Comments on: Guardian 25,239 – Rufus

By: Carrots

Carrots — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 23:01:52 +0000

Sadly, I have to join the “Ho Hum” brigade: I only completed it because I was looking for the sting in the tail. I had tought that Rufus was getting trickier, but on this showing, apparently not.

A day off tomorrow in Melton Mowbray Market: May one of the hot jockeys from the Grauniad Stable see to it that I am carried out wounded from a surfeit of Everard`s Tiger, to put the last clue in with my dying breath. Wottawaytogo!!!

By: Roger

Roger — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 20:02:30 +0000

Thanks Andrew. Agree that this was a bit of a doddle, but I did like Good Health !
Perhaps 4d comes from a similar stable to 13d. I read it more akin to a double definition along the lines of if being consumed with passion makes you passionate so then with temper you’re probably temperate. Works for me and might explain the “?”

By: gm4hqf

gm4hqf — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 18:48:42 +0000

Thanks Andrew

Found this one fairly easy but got stuck at 24a for a while. Was initially thinking of Bridge & playing in minor suits.

Lady Gaga twice in a week or so. I will have to find out who she is!

By: Derek Lazenby

Derek Lazenby — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 14:15:01 +0000

Not been doing well this last week or so, probably too busy thinking about the game proggy I’m trying to write and keep getting stuck with! So it was nice to have one to finish. Better try the Quiptic I now I guess.

By: Dave Ellison

Dave Ellison — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 13:50:35 +0000

oops: read LAGER for LEGAL

By: Dave Ellison

Dave Ellison — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 13:49:39 +0000

It must have been an off day for me today, as I found it difficult to get started – I only had one partly done on the first run through: 7d was either REGAL or LEGAL. Most of the rest followed fairly quickly after taht but it took me a while to complete 21a, 25a and 24a.

Otherwise I agree with the general trend of the comments above. I am no expert here, but I understand ENTERITIS is infectious or not depending on its cause.

By: Angstony

Angstony — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 12:58:26 +0000

Easiest Guardian cryptic ever.

I agree with others that using ‘plays’ in 24 was poor – it spoiled an otherwise very nice clue. ‘Works’ or ‘performs’ would have been perfectly acceptable substitutes there. Oh and I thought “clubs” was more of a reference to their bats than the teams.

By: walruss

walruss — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 12:54:40 +0000

As others say, TRIUMPH and GAGA good for me. But it wasn’t a great puzzle really. much much too easy, and a bit slapdash.

By: John Appleton

John Appleton — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 12:36:13 +0000

I think 24ac was more a cryptic def than a double defintion.

By: Robi

Robi — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 12:18:56 +0000

Thanks Rufus and Andrew for a clear blog.

Seemed pretty easy to me. I also disliked the use of play in clue and answer in 24 although I appreciate it might have been difficult to clue otherwise; use ‘does’ instead? Nevertheless an enjoyable solve; I quite liked 11, which needed the crossing letters to solve.