Comments on: Financial Times 13,632 / Phssthpok

By: Paul B

Paul B — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 01:21:24 +0000

‘Is it not’ at least gives the correct grammatical case for this strangely prevalent (not to mention ubiquitous) usage. People these days appear to be using it most frequently as a substitute for something like ‘don’t you see?’, as in (on the phone, as ever), ‘I’m in here right now so I can’t talk to you innit’.

You get me?

By: Scarpia

Scarpia — Fri, 04 Mar 2011 00:26:26 +0000

Thanks smiffy.
Quite a tough puzzle from the unpronounceable one.
A few clues were perhaps a bit iffy,but generally I enjoyed this puzzle.
3 down could have done with some indication of being a colloquialism.
Not over keen on 17 down, decorate = carpet,I suppose it’s o.k. but I doubt if it’s given as a synonym in dictionaries.In fact I’d offer 3-1 that it’s not!
Bamberger(copied from Chambers) – IT 2, old use, colloq sex appeal.
Turns up quite often in crosswordland!

By: Tony Welsh

Tony Welsh — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 23:48:07 +0000

My problem with 3d was not the clue but the answer. I got it early on but could hardly believe it. Not exactly a real word imho.

Abbey, te is the 8th note in the tonic scale “doh re me” etc.

By: Abby

Abby — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 20:37:39 +0000

It’s coastline* + works, not work inside, obviously (two esses.

What kind of note is “te”?

By: bamberger

bamberger — Thu, 03 Mar 2011 18:01:06 +0000

This appeared dauntign and remained daunting. I only managerd 12a,27a,28a 17d,24d& 26d. Had flood protector for 29a which , lacking checking letters, didn’t seem unreasonable.
1a Sorry I still don’t follow works=has guts.
10a Count me a purist here -and I assumed illuminated =lit.
11a Too convoluted for me.
19a I haven’t seen this trick before.

3d Where does sex appeal come into the answer, please?
15d Too hard for me, I’m afraid
18d I guessed it would a musical term that I’d never have heard of and I wasn’t wrong.
19d Answer must be pegasus from the checking letter.I wouldn’t have thought of peg=stop.