Comments on: Genius 91 by Tramp

By: Paul

Paul — Thu, 10 Feb 2011 20:23:26 +0000

Tramp – you are a star!

And a nice bloke to boot.

Paul

By: JS

JS — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 04:32:10 +0000

Thanks again Tramp – for the very enjoyable (there can be no higher praise from me; enjoyment factor is my No. 1 criterion) crossword and your posts here.
Very impressive debut – hope there will be lots more. As can be seen from my Post #2 I really did wonder if this was Paul in disguise as it were – so maybe that’s even higher praise – whatever, well done and keep up the good work!

By: Dynamic

Dynamic — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 16:20:13 +0000

As it happens, it was the end of the puzzle before I really sussed the letters spelled PAUL and I did just work my way into the puzzle from guessing definitions or wordplay elements (The definition for POGO was my first, which led me to find the OGO wordplay) and know that both clues began with P. I think the fourth initial letter I discovered came surprisingly late, after I’d done a good proportion of the puzzle. I consider it part of the challenge to work out what’s missing and I enjoyed it immensely without any hint.

Probably the only title obscure enough would be something like “Tribute to a mentor”, when we’d perhaps guess after solving that Paul had mentored you, especially those of us, unlike me, who recognised the 4 unclued initial letters in groups of 7 as a Paul invention.

Thank you so much for dropping by, Tramp, to introduce yourself and give us a little background, including your pseudonym.

By: Tramp

Tramp — Tue, 08 Feb 2011 07:56:04 +0000

Thanks again – what a smashing bunch you are.

By: Jan

Jan — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 23:00:18 +0000

Late to the party, as usual – thanks for the blog, Bridgesong and thank you, Tramp, for an excellent puzzle – I thoroughly enjoyed it.

I had to check Angels but I do know my Tia Maria and Tio Bert! The NW was last to be completed

I look forward to Tramp’s next outing.

By: sidey

sidey — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 15:02:45 +0000

Hello Tramp. Here’s to your long career, dashed impressive no matter how long you’ve been setting. I especially liked your concealment of the definitions which often stand out rather obviously in this sort of puzzle.

By: Tramp

Tramp — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 11:22:29 +0000

Thanks folks – it means a great deal

By: bridgesong

bridgesong — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 11:12:59 +0000

Tramp

Can I associate myself with Dynamic’s remarks? I know how much work constructing a puzzle like this must entail. And it’s a mark of the standard that you achieved that I gave serious consideration to the suggestion that Tramp might be Paul in disguise! Well done, and I look forward to many more.

By: Tramp

Tramp — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 10:37:16 +0000

Thanks a million Dynamic. The comments on this page have made my day.

My first efforts at this puzzle had titles that hinted at the four initial letters. In the end though, I couldn’t think of a hint that worked and didn’t give the game away. The editor suggested leaving the title blank. I think if the word had been anything else it would have needed a clue to the initial letters to be fair to the solver.

I must also point out that I got Paul’s permission to use his idea before I wrote the puzzle.

Incidentally, when I said I’m not a big pop music fan, I took my name from Supertramp; I’ve always been partial to them and Floyd. I mostly listen to Mahler and Wagner these days though.

By: Dynamic

Dynamic — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 09:49:54 +0000

Hi Tramp,

Thanks for coming on to comment. I think you can be sure that your debut was a great success and we’re all hungry for more from you.

The crossword was flawless with nothing extraneous – just took some precise unravelling to marry up the wordplay and definition and rule out the wrong answer that would also fit (PEDICLE). Only the instructions left some of us wondering which way to interpret it (and for me that is often the case with special instructions, be it from you or Araucaria) when we’re not sure if we have to make modifications to the solution, the whole clue or parts of the clue. Usually for the Guardian it’s within the clue. Variously – I’ve seen the definition, subsidiary indication/wordplay and surface reading invoked specifically and when there are extraneous letters, body parts or consistently missing letters it’s sometimes not clear if they’re missing from the clue or the grid entry or both, so for me I usually just dive in and see if I can see from the answers I’ve put in)

I think Angels and Ernie Els are well-enough known in the UK (especially Els among cruciverbalists!) at least to feature with such a definition and such clear wordplay (though of course the wordplay need marrying-up with the right clue) and you’d only need to know one to solve the clue and look up the other.

I’m really looking forward to your next offering, be it musically themed or otherwise, and hope it’s just as Super, Tramp.

(groan)