Comments on: Financial Times 13,284 / Viking

By: nmsindy

nmsindy — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 13:47:34 +0000

Excellent puzzle, with some devious trickery to put the solver off the scent and some really smooth surface readings. Liked in particular TEND, SNUFF IT, SOPHISM and SURGEON. BTW, I think there is a wordplay element in both SNUFF IT (funs reversed + FIT) and SURGEON SURGE (well up) ON (in operation). While not 100% sure, think SWEETENER may be a triple definition.

By: shuchi

shuchi — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 08:12:50 +0000

That must be it, for 5d. Very unusual clue! Thanks Richard.

By: Richard

Richard — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 07:38:02 +0000

1a reads packed(DENSE)case(CRATE)not new (- N)

5d was tricky I think it must mean MAYBE with the final E appearing three times i.e. (MAYBEEE)*

By: shuchi

shuchi — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 07:09:03 +0000

Thanks Rishi. ‘regularly’ had thrown me off-track, was trying to find a pattern of letters.

By: C. G. Rishikesh

C. G. Rishikesh — Sat, 16 Jan 2010 06:44:36 +0000

Re 7d PAUSE

Aide – PA (for personal assistant)
’s – (connector)
to regularly take – USE
a break – def. for word reqd.

By: Agentzero

Agentzero — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 16:25:22 +0000

Ah, thanks, Gaufrid.

By: Gaufrid

Gaufrid — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 16:08:04 +0000

Hi Agentzero
Try EX (letter {x}) DIE (stamp) in PEN (writer) T (time)

By: Agentzero

Agentzero — Fri, 15 Jan 2010 16:00:54 +0000

8 down reads “Letter writer acquiring stamp ahead of time is convenient (9).” From crossing letters, it is clear the answer is EXPEDIENT. I can see DIE (stamp) in PEN (letter writer) before T (time). But where does the EX come from? Is it possible the clue should have been “Former letter writer…”?