Comments on: Financial Times 13707 Jason

By: scchua

scchua — Wed, 01 Jun 2011 01:58:27 +0000

Belated (different time zone and all that) thanks for your contributions. First time I’ve been stumped since I started blogging the Tuesday FTs and every 4th Guardian Quiptic: 18A LUSH – know the “fancy”/”drunk” different meanings, but couldn’t connect with “mortal”.

By: William

William — Tue, 31 May 2011 22:42:00 +0000

Smiffy @5 – simply that if it did mean board in the hotel sense, then how does the sentence work? “Board carry on standing for a famous person” is nonsense. I think Jason meant the board as in directors, but got it wrong as it should be a singular noun.

As you say, Smiffy, it’s only a quibble of an otherwise good crossword.

By: smiffy

smiffy — Tue, 31 May 2011 21:13:19 +0000

Thanks scchua. I concur that 9D is a highly podium-worthy offering. Plenty of shipshape stuff here; although the wordplay for 1A leaves something to be desired, and there does seem to be an uncontrolled outbreak of EYE CANDY in crosswordland of late (must be one of those coincident/cluster theory things).

28A: I took this to be a triple def’n.
3D: I think Citigroup is a somewhat reluctant ‘owner’ of EMI. They are basically carrying the can for having finanaced Guy Hands’ ill-considered venture into the music biz.

William – I don’t understand the quibble on 8D. It can’t mean board as in ‘put up’ or ‘house’ – why on earth not?

By: William

William — Tue, 31 May 2011 17:34:03 +0000

Thank you Succhua, could not understand a fair few of my answers without the blog. I had LUST too but couldn’t work out the word play.

A bit unhappy about 8d – how is the clue supposed to read? It can’t mean board as in ‘put up’ or ‘house’ and if it refers to a board of directors then it’s a singular noun and the clue would have to read “Board carries on…

Hmm?

By: mike04

mike04 — Tue, 31 May 2011 16:21:31 +0000

Well spotted, deke.

How did I miss MORTAL? Here in Scotland it’s commonly applied to those well oiled in a pub.
I’m no LUSH but I’m looking forward to a pint of 80/- in the next hour!

By: deke

deke — Tue, 31 May 2011 15:35:26 +0000

I had 18A as LUSH, dd; LUSH = fancy and, apparently, mortal is an old Scots slang term for drunk (short for mortally drunk), so “one mortal too often” would be a lush.

By: mike04

mike04 — Tue, 31 May 2011 12:21:53 +0000

Many thanks for all your hard work, scchua.

I had trouble parsing 18 and 28 as well. I’m not sure if I can contribute very much.

In 18ac, I think you’re right about the definition. Then, I thought it might be read as
“mortal too, often” referring to the mortal sin.
In 28ac, I think the clue would be fine if “Lexicographer is” was omitted.

I’d parse 2dn as a Reversal of AGAIN (rather than an Anagram) around Ar.