Comments on: Guardian Prize No 25,286 by Araucaria

By: Ian

Ian — Mon, 11 Apr 2011 09:15:19 +0000

Thanks bridgesong.

By the setters own standards I will acknowledge that it was relatively easy when compared to some of the recent weekday puzzles.

However I did like the way it started with 7ac. In the NW of England, the newly gentrified town of Ramsbottom, has always been known as Tups Arse. Long may that continue.

Much fun with words Atishoo and Strewth.

When I lived in Manchester in the sixties, I remember taking in a couple of Henry Livings plays at the Stables and Library theatres. They were OK.

By: tupu

tupu — Sun, 10 Apr 2011 07:51:57 +0000

Hi Geoff
Interesting re Bohemia (nb ‘hemi’ in ‘boa’). I wonder whether its partly ‘central’ simply because its so far from the sea in all directions. But you are clearly right re Soviet influence on the ‘eastern’ definition.

By: Geoff

Geoff — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 23:21:22 +0000

Thanks, bridgesong.

I rather enjoyed this one. Not an Araucarian classic, but there are some nice surface readings (most of his recent puzzles have not been so distinguished!) and some fun words as solutions and parts of charades – ATISHOO, TRIPPERISH, STREWTH and the lovely use of ‘DIY’, ‘hem’ in ‘boa’, and ‘tup’ (to coincide nicely with ‘Lambing Live’ on BBC2).

Odd that we consider BOHEMIA to be Central European – in Soviet times it was even thought of as Eastern Europe, despite Prague being more westerly than Vienna. Since Europe is generally considered to be that part of Eurasia west of the Urals, there is far more of it to the east of the Czech Republic than there is to the west.

By: Davy

Davy — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 19:49:38 +0000

Thanks bridgesong,

I quite enjoyed this puzzle but was surprised that TRIPPERISH is actually a word. It just doesn’t sound right.
I don’t think it was one of Arry’s best but certainly vastly more entertaining than today’s Bonxie.

By: Andy B

Andy B — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 19:24:48 +0000

I think I rated this more highly than most people commenting here – there’s a rather luke warm ambience. I found it was one of those puzzles where I couldn’t get very much at all on a first pass through all the clues, but then it all fell rather nicely into place. 14a and its various relationships were very good (I got it after the ones it connected to and felt nicely misdirected). 5, 13 and esp 19 were very nice, I thought

By: Bryan

Bryan — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 16:48:27 +0000

In case you don’t already know, there’s a very enjoyable Cinephile puzzle in today’s FT.

And Cinephile is, of course, Araucaria’s alter ego.

By: Dad'sLad

Dad'sLad — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 16:11:26 +0000

Thanks tupu, I’ve never come across ‘livings’ in that context before so that’s a helpful explanation.

By: tupu

tupu — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 15:53:43 +0000

Henry Livings whose ‘obscurity’ is quite belied by the link provided by bridgesong,was was an important, award-winning member of the very active northern tv and theatre drama world of the 1960s and 1970s that included Alan Plater. Araucaria of course devoted the Bank Holiday Jumbo (28 Aug) to Plater. This and the reference Eileen kindly provided suggests he has a soft spot for that group of dramatists.

Hi Dad’s Lad
As I imagine you figured out, ‘livings’ is the word for the postings (with income/property) that clergymen, like Araucaria in his time, obtain in parishes.

By: bridgesong

bridgesong — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 12:10:40 +0000

Thanks all for your comments. I don’t think that there are any queries that haven’t already been answered and I’m away now until Sunday evening without guaranteed internet access so may not be able to respond to any more comments until then. It’s too nice a day (here in England, anyway) to stay indoors…

By: Eileen

Eileen — Sat, 09 Apr 2011 10:37:58 +0000

Thank you for the blog, Bridgesong.

Re ‘the obscurity of Livings’: Araucaria clued ‘playwright Henry’ in puzzle 24,539. I hadn’t heard of him then, but remembered the name, because it was unusual and also because his widow wrote to the Guardian, saying how delighted she was:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/theguardian/2008/nov/08/3?INTCMP=SRCH