Comments on: Financial Times 13,558 / Loroso

By: Sil van den Hoek

Sil van den Hoek — Sat, 04 Dec 2010 00:13:43 +0000

Friday evening.
Came home late from work.
In a week in which everything’s delayed.
Went to London on Tuesday to say ‘hi’ to Paul, couldn’t do his his puzzle that day, did it on Wednesday.
Couldn’t do this Loroso yesterday, did it tonight.
Completely on my own, this time.

I’m a very slow solver.
One eye on the crossword and one eye on the food.
One eye on the crossword and one eye on Lazio v Inter.
No eyes on the crossword when my brother rang me.
Half an eye on the crossword and one and a half on Krautrock (BBC4).

What a joy altogether.

ETHICAL (25ac) – wow.
LIGHTEN (13ac) – what a great way to clue such a simple word.
STEVENSON and DESICCANT – well, what can you say.

I found them all, while multi-tasking.
What a good puzzle, and what a good way to spend a Friday evening!

By: scarpia

scarpia — Fri, 03 Dec 2010 00:00:14 +0000

Thanks smiffy.
A fairly tough puzzle but ultimately very satisfying.
Wasn’t keen on the definition in 1 across at first(rabbit and hare are similar but different creatures)but I see from the dictionary that a snowshoe rabbit is actually a hare – another example of Americans misusing English!

By: gnomethang

gnomethang — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 20:04:57 +0000

How fortunate I was to be snowed in today and looking for another puzzle after DT, Toughie and Times.
This filled the bill very nicely and although I failed on 10a ultimately I did a sight better than normal with Anax/Loroso. Cheers fellah!, there was much to enjoy here over a late afternoon pint with 1a and 21d being firm favourites.

By: anax

anax — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 16:30:53 +0000

Oops – forgot to clear up 19d. The def is as in ‘you would be as well to…” = ‘you would be advised to…’

By: anax

anax — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 16:27:27 +0000

Many thanks for an excellent blog smiffy.

Sorry to jump in so early with a response, but I just want to let people know that (unexpectedly – just been told today) one of mine is in the Independent’s ‘i’ paper tomorrow. I’m hoping that those who can battle through the nation’s 1-foot snowdrifts will buy a copy. I know the puzzle isn’t blogged, but it has a moderately unusual thematic twist which I really hope solvers will enjoy.

Oh crikey. Just realised I’ve plummeted into rank self-promotion. Someone hit me, please.

By: Eileen

Eileen — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 16:24:04 +0000

Many thanks, Smiffy – a delight of a puzzle, as always from this setter.

In 6dn, i took ‘plastic’ in its meaning of ‘having the power to take on different forms’ rather than ‘artificial’ or ‘synthetic’, so it’s a great anagrind, I think.

Favourite clue out of so many excellent ones: ETHICAL.

[DOLCE FAR NIENTE is Italian, not Latin - super surface!]

By: Steve

Steve — Thu, 02 Dec 2010 16:22:15 +0000

Thanks for the blog smiffy – this was a tough one! I also don’t get the definition for 19D, but assume it’s referring to ‘well-advised’?