Comments on: Financial Times 13,023 / Mudd

By: Jake

Jake — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 19:48:12 +0000

An odd puzzle -for me. But enjoyable, a few toughies, but, none that could’nt be figurered.

Thanks Mudd.

Jake.

By: Eileen

Eileen — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 14:30:03 +0000

When I was a child, everyone seemed to have a barometer in their hall, so I very early learned ‘set fair’, which was one of the settings.

‘Takes’ in 14ac puzzles me, as it interrupts the anagram material. From the wordplay, I would expect it to be MAN + an anagram of ‘helmet’.

By: Agentzero

Agentzero — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 14:03:29 +0000

Ah, thanks, Gaufrid. A new phrase to me.

By: Gaufrid

Gaufrid — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 13:39:37 +0000

Hi Will
Yes, Mudd and Paul are one and the same.

Hi Agentzero
When there is high atmospheric pressure the weather is likely to be fine and sunny or ‘set fair’ (probably not a common expression these days but certainly one I remember from my younger days).

By: Agentzero

Agentzero — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 13:31:22 +0000

Thanks, Gaufrid. Can you help me understand the definition in 8ac (SET FAIR = “highly-pressurised reading”)?

By: Will

Will — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 13:19:53 +0000

I enjoyed the puzzle. I thought 12 across was clever – if my crossword setters are not to be Ximenean, I’d much rather they do this than (for example) use ‘first class’ to mean C. I think ‘supposed’ as an anagram indicator is a little weak, though.

Isn’t Mudd Paul? If so, two in one day.

By: Gaufrid

Gaufrid — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 11:59:01 +0000

Thanks for the further elucidation Colin. I learn something new every day.

By: Colin Blackburn

Colin Blackburn — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 11:52:20 +0000

The subeditor does various jobs including correcting the work of the journalist and editing a piece for length. Writing the headlines (and captions) is a main part of their brief. Traditionally all headlines are written by the subs and not the journalists. As Rishi says the headlines may be changed later by higher powers.

By: Gaufrid

Gaufrid — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 11:32:53 +0000

Hi Rishi
Thanks for the info as I am not familiar with regard to who does what in journalism. My question was partly rhetorical and partly because I was wondering if the definition was fair. I am sure that others besides a subeditor must write headlines and a subeditor must do other things besides writing them.

Thanks also for notifying me about the typo.

By: C.G. Rishikesh

C.G. Rishikesh — Thu, 12 Mar 2009 11:29:23 +0000

Gaufrid:
Again re 16a:
A typo needs to be fixed. SUITOR for suiter.