easy”, I am libertarian in the Guardain but Ximenean in the FT. Although I still supply a number of crosswords every week, I do strive to be fair and accurate and to entertain. So when I have spent time giving a clue an accurate and good surface reading I am slightly disappointed when slightly disdainful comments appear in the blog.
I’m not picking out loonapick especially but, just for example, take the comments above for:
14 across (Turned to) “a loose definition”. I have looked at four dictionaries and I cannot see how “started work” can be bettered.
17ac. I was taught by my first mentor, Nigel Gee, back in the 1960s, that a clue is nore fun if you paint a picture of an event. Thus I tried to suggest one’s wife and girlfriend meeting might be calamitous with my clue: “Sweetheart and wife meet – help!” for E-SPOUSE. Sweetheart for “e” is a common device, yes, but I have never come across this clue before in 50 years of crosswords. Yet this is described as “unoriginal”.
20 ac. “Holds a candle to” and “matches” for COMPARES do have similar meanings – they must have to make the clue work – but it does make a sensible sentence which one would expect to mislead many solvers for a short time.
22ac “Lost, as a dog may be”. OK, it is a simple clue but ASTRAY and A STRAY is still succinctly cryptic.
22 dn “They also multiply, naturally” ADDERS. is not all that clever, though described as such, but, as far as I know, is original.
Incidentally, BATTEN seemed to have given trouble. When I was flying in the Fleet Air Arm I was always given the job of Entertainments Officer, dealing with variety shows (known in the RN as “sod’s operas”); when I left the Navy after 15 years my first job was Entertainments officer at Butlin’s, again putting on shows until I left to turn freelance as a setter, magician and actor. I appeared over 250 times on TV in variety shows, children’s shows and dramas. Battens were always important and perhaps I assumed everybody knew that they were beams holding the lights in theatres and TV studios. I apologise – but if you solved the clue eventually you will probably remember it for the rest of your life! It was my marriage breaking up in 1977 that meant I gave up “show business” to stay at home to look after two pre-teenage boys and concentrate solely on compiling.
Sorry, I am going on and on. ‘Nough said!

By: Stan

Stan — Tue, 31 Jul 2007 07:33:25 +0000

D’oh ! I did have “Here” for 24a for a while – but my “scanties” got in the way … My mind must be too highly trained … thanks.

By: loonapick

loonapick — Mon, 30 Jul 2007 21:41:35 +0000

24a – SITE (homophone of “SIGHT”)

24d – SKIP (double definition)