Comments on: Quiptic 592/Nutmeg

By: Derek Lazenby

Derek Lazenby — Tue, 22 Mar 2011 20:23:19 +0000

I had a feeling of deja vu when I realised todays (Tuesday) cryptic also had the identicle grid AND up in the top right corner!

Now, you guys “think” it may have been too hard for the intended audience. So let the class dummy put the issue into factual land. It was. I nearly gave up at least three times. Far too oblique, and far too many obscurities as well (one is too many for a Quiptic unless the word play is obvious (ie charade or similar, not anagram)).

As a crossword, 9 out of 10, as a Quiptic, 0 out of 10.

By: Pierre

Pierre — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 17:33:42 +0000

Hi stiofain. I think you might have watched too many cowboy films when you were little … but the fact that we’ve had so many interpretations of the clue suggests it’s probably not one of Nutmeg’s clearest ones.

I didn’t comment in my preamble about the level of difficulty because I didn’t want to influence commenters, but I too found this one of the more difficult Quiptics I’ve solved or blogged.

By: stiofain

stiofain — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 15:48:50 +0000

I enjoyed this but too condidered it a bit too hard for a quiptic. As for TRIANGLE I
read this as being the triangle you would see the cook ringing in a western when its ” chow time “

By: Stella Heath

Stella Heath — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 15:21:35 +0000

I played the violin in the school orchestra, but I don’t think that counts Actually, I think I have heard of the use Gaufrid suggests, probably in crosswordland.

As a lifetime Spurs supporter, I think ‘often’ should be replaced by ‘occasionally’ in 28ac Or maybe they’re playing better these days. As you know, I’m out of touch here in Spain. (Hope my sister Kate doesn0t read this!)

I found this tough for a Quiptic, but that may be because I waited till after my lunchtime booze to attempt it.

Thanks anyway, Nutmeg, whose puzzles I always enjoy, and to Pierre for a great blog

By: Robi

Robi — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 15:11:22 +0000

Thanks Nutmeg for a tricky Quiptic; too difficult for an entry-level puzzle, I think.

Thanks to Pierre and Gaufrid for explaining the triangle; I would never have got that unless I had thought to look up kitchen in Chambers. I thought of DOUBLE BEDS as where you lie your bottoms, but no doubt your allusion to the sea bed is correct.

I think I need to go out for a walk after this and today’s Rufus, which was harder than usual

By: pommers

pommers — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 11:48:22 +0000

Hi Gaufrid @8. I yield to your greater knowledge!
One lives and learns!

By: pommers

pommers — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 11:44:52 +0000

Re triagle – have a look here!
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Kitchen_Work_Triangle
Checked with wife and she’s also never heard of the kitchen as the percussion section.

By: Gaufrid

Gaufrid — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 11:42:09 +0000

Hi pommers @6
Under ‘kitchen’, Chambers has “the percussion section of an orchestra (informal)” and Oxford Online gives “informal the percussion section of an orchestra” so perhaps not all that obscure.

By: Pierre

Pierre — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 11:34:34 +0000

Thanks, Gaufrid. Where would we be without that wise old owl of yours? I will amend the blog.

I would never in month of Sundays have got that. I think for a Quiptic it’s a big ask to expect the solver to know that definition, but maybe those that are into classical music would be familiar with it.

By: pommers

pommers — Mon, 21 Mar 2011 11:28:49 +0000

Hi Pierre, obscure indeed!
Perhaps Gaufrid has it but I’ve never heard the percussion section referred to as ‘the kitchen’ and my wife was an orchestral viola player in her younger days. Equally obscure IMHO!