Comments on: Financial Times 13,603 / Hamilton

By: Scarpia

Scarpia — Sat, 29 Jan 2011 00:10:39 +0000

Thanks shuchi.
I found this more difficult than some of Hamilton’s previous puzzles,but still an enjoyable solve.
Marco Polo sheep were new to me,but a quick dictionary check confirmed my guess.
I did like the 2 long anagrams down the sides and also 14 down,my favourite in this puzzle.

By: bamberger

bamberger — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 17:00:20 +0000

Didn’t get very far with this.
Pileum ,haiku , expiate , neophyte and obi man all unknowns.
19a Not convinced by this -would I look at a fountain and think “ah yes origin of the jet”?
14d I didn’t get it but do think that was clever

By: Bryan

Bryan — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 16:49:32 +0000

Many thanks Shuchi

I had to struggle with this but I did enjoy those I got.

I’ve never heard of PILEUM or OBI-MAN and I probably never will again.

By: Gaufrid

Gaufrid — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 15:21:22 +0000

Hi Tony
Yes, in 6dn the definition is ‘mean’. The adjective REPTILIAN is derived from the noun ‘reptile’, for which one of the definitions in Chambers is “a base, malignant, abject or treacherous person”. If you check Chambers you will find that ‘mean’ is synonymous with both ‘base’ and ‘abject’.

By: Tony Welsh

Tony Welsh — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 14:44:09 +0000

Thanks, Shuchi, but there is a small error in 4d. Too may E’s so it must be ne rather than nee.

Found this hard. Finished it with a bit of help from an online dictionary with wild card facility. Favorite clue 13a. Never heard of INDIE, PILEUM, OBI_MAN, or MARCO POLO sheep.

In 6d, is MEAN the definition? Not sure that REPTILIAN means MEAN.

20d seemed a bit too literal to me. Did not believe it was the right answer at first.

By: walruss

walruss — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 13:15:00 +0000

Indeed shuchi, some great puzzles this week in the FT. Perhaps Hamilton’s technique is not as strong here, with the A R indication being a case in point. I don’t think that’s properly done, unfortunately.

By: shuchi

shuchi — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 11:24:33 +0000

Hi jmac

1,5 I’d be perfectly happy with “principals of/to always ready”.

Maybe Hamilton is unfortunate to be at the tail end of a particularly fine run of puzzles this week: You may be right about that.

By: jmac

jmac — Fri, 28 Jan 2011 11:01:21 +0000

Thanks for the blog Shuchi. I think there were some good things here, NO SECRET, as you say, ABOUT TURN, and REPTILIAN, were my favourites. Also, liked the fact that PILEUM was easy to get although I didn’t know the word.

In 1,5 across, I don’t have a problem with “principal always ready”, (save that principal might have been in the plural) it seems quite a normal device and I was reminded of Klingsor’s use of “leads to collective embarrassment” for “c” and “e” in a recent Independent prize puzzle.

Maybe Hamilton is unfortunate to be at the tail end of a particularly fine run of puzzles this week.