Comments on: Guardian Quiptic 591 Moley

By: HelenEdith

HelenEdith — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 13:40:39 +0000

My other half accidentally printed me the Quiptic last week and it’s so much more “do-able” than the daily Cryptic that I’ve been won over.

Thanks for the blog, scchua. I got the answer to 1ac but couldn’t figure out why it was the answer.

I’m soldiering on with the Guardian Cryptic puzzles as well: the more I do, the more I will improve. I’m starting to wonder why I’m subscribing to the Herald Scotland (whose puzzles are on a level with the Quiptic but unfortunately went subscription-only several months ago, hence the need to subscribe) when I seem to be taking up all my solving time on Guardian puzzles and not filling in the ones I’m paying for!

By: smutchin

smutchin — Tue, 15 Mar 2011 12:19:05 +0000

Good job on the blog, scchua.

This was a first for me too – I don’t normally do the Quiptic, but I accidentally downloaded this to my crossword app yesterday instead of the Cryptic.

I found it most enjoyable – especially the clever wordplay in 1a. I’ll have to do the Quiptic more often.

By: JohnR

JohnR — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 17:41:15 +0000

Thanks for the blog, sschua. I’m especially grateful for the explanation of 18d, DRY.

I could see that that this had to be the answer, but I failed to see why. An elegant clue – I might have got it if this had been a Boatman or Paul puzzle. But in a Quiptic?

Ah well.

By: Kathryn's Dad

Kathryn's Dad — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 17:25:16 +0000

A fine first blog, scchua, with everything well explained.

Moley usually hits the spot for a Quiptic, and this one was a straightforward but enjoyable solve. I thought 8dn was fine; what is the problem with it?

MADDENING was my last in, with a very cleverly misleading anagrind.

By: Derek Lazenby

Derek Lazenby — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 16:58:32 +0000

Well, at first I thought this was going to be really difficult, especially with the “grid of 4 quarters”. But it turned out to be easier than I feared once I got going. That in itself is a lesson to beginners, don’t give up too quickly.

Nice first blog BTW.

By: Robi

Robi — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 15:32:58 +0000

Thanks, Moley and scchua for an excellent first blog. I like your putting the clue there as well.

Either I have now recovered from my grumpy Monday or else this was considerably easier than today’s Monday Rufus – which is as it should be.

I liked HEE-HAW and PARVENU.

By: Andrew

Andrew — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 14:39:15 +0000

Thanks scchua, and welcome (dark side or not). I agree with Eileen about 8dn, and I would add 9ac and 27ac to the list of clues of this rather unsatisfactory type.

I wonder if there was a nod to Araucaria’s recent birthday in 4dn.

By: Eileen

Eileen — Mon, 14 Mar 2011 13:59:26 +0000

Hi scchua

As Andrew said to me when I started blogging, ‘Welcome to the dark side’ – and congratulations on your first blog. I reckon you’ve hit the right spot.

An enjoyable puzzle, I thought, apart from expect / expectant in 8dn, which are rather too close for me.