Comments on: Guardian 24502/Orlando

By: muck

muck — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 23:39:48 +0000

Congrats from me too Eileen on your first blog. I always enjoyed your comments before.

By: Dave Ellison

Dave Ellison — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 20:53:35 +0000

Yes, congrats, Eileen. When shall we be able to click on your name to read your resume?

By: bridgesong

bridgesong — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 18:37:26 +0000

As another fairly new member of the team, (and one who couldn’t quite finish today’s puzzle!) can I add my congratulations, Eileen.

By: Kate Wild

Kate Wild — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 17:40:14 +0000

I haven’t even got round to today’s crossword yet, but I logged to find the missing answers to yesterday’s Gordius , then got swept up in the comments, re gerunds etc. Poor Geoff, did he get dissed? I was worried for him. But back to today, Eileen, I always read your comments, and so it was nice to see you in the top spot. When I get round to today’s puzzle I’ll be back. ps, are you an English teacher by any chance?

By: Eileen

Eileen — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 15:59:10 +0000

I had exactly the same thought myself, John, as I wrote it. I knew it wasn’t right but couldn’t see the wood for the trees until helped out by Andrew. See comments 1 and 2.

Thanks for all the nice comments – and especially to Orlando for a very enjoyable initiation.

By: John

John — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 15:51:22 +0000

Well done Eileen.
Isn’t Auntie a “diminutive” of Aunt rather than the other way round? Like “shortening” John to Johnny?
Interesting that 11 dn could also clue a four letter answer, i.e. “bash”. I’ll look out for it.

By: Jim

Jim — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 14:14:07 +0000

According to Partridge, the slang use of “thrash” (meaning a party with drinks, supper and dancing) dates to the 30s, originating with servicemen (poss. RN?)

By: beermagnet

beermagnet — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 14:01:02 +0000

Well done Eileen, it’s great to see keen commentors coming through as bloggers.

And well done Orlando I say, not a hugely difficult puzzle but an enjoyable one. I have noticed that I’ve been enjoying Orlando’s offerings more of late.

The only area I had trouble with was due to putting APPREHENDING in for 12A which troubled my 8D till I saw the problem.

Thrash: I am familiar with thrash in the sense of party, but I suspect it is more 60s or 70s slang, e.g. “Curly’s having a thrash over at his place next saturday”. In my experience, a thrash is guaranteed to involve loud music, sufficient quantities of largely dubious alcohol, and many people you have never met before, though a fight is optional.

By: don

don — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 13:45:32 +0000

Thanks Mhl. Nice one, but it was rather too obscure for me to get the particular, although I do get your point!

By: mhl

mhl — Wed, 24 Sep 2008 13:32:48 +0000

Sorry, of course it’s “point” for the noun sense of “particular”, which I suppose you mostly hear as a plural…