Comments on: Guardian 25,367 / Logodaedalus

By: Taxi Phil

Taxi Phil — Wed, 13 Jul 2011 10:39:09 +0000

Hi Scarpia ! Only just got back to this, and many thanks for the pointer. I rather like the sound of the trout amandine, although my chances of trying it in the near future are somewhat slim.

By: Scarpia

Scarpia — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 23:22:43 +0000

Hi Taxi Phil,
Re.Meuniere,I’m no culinary expert but Wiki gives a pretty good explanation -

http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Meuniere_sauce

By: Taxi Phil

Taxi Phil — Thu, 07 Jul 2011 19:34:46 +0000

I came to this a day late, and derived little pleasure from it. I feel less guilty about that since I was (for once) apparently in the majority ! I didn’t much care for 25A (though I nailed it fairly quickly), 3D worked itself out once the crossing clues were solved.

But MY problem was 4D – “meuniere” is, to the best of my knowledge, served with sole ! Any culinary experts out there with a view on this ?

By: Scarpia

Scarpia — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 22:34:08 +0000

Thanks mhl.
Looks like a big thumbs down for Logodaedalus from most of us here!
Spotted the rhyming couplets early on(solving on paper still has some advantages)which made it easier to ignore a lot of the superfluous stuff in the clues.
I agree,not the best puzzle ever but I didn’t think it was that bad.
A bit too ‘labyrinthine’ perhaps.

Derek@24 – there goes your reputation!

By: Eileen

Eileen — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 22:05:48 +0000

Oh dear – as Sil says, ‘Poor Logodaedalus’.

Like Kathryn’s Dad, I try to make a habit of not being [too] negative but I’m still mystified by the rationale behind the cluing of this puzzle.

I agree with Geoff @20 that innovations should enhance, not detract from, a good puzzle but have to disagree with his, “… his verse always scanned properly (as far as I recall). This doesn’t. Pity.”

The scansion [and the rhyme - no dodgy homophones] of the verse here is, as far as I can see, impeccable. But that’s the trouble: it’s all at the expense of clumsy surfaces and sloppy cluing, eg superfluous ‘one’ in 12ac and ‘a’ in 20dn and other examples given above.

I’m still wondering – why so much pointless affort?

By: Sil van den Hoek

Sil van den Hoek — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 20:45:17 +0000

Poor Logodaedalus.
Making a comeback after three quarters of a year with what he thought might be a corker …
I do not want to rub more salt into the wounds, but I fear John @22 hits the nail on its head.
As did Matt @23 who mentioned a few things that were dubious in this puzzle, independent of the rhyming.
I am not sure whether I agree with Geoff @20 when he says “Much as I welcome novelties in crosswords, I fear that this spoiled what could have been a perfectly good puzzle”

To compensate the lack of Joy here, I more or less rushed through Orlando’s quiptic this afternoon. Yes, I rushed through it, but what a good puzzle, full of Brilliant clues (with a capital B).
One that brought the Smile back on my face after this unfortunate offering.

Sorry, Logodaedalus.
We all have lesser days.

By: Martin H

Martin H — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 19:09:08 +0000

John @22 – yes, I completely agree.

By: mhl

mhl — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 17:52:02 +0000

Thanks to everyone for their comments. I can’t believe I missed the rhyming couplets!

Eileen – thanks for your corrections, which I’ve applied to the post.

In partial defence of 18, it’s at least prompted me to listen to the score of My Fair Lady on Spotify, which is always great :)

By: mhl

mhl — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 17:44:43 +0000

Derek Lazenby: I thought about mentioning the “on” in 21, but I think its use to mean “put after” is pretty common in both across and down clues.

By: NeilW

NeilW — Wed, 06 Jul 2011 16:44:22 +0000

Hi Stella

I think we’re far enough on that Gaufrid won’t mind… don’t see your comment on yesterday’s blog.