Comments on: Financial Times 12,911 by Satori

By: Gaufrid

Gaufrid — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 13:43:47 +0000

Thanks for the suggestion Testy. I did consider something along similar lines when I originally solved the puzzle but couldn’t justify it at the time.

By: Testy

Testy — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 13:24:49 +0000

1A could the definition actually be “Fit to be pronounced like” i.e. if something is comparable with something else then it is fit to be proclaimed as being like it.

By: Gaufrid

Gaufrid — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 13:22:43 +0000

Thanks to all this talk about pronunciation I have now been able to resolve 1a. There is a need for a homophone indicator according to the pronunciation indicated in Chambers.

By: Octofem

Octofem — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 13:11:40 +0000

That’s a relief, Fletch. I was beginning to doubt myself or think you were perhaps American. One would think that the setter had used my pronunciation.
Congratulations, Gaufrid, on deciphering the complicated thinking in 3d. You would never have settled to your afternoon nap with it unresolved!

By: Gaufrid

Gaufrid — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 12:58:29 +0000

3d Solved!!!

14d is ‘par for the’ so ‘of these 14′ becomes ‘of these par for the’ which means replace ‘the’ in ‘these’ with ‘par’ to give ‘parse’.

By: Gaufrid

Gaufrid — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 12:53:48 +0000

Sorry Fletch but I agree with Octofem. COED gives the pronunciation as ‘parz’ as does Chambers. Chambers does state ‘also pars’ but I have never heard the word pronounced this way.

By: Fletch

Fletch — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 12:49:38 +0000

I’ve just checked two dictionaries Octofern and the z sound’s given preference, you’re right!

Well well, I’ve been pronouncing it wrong all these years!

By: Octofem

Octofem — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 12:42:33 +0000

Well, in all the long years of my schooling, no teacher ever asked me to ‘parce’ a sentence. Would be interested to know experience of others.

By: Fletch

Fletch — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 12:28:27 +0000

Parse is like farce, pars is like bars.

By: Octofem

Octofem — Wed, 29 Oct 2008 12:19:42 +0000

PS Have just looked up pronunciation of ‘Parse’ online. Both the ‘s’s sound and ‘z’ sound are given. Miriam-Webster gives the ‘Z’ as mainly British! Well, that I certainly am.