Comments on: Guardian 25,192 – Rufus

By: Carrots

Carrots — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 23:24:46 +0000

Hi Davy….and thanks for the cartoon! Totally off-topic, (but its late in the day for this puzzle) I cannot understand almost any of JT`s cartoons but they seem to be burned into my cerebral cortex. Likewise the lyrics of Tom Lehrer`s songs of the same era. Maybe it`s just growing old! Ciao!

By: Sil van den Hoek

Sil van den Hoek — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 22:53:32 +0000

Robert,
please do ask Kathryn’s Dad, because he’s organising a ‘lunch’ at the end of January which Rufus might attend.
pwharvey@msn.com

By: Robert Clarida

Robert Clarida — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 19:05:06 +0000

While we’re off-topic, a strange request: does anyone know how I might obtain an autograph from Rufus, as a birthday gift for one of my Rufus-loving colleagues here in New York?

By: Davy

Davy — Tue, 14 Dec 2010 09:03:46 +0000

Hi Carrots,

Slightly off-topic I know but you reminded me of my favourite James Thurber cartoon which I’ve just looked up.
Here’s a link to it :-

http://www.arflovers.com/Blog/images/062108.jpg

By: Carrots

Carrots — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 23:21:26 +0000

I don`t know what it is about Rufus: he seldom demands more than a pinta to solve, but there`s a sense of timeless ritual in completing his puzzles.

Whilst struggling with last week`s prize puzzle I was reminded of an iconic James Thurber cartoon from the 1960s. He is abed with his wife and exclaims “I thought I heard a seal bark”. There is a seal, lolling over their bed head, but how it got there, what it was doing there and why it prompted such a nonchalant, casual remark is inexplicable. At the risk of volunteering to appear in PE`s “Pseuds Corner”, I think the seal`s name might be Rufus.

By: Martin H

Martin H — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 22:58:24 +0000

Are you sure it’s ‘apparent simplicity’ they’re criticising, Davy, these pompous know-alls?

By: Paul B

Paul B — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 22:07:18 +0000

Very aggressive defence there Davy: these pompous know-alls, with their possible lack of clue-writing ability, and probable tendency toward detraction, just gotta watch out.

By: Davy

Davy — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 21:33:55 +0000

Thanks Andrew,

This was mainly good with a couple of poor definitions which were SCORER and HERE. I cannot imagine giving someone a present and saying ‘HERE’. It sounds aggressive. On the plus side there were many smooth surfaces of which 18d (Goliath) was my favourite and COLOSSAL, ANNUAL, ALICANTE and EXHAUSTED were also good.

A lot of pompous know-alls criticise Rufus for his apparent simplicity but it takes great skill to compose the smooth surface for which he is rightly famous. Let’s see how well his detractors can create clues which are as good. Nice one Rufus.

By: Median

Median — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 14:51:09 +0000

tupu @2,

Like you, I had CRACKING at 16a at first. Getting SPONDEE at 17d led me to the right answer.

By: walruss

walruss — Mon, 13 Dec 2010 14:32:51 +0000

Apologies! But I can’t go back in to change it, I think.