Comments on: Guardian 24,180/Araucaria – One for the bibliophiles http://www.fifteensquared.net/2007/09/12/guardian-24180araucaria-one-for-the-bibliophiles/ Never knowingly undersolved. Thu, 20 Jun 2013 00:51:19 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 By: ilancaron http://www.fifteensquared.net/2007/09/12/guardian-24180araucaria-one-for-the-bibliophiles/#comment-4552 ilancaron Thu, 13 Sep 2007 10:39:36 +0000 http://fifteensquared.net/2007/09/12/guardian-24180araucaria-one-for-the-bibliophiles/#comment-4552 The “not allowed…” comment is explained in Neil’s exhaustive FAQ (http://fifteensquared.net/faq) — the gist is that the papers run a pay-for-answers service and we don’t want to completely obviate the need for such a service.

I try to provide the full clue when there’s something about it that completely bamboozles me or when it’s worth repeating aesthetically. But this is selective, since again we don’t want to become a crossword publication replacement service (thus depriving the papers of income…).

]]> By: Al Streatfield http://www.fifteensquared.net/2007/09/12/guardian-24180araucaria-one-for-the-bibliophiles/#comment-4550 Al Streatfield Thu, 13 Sep 2007 10:24:15 +0000 http://fifteensquared.net/2007/09/12/guardian-24180araucaria-one-for-the-bibliophiles/#comment-4550 I’m slightly mystified by loonapick’s comment “I’m not allowed to blog them all”. Can someone please explain?

On another point, it is rather difficult to discuss a clue when one hasn’t seen the puzzle- I only get the Independent normally.

Would it be possible for bloggers to write out in full some of the clues they are analysing?

Al

]]> By: mark http://www.fifteensquared.net/2007/09/12/guardian-24180araucaria-one-for-the-bibliophiles/#comment-4524 mark Wed, 12 Sep 2007 23:21:55 +0000 http://fifteensquared.net/2007/09/12/guardian-24180araucaria-one-for-the-bibliophiles/#comment-4524 Thanks Loonapick, but you’ve explained 16a not 18a I think. 16a was one of the few I got!

I see the 3d now thanks. It’s bending the rules to breaking point in my novice book but there is a bit of logic in there I suppose.

4d I knew stickler as a noun but not a verb!
11d – yep, should have got that.

Thanks

]]> By: loonapick http://www.fifteensquared.net/2007/09/12/guardian-24180araucaria-one-for-the-bibliophiles/#comment-4523 loonapick Wed, 12 Sep 2007 22:23:20 +0000 http://fifteensquared.net/2007/09/12/guardian-24180araucaria-one-for-the-bibliophiles/#comment-4523 Mark
18 ac – The French (LE) setter’s (MY) on Please Turn Over (a bit of stretch for next page, I’ll grant you, but on websites, you could argue that a “next page” link would have the same effect as PTO on a letter?
3d – typical Araucaria, I’m afraid – you have to make the leap from “labelled” to “with tag”
4dn – STICKLE(back) as in “be a stickler for proper crossword convention”
11ac – CONTRARY – T in (carry on)*

]]> By: mark http://www.fifteensquared.net/2007/09/12/guardian-24180araucaria-one-for-the-bibliophiles/#comment-4520 mark Wed, 12 Sep 2007 21:47:02 +0000 http://fifteensquared.net/2007/09/12/guardian-24180araucaria-one-for-the-bibliophiles/#comment-4520 Oh and what were 4d and 11a please.

]]> By: mark http://www.fifteensquared.net/2007/09/12/guardian-24180araucaria-one-for-the-bibliophiles/#comment-4519 mark Wed, 12 Sep 2007 21:44:55 +0000 http://fifteensquared.net/2007/09/12/guardian-24180araucaria-one-for-the-bibliophiles/#comment-4519 Far too hard for me and the usual quota of clues I had no chance with BUT also the usual couple that still irritate with answer.

18a – How does this work. In order to get a nice surface he’s surely blown the logical build up of the cryptic parts. Please show me I’m wrong.

3d – How does labelled = TAG. Surely it would be tagged. Again please shout if I’m missing something.

cheers

]]> By: Stan http://www.fifteensquared.net/2007/09/12/guardian-24180araucaria-one-for-the-bibliophiles/#comment-4513 Stan Wed, 12 Sep 2007 20:51:55 +0000 http://fifteensquared.net/2007/09/12/guardian-24180araucaria-one-for-the-bibliophiles/#comment-4513 Don’t know about it falling into place too quickly – I sweated blood, but got there in the end. Best puzzle of the year to date ?

]]> By: roland http://www.fifteensquared.net/2007/09/12/guardian-24180araucaria-one-for-the-bibliophiles/#comment-4512 roland Wed, 12 Sep 2007 20:03:37 +0000 http://fifteensquared.net/2007/09/12/guardian-24180araucaria-one-for-the-bibliophiles/#comment-4512 The man is, very simply, one of a kind: long may he continue. Particularly nice to see the wonderful Sir Thomas Browne namechecked in this puzzle. I must admit AVATAR defeated me entirely. I don’t know why, but 17D seemed typical of Araucaria- only just more satisfying than it was annoying!

]]> By: AlanR http://www.fifteensquared.net/2007/09/12/guardian-24180araucaria-one-for-the-bibliophiles/#comment-4510 AlanR Wed, 12 Sep 2007 19:02:10 +0000 http://fifteensquared.net/2007/09/12/guardian-24180araucaria-one-for-the-bibliophiles/#comment-4510 fain means willing or gladly, as in “I would fain” play this test.

]]> By: jetdoc http://www.fifteensquared.net/2007/09/12/guardian-24180araucaria-one-for-the-bibliophiles/#comment-4507 jetdoc Wed, 12 Sep 2007 18:07:17 +0000 http://fifteensquared.net/2007/09/12/guardian-24180araucaria-one-for-the-bibliophiles/#comment-4507 I agree that there were some lovely clues in this — Araucaria at his best. I got A FAREWELL TO ARMS immediately from the clue (even with ‘the the’, a typo I am frequently picked up on by the spell-checker). For the other three 15-letter answers, I recognised/guessed the novels and worked back to the clues; but then that’s what I often do with Araucaria.

I’m not completely sure about 21d/19a, FAINTEST. Definition: as in ‘haven’t the faintest idea’. TEST = match. How does ‘of wanting a’ give FAIN?

]]>