Comments on: Financial Times 13,618 / Gurney http://www.fifteensquared.net/2011/02/15/financial-times-13618-gurney/ Never knowingly undersolved. Wed, 19 Jun 2013 03:01:46 +0000 hourly 1 http://wordpress.org/?v=3.5.1 By: Gurney http://www.fifteensquared.net/2011/02/15/financial-times-13618-gurney/#comment-150831 Gurney Wed, 16 Feb 2011 10:37:51 +0000 http://fifteensquared.net/?p=26485#comment-150831 Many thanks, Gaufrid, for standing in, esp in view of your discomfort, and for writing an excellent blog. Many thanks also to all for their comments. As some have noted, the Gurney FT puzzles generally aim to be just a little easier than puzzles using the Raich pseudonym in the Indy.

Inquisitor puzzles also would draw on the wider vocab of the Chambers Dictionary.

]]> By: Scarpia http://www.fifteensquared.net/2011/02/15/financial-times-13618-gurney/#comment-150807 Scarpia Wed, 16 Feb 2011 00:26:58 +0000 http://fifteensquared.net/?p=26485#comment-150807 Thanks Gaufrid.
Very pleasant puzzle to solve after the severe brain ache caused by Nimrod!
All clues were sound and there were some very good anagrams – 14 and 18 in particular.
Definitely easier than puzzles by this setter’s alter ego – I have struggled with a couple of his Inquisitor outings.

]]> By: Sil van den Hoek http://www.fifteensquared.net/2011/02/15/financial-times-13618-gurney/#comment-150794 Sil van den Hoek Tue, 15 Feb 2011 20:59:59 +0000 http://fifteensquared.net/?p=26485#comment-150794 My first ever Gurney, a puzzle by one of Fifteensquared’s very own bloggers.
Just like others I found this very easy, and to be honest, I was a bit surprised by it – for some reason I expected something more challenging (in the aftermath of Derby do), also given the fact that he is an Indy writer.
That said there’s nothing wrong with the clueing as such.

I started in the SW and encountered quite an overdose of anagrams, but to be fair to Gurney, all in all there were ‘only’ eight, seven of them indeed concentrated in the bottom half.

Clue I liked most was 19d (MAGNET), nice surface.

And, not unimportant, this puzzle restored my self-confidence considerably after hopelessly failing on today’s Nimrod in the Indy.

Thanks N. and Gaufrid!

]]> By: Agentzero http://www.fifteensquared.net/2011/02/15/financial-times-13618-gurney/#comment-150784 Agentzero Tue, 15 Feb 2011 19:20:51 +0000 http://fifteensquared.net/?p=26485#comment-150784 Thanks for stepping in, Gaufrid. I couldn’t blog last night, and I was hoping to have one up by 5 pm London time today, but work got in the way. I’m sorry for any contribution to your headache!

]]> By: Gaufrid http://www.fifteensquared.net/2011/02/15/financial-times-13618-gurney/#comment-150779 Gaufrid Tue, 15 Feb 2011 18:26:19 +0000 http://fifteensquared.net/?p=26485#comment-150779 Hi mike04
Thanks for your good wishes. Fortunately I no longer get full-blown migraines, just optical ones, so I felt OK, it was just a case of not being able to read the screen, or see the keyboard clearly, due to the large number of jagged lines, blurred areas and blind spots. At least it has eased enough now for me to be able to read these comments without too much difficulty.

Regarding your comment about 19dn, as this is a down clue ‘looking up’ is perfectly valid. However, ‘looking back’ would, IMO, improve the surface and it would still work correctly.

]]> By: Gaufrid http://www.fifteensquared.net/2011/02/15/financial-times-13618-gurney/#comment-150778 Gaufrid Tue, 15 Feb 2011 18:25:04 +0000 http://fifteensquared.net/?p=26485#comment-150778 Hi bamberger
Don’t worry about times! A good crossword should savoured like a single malt or a vintage port (substitute your preferred tipple), not knocked back as quickly as possible without having time to appreciate the aroma and flavour.

]]> By: Bryan http://www.fifteensquared.net/2011/02/15/financial-times-13618-gurney/#comment-150777 Bryan Tue, 15 Feb 2011 18:23:31 +0000 http://fifteensquared.net/?p=26485#comment-150777 Many thanks Gaufrid

Sorry to hear that you have been suffering.

I would never have guessed if you hadn’t said.

The sign of a true pro: The Show Must Go On!

]]> By: Gaufrid http://www.fifteensquared.net/2011/02/15/financial-times-13618-gurney/#comment-150775 Gaufrid Tue, 15 Feb 2011 18:20:49 +0000 http://fifteensquared.net/?p=26485#comment-150775 Hi Tony
When solving, I too thought that there were a lot of anagrams but having just counted them there were only eight. Perhaps this perception comes from the fact that six of them occurred in the across clues.

]]> By: mike04 http://www.fifteensquared.net/2011/02/15/financial-times-13618-gurney/#comment-150774 mike04 Tue, 15 Feb 2011 18:00:13 +0000 http://fifteensquared.net/?p=26485#comment-150774 Thank you for stepping in Gaufrid – with such an excellent (and flawless) blog.
I hope you are feeling much better soon.

A very easy puzzle, it would be very suitable for beginners at this game.
I thoroughly it though; it’s great to achieve a fast time occasionally!

My only criticism of today’s clues would be in 19 down.
Would ‘Looking back’ not be preferable to ‘Looking up’?

]]> By: bamberger http://www.fifteensquared.net/2011/02/15/financial-times-13618-gurney/#comment-150773 bamberger Tue, 15 Feb 2011 17:58:23 +0000 http://fifteensquared.net/?p=26485#comment-150773 Six months ago I would have been pleased to solve this with aids. Now I’m not happy because I got through all bar 1a,1d, 5a 2d & 3d in a record time for me but just couldn’t get those clues. Stared at them for a good 20 mins and gave up. Came back 2 hours later and got them within 5 minutes. One day I’ll solve the lot in under 15 mins.
I always like to read the Times blog “7 mins 20s -would have been quicker had I not put in a wrong answer at 5a which meant I spent 2 minutes pondering ?a?b?c before realising my mistake”.
Like Tony couldn’t understand OB.
I liked this.

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