Comments on: Financial Times 13,698 / Bradman

By: Sil van den Hoek

Sil van den Hoek — Fri, 20 May 2011 20:48:18 +0000

Having four (even, five) crosswords on the same day in the broadsheets is quite an achievement. So, many well-deserved congrats to Mr Manley.

I did both the Guardian puzzle and this one.
And again, I have to confess that I like Bradman more than I do Pasquale (that is, if I háve to make a choice).
Maybe Pasquale’s one step up, but Bradman is just a bit lighter and brighter.
Very attractive, in the same way I do prefer Loroso to Anax.

This was not very hard, but extremely well clued.
And so many great surfaces to admire: 4ac, 9ac, 10ac, 12ac, 24ac, 16d, 18d, 23d.

As with recent Bradmans this just felt right to me.
And (at least) two gee-gees in one day ….

By: Bryan

Bryan — Fri, 20 May 2011 18:33:44 +0000

Many thanks Shuchi & Bradman.

As promised, I came to this after struggling with Bradman’s alter ego in The Grauniad and, fortunately, I found this rather easier except that I failed to get 21d RAJPUT. I opted for MAOPUT which surely must be a word. Isn’t it?

I didn’t see how ROMAN LAW worked until now.

Regarding 20d SCRIMP – my take is Scribe less BE + MP.

I did like 22a CHASSIS but I’m not sure if the Royal Family will be amused.

By: Richard

Richard — Fri, 20 May 2011 18:29:42 +0000

Thanks for the blog. I’m afraid I run out of patience with this on the train home. I was never going to get rajput, steenbock or isogamete despite having worked out the construction.

By: Steve

Steve — Fri, 20 May 2011 15:51:32 +0000

Thanks shuchi – I enjoyed this although the north half went in much faster than the south for me. Just for completeness on 13 across, there were of course two William Pitt PM’s – ‘the Elder’ and his son ‘the Younger’ (to whom you refer).

12 across made me reminisce about that great comedy series and the sad, premature demise of Dermot Morgan http://www.channel4.com/programmes/father-ted/

Agree with your comment on 20 down.

By: Bracoman

Bracoman — Fri, 20 May 2011 12:39:04 +0000

Thanks for the blog.

Re 22a, it refers to Prince Charles and his sister – Princess Anne – - CHAS-SIS.