Comments on: Guardian 25,343 / Araucaria

By: Malc

Malc — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 09:15:05 +0000

I got on fairly well with this although it did take me some time. I got Lyra by default though as I’ve never heard of Pullman and would have had to spend hours on Google trying to suss it out.

By: PeeDee

PeeDee — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 06:44:31 +0000

Hi Sil. True, but sometimes Rufus’s clues are not actually cryptic at all! Because it’s Rufus I don’t mind, it feels a sort of traditional.

By: stiofain

stiofain — Thu, 09 Jun 2011 01:05:04 +0000

How about the first para being “xxxx blogged by xxxx”
Then bloggers can be as inventive as they like after.

By: Sil van den Hoek

Sil van den Hoek — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 22:10:08 +0000

Only Rufus doesn’t …..

By: PeeDee

PeeDee — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 21:57:20 +0000

Thanks mhl for the blog.

I thought I wasn’t even going to be able to start this one, but once I eventually got going I finished quite quickly.

If it were anyone other setter I would get annoyed by the various stray words thrown in here and there just to make the clues read better, but the ordinary rules no longer apply to Araucaria. He has reached a level now where he can just ignore the rules and do whatever he wants, I think the same applies to Rufus too.

By: mhl

mhl — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 21:40:35 +0000

Roger: the missing RHINOCEROS has been now located and reinstated. Thanks :)

By: Paul B

Paul B — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 19:38:04 +0000

mhl – I hadn’t realised your first para had undergone surgery. I called in sometime after tea.

By: Paul B

Paul B — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 19:36:22 +0000

I think I’m agreeing with you then, Gaufrid. Nothing showing on the home page, but after that, why not? For the reasons you give, I’m absolutely clear that fun should not be spoilt by the title (even where an opportunity for wit may be lost to the blogger) and first para.

By: Gaufrid

Gaufrid — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 19:26:53 +0000

Hi Paul B @23
The policy of no spoilers in the part of the preamble that appears on the home page is there because quite a few visitors solve more than one of the puzzles that we cover on 15².

Some may do, say, the Indy first then visit the site to look at the blog. If spoilers are visible on the home page for, say, the Guardian that they were going to solve next then some of the enjoyment of that puzzle will be lost.

Also, some people visit the site before starting any puzzle, even if they only solve one each day, to catch up with the comments on the previous day’s puzzle and again we don’t want their enjoyment to be spoilt.

By: Roger

Roger — Wed, 08 Jun 2011 18:56:27 +0000

Thanks mhl. Fascinating stuff from Araucaria. Re the HYDE/CLARENDON connection, there were in fact two 1st Earls of Clarendon. The title, having become extinct, was revived in the 1770's through the family of Jane HYDE, wife of the second 1st Earl. Their home, The Grove in Watford, is now a rather grand hotel. Our meal there on Saturday was a bit special. I'm with Paul B in that I only come here once the thing has been completed by fair means or Google. I see the rhinoceros at 13d still seems to be on walkabout !