Comments on: Financial Times 13,362 by Mudd

By: Sil van den Hoek

Sil van den Hoek — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 20:56:25 +0000

Mike, I am the last (and [because of my background] the least appropriate) to have clear opinions on homophones. So, please, don’t shoot at me.

When I solve a crossword and there’s a homophone involved, and when there’s any doubt, I normally ask my British Partner-in-Crime (= PinC) what she thinks about it.
And when that doesn’t lead to a (for me) satisfactory answer, I’ll turn to various resources, not bothering too much about it.

That said, I admit if I would be a setter, I’d like the homophones to be indisputable, but as a solver I’m not thát precise [shame on me - it's just not my favourite kind of device], even though I know I shóuld be bothered.
And as a result, the [in my opinion, splendid] construction of 19ac overrules the [perhaps dubious] homophone device.

So, I don’t want to argue about it with you.
I believe what you say for 100%, but for me it didn’t stand in the way of enjoying the clues [but again, that's only because I don't have British Ears].

By: mike04

mike04 — Fri, 30 Apr 2010 16:02:27 +0000

Hello again, Sil

See the comment after yours in Guardian 24,996. Well said, Neil!

By: mike04

mike04 — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 19:25:39 +0000

Hello Sil

Thanks very much for your comments. Unfortunately, some homophones in English are quite area-specific
(and other factors come into play).

By: Gaufrid

Gaufrid — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 12:08:17 +0000

Hi Ali
4dn Invention finding invention? (3,8)

By: Ali

Ali — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 11:59:51 +0000

Out of interest, what was the clue for 4D? I recently wrote a CD clue for LIE DETECTOR involving grilling and whoppers. Has Mr. H had the same idea?!

By: Sil van den Hoek

Sil van den Hoek — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 10:33:14 +0000

Mike04, yes, these homophones again …
As a non-UK citizen I haven’t got the same pair of ears as ‘locals’ have.
So, I mainly rely on resources when I’m really in doubt.
For example, Antony Lewis’ WordWebPro.

It gives for TUNER: tyoonu(r) – so with an optional ‘r’ at the end
And for TUNA: tyoonu.
Which seems OK, I guess.

HAW and WHORE is a slightly different matter.
HAW is given as ‘ho’ and WHORE as ‘hor’, which indeed is different.
But then the programme also says for WHORE: ‘sounds like: haw,hoar’.
Bit confusing.
[but I still like the great construction/surface of the clue, maybe therefore I tend to be tolerant]

By: mike04

mike04 — Thu, 29 Apr 2010 07:40:04 +0000

Thanks for the blog, Pete.

Well, TUNER as a homophone of TUNA raised an eyebrow here.
HAW is certainly not a homophone of WHORE in this part of the UK and I wonder if this usage is fair in an international newspaper.

By: Sil van den Hoek

Sil van den Hoek — Wed, 28 Apr 2010 23:44:02 +0000

Thanks, Pete, for blogging this fine Mudd.
Yes, I agree, some clues are not extremely good (like 14d), but one thing is for sure: you can’t hardly fault Mr Halpern on precision [as in his other disguises], while in the meantime there’s a good spread of devices.

Of course, there was a ‘bottom’ again, although it was hanging a bit loosely [in the clue, I mean ]: “… when daughter bottom”.
And another naughty one in 19ac (HAW) which was brilliantly constructed.
Most other favourites this time were all charades [normally not my device #1]: ROMANCE (9ac), 8d (CORKSCREW) [which has to be read as CORK'S CREW = CREW from CORK (town in Ireland)] and one more RED-HOT POKER (13d) [clued in the best Mr H tradition].

Only one clue raised one or two eyebrows: 26ac (KOWLOON).
The clue initially reads ‘Hooter breaks recess’ [OWL breaks NOOK, which leads to NOWLOOK or so], ‘then recalled’ [the word 'then' suggesting that at this point (áfter the insertion) the word should be reversed, which would give something strange like KOOLWON or so]. My point is that, strictly speaking, it doesn’t say: put OWL in the reversal of NOOK.

Apart from that, I think, the usual good quality [even though last Monday's Prize was clearly a(n even) better one].