Comments on: Guardian 25,248 – Araucaria

By: Huw Powell

Huw Powell — Sun, 20 Feb 2011 00:33:02 +0000

Considering how this was going from very early on (spent a lot of time staring at blank squares populated only by MAKE UP and RELATE), I surprised myself by actually finishing it (with some recourse to research, of course, there’s no way I would have heard of the MGC!). Thanks for the explanations of the wordplay in my pencilled-in PLUMMY, WENT AWAY (I suppose I could have googled WEN though), and PEDESTAL.

It was a steady, slow solve, though, taking a few hours over the course of the day.

So thanks, manehi, for the blog, and of course the Old Master for a finishable puzzle!

By: Carrots

Carrots — Sat, 19 Feb 2011 00:13:15 +0000

Bob@27: I`m indebted…and for once ahead of the pitnickers in congratulating you on inventing new categories of poetry: possible and probable verses. We`ve some way to go before equalling Spike Milligan`s Silly Verses fame but I`m sure we`ll get there if we keep trying. How`s this for starters:

“There was a young solver called Bob,
Who made a wee boob in his blog:
He put in an “E”
When all could see
A “U” would have been just the job” (!?!?)

Sylvia@26: I`m flattered….But I di`n`t get no Education (although Art Skool provided satisfaction galore). The real heavyweights (“The Usual Suspects”) on 15sqd. will have you losing sleep over linguistic and epistemological nuances if you let `em. So I just lob in the occasional hand grenade to see what happens. I should know by now: I get toasted alive.

By: Bob

Bob — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 17:32:39 +0000

Carrots, I think I can expand on Roger's explanation of Test Trial as those matches (for example Probables verses Possibles) played in order to help (guide) the selection of an international team. It's specifically a match played to help pick the team for a Test Match (cricket or, I suppose, rugby).

By: Sylvia

Sylvia — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 00:57:25 +0000

Carrots, your contributions invariably make me laugh! What an education this site is!

By: Scarpia

Scarpia — Fri, 18 Feb 2011 00:14:54 +0000

Thanks manehi.
Perhaps not vintage Araucaria but still a very good puzzle.I really appreciated the complex wordplay of SILVER BULLET and SNOB VALUE had me foxed for a while,I wanted to put in book value but,of course,couldn’t make it fit the wordplay(or definition).
Eileen @13 – that must be the longest link I’ve ever seen,it’s a good job we can cut and paste.

By: PeeDee

PeeDee — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 23:14:47 +0000

Thanks manehi, didn’t know companionway or wen=London. I guessed Eastcheap, though the Shakespearean references were beyond me.

By: Carrots

Carrots — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 19:57:55 +0000

Many thanks Tupu (I didn`t think you`d be able to resist temptation!) I shall sleep more soundly in my bed to-night, dreaming of being back on Queen Elizabeth 2 with my companion…and her unfathomable ways.

You (and possibly others) my be interested to learn that I once had an Ol`Skool Chum named JAQUES (spelt without a “C”). It was his family`s surname.

By: RCWhiting

RCWhiting — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 19:56:21 +0000

“I enjoyed this more than yesterday’s offering, but I suspect I may be in a minority of one.”

Dave #9 Two.

By: Dave Ellison

Dave Ellison — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 19:26:38 +0000

Thanks, Geoff and malc95. Google seems to be almost as much as an ignoramus as I on Jaques; I found it eventually on the third page. Trying again with Jaques Shakespeare comes up with the goods straight away.

By: malc95

malc95 — Thu, 17 Feb 2011 18:24:11 +0000

Thanks Tupu @ #3, I’m still not thrilled with 17a though.
13,9 – Dave E, Eileen et al. Jacques or Jakes is an old name for a privy, I believe.