Comments on: AZED No. 2,040 ‘Printer’s Devilry’ COMPETITION PUZZLE

By: Bannsider

Bannsider — Tue, 12 Jul 2011 15:35:19 +0000

This was the first AZED PD puzzle I’d attempted for years. For me PD clues are a fascination and I very much share Don’s enthusiasm for them. I think were it not for AZED though I would probably think a lot less of them. His PD puzzles are masterful and fabulously clever.
I went with PERFORATE, never having considered PERSONATE.I reckon the latter is the better answer as the undevilled version reads rather oddly otherwise. I also went with TWEE rather than TREE but either seems equally valid. THEE seems highly implausible to me. And I also went with AMIR initially too.
I was a little surprised to discover another answer ending in the same 5 letters as the word to be clued, and consequently, like bridgesong, decided to avoid the “A STERN” treatment. One thing I AM sure of tho’ is that my clue will win no prizes!

By: Bob Sharkey

Bob Sharkey — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 11:59:17 +0000

Regarding Don’s comment, Robin, I should have mentioned that he was considering the reading:
… than the se/lected. becoming … than the seT HE Elected.

That’s perfectly OK, but improbable, as he implied.

By: Bob Sharkey

Bob Sharkey — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 10:30:49 +0000

The problem with Robin’s alternative reading for THEE:-

{… than the se/lected. becoming: … than these, THE Elected.}

is that THEE begins at the beginning of a word in the undevilled version. Whilst the rules for competitors allow entries made in this way, but under risk of not being peferred, Azed’s own clues are presumed never to be devised in this way.

By: Pelham Barton

Pelham Barton — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 09:12:00 +0000

dialrib @11: Look for “Azed 2040 – Take Two”. There is a link at the top right of this page or from the home or Azed pages.

This crossword took me about double my average time for a plain Azed and I found it thoroughly enjoyable.

I had PERFORATE for 18ac and TWEE for 2dn. Along with others, I would expect Azed to accept PERSONATE and TREE respectively. He may also accept THEE for 2dn, but I do not think it can be the intended solution, because the break before the removal does not occur in the middle of a word.

By: dialrib

dialrib — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 09:01:49 +0000

My first go at an Azed and I was reassured by having similar success to The Trafites, having been quite disappointed when I gave up.

Would someone please point me to Gaufrid’s full solution refered to above.

By: Robin Gilbert

Robin Gilbert — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 08:37:38 +0000

I don’t understand Don’s stated reason for thinking THEE doubtful as a solution to 2dn. “Could others make a better fist of things than the/se, THE Elected?” seems to me to make perfectly good sense and to carry no implication of an individual’s doing the electing. I put TWEE and hadn’t noticed either THEE or TREE as a possible alternative, but I think it would be grossly arbitrary to disallow any one of them and can hardly believe that Azed will do so – whichever of them he actually had in mind himself! The same goes for PERFORATE and PERSONATE, though again I didn’t spot PERSONATE as an option. Had the crosschecking letters worked, both MENE and TENE would also have been valid answers to 2dn, and the fact that I had originally thought of MENE held me up for ages on the top left-hand corner.

By: RCWhiting

RCWhiting — Mon, 11 Jul 2011 07:49:35 +0000

Bridgesong is right and I love Marmite.
PDs are my favourite specials, great feeling when that undevilled version appears.
I opted for ‘perforate’ and ‘twee’.
I have got a bete noir among specials, I have never completed a Playfair Square.

By: Bob Sharkey

Bob Sharkey — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 18:41:55 +0000

As a betting man I’d put money on PERFORATE despite my preference for PERSONATE. It’s ‘through the paper’.

By: Thomas99

Thomas99 — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 17:15:53 +0000

I honestly can’t decide which is the better of PERSONATE and PERFORATE. I lean towards personate but that might be because it’s what I put. I think both sentences make sense. Do we know yet which was intended? I’m glad Don Manley has suggested both should be allowed; I hope that’s what happens.

Together with the Araucaria Genius it’s been a bit of a crash course in Printer’s Devilry for me, but I’ve enjoyed trying to acquire this new skill – in the end…

By: Scarpia

Scarpia — Sun, 10 Jul 2011 14:05:01 +0000

Thanks Nick,
I’m with you on this,I seem to struggle with PD type clues.I managed to complete about half of an Azed PD a few years ago(took me 3 or 4 hours)and decided that it actually gave me no pleasure or any feeling of satisfaction.I don’t even bother looking at them now.
Pleased to see that others get enjoyment from them.