Comments on: Guardian 25,200 / Auster

By: Huw Powell

Huw Powell — Fri, 24 Dec 2010 22:37:11 +0000

I came here to find out “why” RING too… oh well!

I also found this puzzle a bit easy, in context of the typical Gaurniad fare. No individual clue would have been out of place to “get things rolling” in a harder puzzle, but all in the same one was a bit odd. I kept waiting for the hard corner to appear.

That said, if every Monday was on this level, that would be nice for newcomers to the addiction, and the experts would expect it and either not do it or set some rule to make it harder, like not writing in any answers, or using a blank grid.

So, anyway, thanks Auster and Gaufrid!

By: John

John — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 09:48:21 +0000

Straws are being grasped at.

By: Petrus

Petrus — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 07:16:27 +0000

I think ring might be arrived at from offspring, taking off s.p. – sine prole. Like a double negative.

By: Mick

Mick — Thu, 23 Dec 2010 01:16:55 +0000

I’m a newbie but I like this site, mainly because it rarely has ‘I solved this in 5 minutes’ boasters unlike the Guardian comments one. I come here to see if people parsed clues the way I did when I think I’ve got a crossword out, and the parsing and comments are great.
There is something utterly satisfying about solving a tough Araucaria Xmas special, having a groan of laughter at Paul’s naughty wordplay (my favourite setter)and struggling sometimes with a Rufus corner that isn’t as easy or obvious as people say.
And no – I don’t see why ‘ring’ in today’s one either.

By: Carrots

Carrots — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 23:33:31 +0000

Hi Auntie Eileen….you may be interested to learn that “Roger” for “received and understaood” was still common aeronautical parlance in the 60s 70s and 80s.

When I made my first solo trip across the “wide bit” of the channel in a tiny Piper Cherokee, I fell instantly in love with the Deauville TMA controller who had the sexiest voice imaginable. “Gulf Alphur Victure Lima Echo, now contact tow-uer en wan-tree-zeeroh-decimal-fife: Bye-Bye”. “Roger, Madam” I enthusiastically replied, more in hope than anticipation.

I couldn`t wait to meet this sexy lady and (unusually for me) reported to the control tower to pay my landing and parking fees on arrival. There she was, sylvan hair, husky voice and all….of eighty years old.

Over the next two decades I had several R/T flirtations on the airwaves of many countries, but that one has remained special!

By: Brian

Brian — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 23:02:02 +0000

Hi, I’m a newbie and very much in awe of the talent show by all of the other contributors. I solved 23d using “spokes” in the sense of as radiuses (radii) of a circle or wheel. As for 15a, call is a synonym for ring fitted. In addition, in the film and TV series Stargate alien technology for short distance transportation called rings are used (it’s CGI) and the first two episodes of SG-1 are titled “Children of the Gods”. I’ll get my anorak.

By: pommers

pommers — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 22:33:59 +0000

I think it’s about time the setter came on line and explained the working of 15a. Nobody has yet come up with a viable explanation of this very weak clue – unless I’m missing something here!

By: Danny

Danny — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 22:21:20 +0000

I thought ring could be because children call (their parents) when they require transport.

By: Robi

Robi — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 20:23:53 +0000

Final thought! (Of course I meant Andrew @11 previously). Maybe it’s just ‘children requiring transport’ ring their parents for a lift.

By: Daniel Miller

Daniel Miller — Wed, 22 Dec 2010 18:43:56 +0000

Re my question – I’d do a blog if I was needed.

Yes this was ridiculously easy and yes, I don’t understand 15a much either – Ring was my guess based on ‘call’ and the hidden Ring.. Maybe ‘children’ implied the last part of Requiring – where the parent of a word might be indicative of Short in Shortfall for example! Who knows?