Comments on: Guardian Quiptic 586 / Beale

By: blaise

blaise — Wed, 09 Feb 2011 09:05:29 +0000

Top marks to Big Dave for the elegance of his explanations. I’d definitely recommend this blog to people getting started with cryptics!

By: Derek Lazenby

Derek Lazenby — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 18:04:50 +0000

A better crossword maybe, but not a wonderful Quiptic. Definitely harder than Rufus.

As noted 9 was ambiguous and elsewhere the indirections won’t have helped the beginners.

By: PeterO

PeterO — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 15:41:16 +0000

Thanks for the blog,Big Dave. I agree with Tokyocolin that the across clues make it seem more difficult than it turnrd out to be. For 16A I needed all the checked letters, and then my first thought was SHELLSHOCK. Well, it fits.

By: Angstony

Angstony — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 15:15:22 +0000

I don’t think it was too hard for a Quiptic. But as others have mentioned, today’s Rufus was certainly much easier. One wonders whether the editor maybe got the two mixed up.

My only complaint with this one would be the use of “setback” in 20dn, as “_back_” reversal indicators seem as inappropriate to me in down clues, as “_up_” reversal indicators are in across clues. But I’m just a beginner so what do I know?

By: Tokyocolin

Tokyocolin — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 14:11:22 +0000

Thanks Big Dave. This was a tale of two halves for me. As usual I attempted all the Across clues first from which I managed about 3 answers and was convinced this was a stinker and absurdly difficult for a Quiptic. But even with very few crossing letters I solved every Down clue first up and then went back to complete the Acrosses without difficulty. So all done in under 15 mins.

I am curious if anyone else found the Across clues much harder than the Downs.

By: Robi

Robi — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 13:33:39 +0000

Thanks Beale for an enjoyable puzzle; better than the Cryptic today. Thanks also to Big Dave for his good blog.

Was I the only one to put in SPEEDCHECK for 16a before correcting to SPELLCHECK? The former just about parses also with the clue, although maybe a speed check on a computer is not exactly a program.

I, of course, put in ‘goodbye’ for 9 at first until the crossing letters did not agree. I liked some of these clues, particularly 2 and 22.

By: Kathryn's Dad

Kathryn's Dad — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 13:01:57 +0000

Thanks, Big Dave. I did enjoy this one, but agree with you that it’s at the hard end of the Quiptic scale. But it’s all fairly clued, there are no overelaborate constructions, and apart from (for me) TRANSOM, no unusual words (and that was a clear anagram, so fair play).

I think GRIMACE is as you describe it – GRIM + ACE; I quite liked it. Other clues that hit the spot today were COCKTAILS and EGRET.

I’ll contradict myself by saying that in fact perhaps 17dn is a bit elaborate; and for me, HIPPEST doesn’t mean ‘most current’. I would say it meant ‘most popular’. The Conservative-led coalition is the current government, but it’s not necessarily popular. Especially if you have a daughter called Kathryn who’s paying student fees.

Whatever, thanks to Beale for a soundly-clued and pleasing puzzle.

By: crypticsue

crypticsue — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 12:55:20 +0000

This is the second week running that the Quiptic has been, IMHO, a little harder than the earlier puzzles. However, it was enjoyable. Thanks Beale and BD.

By: pommers

pommers — Mon, 07 Feb 2011 12:06:37 +0000

Hi there BD

Agree it’s a little harder than normal for a Quiptic and I have to admit defeat! Just couldn’t see 16a even with all the checking letters – Doh! A senior moment or some such!

I actually found the Rufus easier than this one.

Enjoyed the puzzle so thanks to Beale (a new setter for me) and to you for the review.