Comments on: Everyman crossword No 3,364

By: Kathryn's Dad

Kathryn's Dad — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 11:44:22 +0000

Thank you, Stella.

Usual good and accessible stuff from Everyman. ASKEW was good, as was EXCUSE MY FRENCH. I must watch BRIEF ENCOUNTER one of these days, since it’s considered to be one of the greatest British romantic films of the 20th century.

By: Stella

Stella — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 11:44:05 +0000

Hi Colin. Yes, my comment came from the fact that the surface reading misleadingly implies a British farm.

In Spain, it would be a ‘cortijo’ or ‘caserío’, depending on whether you’re in the south or the north, respectively. No doubt there are other terms, too. A livestock tradition that barely subsists is ‘transhumancia’, where the breeder takes his whole stock from one location to another, depending on the time of year.

By: Tokyo Colin

Tokyo Colin — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 10:00:54 +0000

Thanks for the blog Stella. Since it is a quiet day, please permit me a comment re your comment at 12dn. They have farms in America, the term “ranch” is supposed to refer specifically to those raising livestock with extensive grazing land, hence the “large” in the clue. (I have heard people refer to their avocado grove as an avocado ranch but that is just pompous silliness.)

Ranching as means of raising livestock is practised throughout the Americas (and Australia where they are called stations.) Apparently the only country in Western Europe where livestock are raised this way is Spain, but presumably they are not referred to as ranches there either.

I do agree though that the term ranch conjures up images of the American west for me too.

By: Stella

Stella — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 09:30:46 +0000

Hi Rishi Thanks for the explanation.

Thanks Sil for sorting out my confusion. I’ll correct the blog.

By: Rishi

Rishi — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 02:46:36 +0000

‘Brief’ is a slang word for a lawyer perhaps because they hold briefs for their clients.

I hold briefs before I decide which underwear I should wear to match my outer wear.

By: Rishi

Rishi — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 02:42:00 +0000

‘f’ for ‘following’ is used in references/footnotes in treatises.

See (book), p. 65f. directs us to look at p. 66 besides 65.
ff. is plural, so the ref. might be p. 65ff.

By: Sil van den Hoek

Sil van den Hoek — Sun, 27 Mar 2011 00:13:31 +0000

Hi Stella, many thanks for your blog.
4ac is CEASING [stopping] minus C [canine].

Another nice puzzle by Everyman.
For those who can’t enough of this setter: are you all aware that the Everyman = the FT’s Falcon? If not, why not try his latest FT offering?
Just as accessible as the average Everyman: http://media.ft.com/cms/a651aa98-4b29-11e0-911b-00144feab49a.pdf