Comments on: Guardian 25,202 – Gordius

By: Carrots

Carrots — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 23:19:18 +0000

Daniel….Oh, that kind of “Relatively O.K.” Thats alright then! Actually your solving time/pattern and sentiments about the puzzle echo my own. But we`d better wait until the blog appears before discussing it…or we`ll both be invited to the Headmaster`s study!

By: ernie

ernie — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 08:03:00 +0000

Thanks, Andrew and Gordius. Enjoyable if not difficult.

Have always wanted to clue URGENT as ‘Hasty Abraham’ or similar.

Thanks to ALL on this site for ideas and clarifications.

By: Daniel Miller

Daniel Miller — Mon, 27 Dec 2010 07:32:52 +0000

Well, Carrots – I don’t mean I did it in 2 hours (LOL) – it took ages to get going and the best part of 3 days to complete – probably something like 8 hours worth of effort. I mean that the vast majority of clues were of a reasonable level with a few that made me smile and quite a few excellently constructed. Baffled by a handful of them (the answer was fine but the logic I struggled with) but, as I say, enjoyable, witty and achievable for the most part.

By: Paul Stevenson

Paul Stevenson — Sun, 26 Dec 2010 23:15:14 +0000

I thought that the historian was Lu Simian, the Chinese historian… down with ambiguous clues!

By: Carrots

Carrots — Sun, 26 Dec 2010 23:12:21 +0000

Daniel….”relatively O.K.” ???. Spare a thought for us lesser and humbler mortals who would be prepared to burn the turkey in return for a direct line to the Old Wizard`s thinking!

But its all over now, (Baby Blue). I`ve trudged down to the local mail-box to wing off a pristine solution (the original looks like a bombing pattern from Dresden). Fortunately, the pub had just opened on the way back, so ended up legless (on the black ice, of course)….and an overcooked Turkey, which I found harder to explain.

By: Daniel Miller

Daniel Miller — Sun, 26 Dec 2010 18:53:20 +0000

Carrots,

I found the Xmas Double relatively OK. I have to admit I don’t often bother with prize ones (requiring more time) but I always eagerly await the Guardian Christmas special.

By: Carrots

Carrots — Sat, 25 Dec 2010 23:55:50 +0000

“The Grauniad Crossword Computer has got ahead of itself” ?!?!?

You mean that there aren`t little elves beavering away to bemuse us?? If this goes on I`ll stop believing in Santa and start giving Gaufrid a really bad time.

As it is, Brendan`s puzzle is such a doddle that it is hardly worth a mention. Not so The Wizard`s Xmas Double….from which I have retired, not just sulking, but with a headache. But, fear not, just as soon as Sancho has strapped on my armour, those B*****ing windmills had better watch out!

By: Daniel Miller

Daniel Miller — Sat, 25 Dec 2010 20:47:19 +0000

Monday’s was a nice challenge for Xmas Day.. Nowt to do till Tuesday!

By: stiofain

stiofain — Sat, 25 Dec 2010 15:36:20 +0000

Todays cryptic on the guardian site is actually mondays puzzle and has appeared due to a computer glitch Hugn Stephenson says

For some reason that, as it is Christmas, I have not yet been able to discover, the crossword computer has got ahead of itself today. There is no Guardian today, Christmas Day, nor tomorrow (26 December); but normal service should be resumed on Monday 27 December.
However, we have somehow managed to print Monday’s Cryptic by Brendan (No 25,203) today and, as today is a Saturday, have presented it as a Saturday prize puzzle, which it is not. And we have also given you Monday’s Quick (No 12,676) 48 hours early. This is why neither of the puzzles wrongly published online today came with a PDF option, for that was still firmly coded for Monday.
I hope that things can be sorted out by Monday. Meanwhile please accept my apologies, meanwhile, that you are not getting an extra unexpected puzzle for Christmas.
HUGH

By: easy peasy not

easy peasy not — Sat, 25 Dec 2010 12:07:28 +0000

Was quite easy but fell at the last fence (ichor). Having wasted time on a number of time management courses I know that it is axiomatic that urgent does not equate with important (and vice versa) (26a), but a small quibble. Enjoyed 14 and 21 down. Thanks Beermagnet for spotting the unexpected puzzle today.