Comments on: Guardian 25,094 / Pasquale

By: ernie

ernie — Tue, 05 Oct 2010 10:25:44 +0000

Picked this up again after several weeks. Interesting comments. I only filled in half a dozen clues initially: 6a 12a 1d 2d 3d 8d

In industry, eg the electrolytic manufacture of aluminium, a BUSBAR conducts a high current (thousands of amperes) so has to be very thick. But the voltage needed per cell is small (less than for a toy electric train or scalectrix) so you would not get a shock if all the cells were in parallel (though the busbar might be very hot)

GOITRE would have fitted instead of GRI-GRI, for a more familiar word. And I did not need a spellcheck to think up that one.

By: maarvarq

maarvarq — Tue, 07 Sep 2010 04:54:28 +0000

Tougher than I’d like, but still not as bad as some of the vicious offerings from “The Master” recently.

By: Paul B

Paul B — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 19:48:00 +0000

Well, you’re both right, and superbly so, but according to the Blattant (don’t blame me, blame Spenser), Beastly Book of Crosswordese, your learnedness means nat an hen.

There wouldn’t be anything unfair in using the constructions you give in your excellent posts (and I wish people would use them: it’s just finding any appropriate words!), but unfortunately, along with such abhorrations as Ulster = NI, we have to lump it when some fellow goes for the old George the First = GRI convention.

I know you say you haven’t seen it, but believe me it’s out there. Lock your doors.

By: Big Dave

Big Dave — Mon, 23 Aug 2010 15:03:45 +0000

According to both Chambers and Chambers XWD GRI stands for Georgius Rex Imperator (George, King and Emperor). Since the title, as Imperatrix, was first adopted by Victoria (VRI), it could not have been applied to George I, only to George V and George VI.

By: Martin H

Martin H — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 16:47:46 +0000

It’s not the letters that are wrong Paul, it’s their order. Traditionally, I think, you see GVIR or EIIR, for example, on coins, letterboxes etc – George the Sixth, King with the title coming last. I think use of the conventional form is certainly fair; variations on this I’m a bit dubious about. If Pasquale has simply invented GRI as an abbreviation for George I, it’s a bit weak, giving us George King the First or something. Perhaps he has a precedent, and I’ve nothing to complain about, but I’ve never seen it

By: Paul B

Paul B — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 15:16:53 +0000

Georgius Rex I would offer the G, the R, then the Roman numeral for 1, which is a capital I.

I’d have to concede, as others have quite possibly delighted in doing, that this was a pretty tricky puzzle. But there we are: Friday puzzles can be almost as tricky as Saturday, or – perish the thought – Bank Holiday ones. And if we also say there’s no such thing as bad publicity …

By: Martin H

Martin H — Sun, 22 Aug 2010 14:24:33 +0000

Late again.

Fair if the clue is fair? I suppose so, through gritted teeth (at the Street-Porter references). Are we in journalism territory here or celebrity culture? It’s not always easy to disentangle the two.

Shouldn’t George the First be GIR and not GRI?

By: tupu

tupu — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 22:45:45 +0000

Hi Don

RE 19d. Charm is the definition. Grisgris or Gri-Gri (as here) is a kind of African charm. The word is in my Chambers under Grisgris. The route to the answer is that AR = Queen Anne and her successor was George I here shortened to GRI. Repeatedly evident tells you it is seen twice. Hope that helps.

However P is rated generally this was clearly a very hard puzzle that few bloggers got completely right.

By: don

don — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 18:37:49 +0000

Managed – eventually – all but 5 and 9 across and 5 down in the top left and 16 and 19 down and 22 across in the bottom left (still don’t understand 19 down, anybody?)

I’m pleased to be described a MEDIOCRE, which I guess has the meaning of AVERAGE and NORMAL, something in crossword terms that Pasquake never has and never will understand.

I don’t understand why Pasquale is rated of medium difficulty on the setters’ page.

By: tupu

tupu — Sat, 21 Aug 2010 10:47:38 +0000

Hi Pasquale
Thanks for the reference to the dot to dot. I looked this morning and I’m afraid it was too difficult for me.