Comments on: Guardian Cryptic 25395 Rufus

By: Smoz

Smoz — Thu, 11 Aug 2011 07:33:56 +0000

I finished! This is probably the 4th cryptic I have completed, 3 of which were from Mondays oddly enough. (the other being a prize one – I nearly wet myself). So many many thanks to Rufus for restraining yourself and allowing poor saps like me to glow with inner lexicographical joy for a day. I aspire to being good enough one day to make snotty comments about your Monday puzzles.

By: Huw Powell

Huw Powell — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 01:07:22 +0000

Oh, and to RCW, you know these puzzles are all available completely free on the web site, right? Or for the small price of one sheet of paper and 0.1 mg of toner, you can do it away from your computer…

By: Huw Powell

Huw Powell — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 00:59:26 +0000

Whoops I read the wrong name for the blogger! Sorry and thanks, scchua!

By: Huw Powell

Huw Powell — Wed, 10 Aug 2011 00:58:07 +0000

Thanks Quixote for the blog and Rufus for the fun. Didn’t quite finish, though most went smoothly and enjoyable. Missed OPTIC, I suppose research might have found the brand name, but I’m not so sure, so I don’t feel bad. Didn’t get CIRCLE, didn’t like clue/answer. Probably just too much x^2 + y^2 = r^2 on my mind. I wanted it to be MOBIUS, but alas, twas not to be. Especially since you British don’t even spell it that way…

By: RCWhiting

RCWhiting — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 16:19:47 +0000

Thanks Sheffield Hatter.
When I started on cryptics the ‘experts’ told me that The G. was the cream and I should practise on The D.Tel. Maybe others here should try the same.
I do complete (usually) Azed on Sundays.
I also make a vey small contribution to the compilers’ wages and hope to keep the dear old G. going at least as long as I do.

By: scchua

scchua — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 11:59:56 +0000

Thanks for the encouragement, Rufus. I only caught up with your comment after I had finished my FT blog today. I very much look forward to my next opportunity to blog another of your puzzles.

By: Rufus

Rufus — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 08:41:14 +0000

A special thank you to scchua for his first and very thorough blog – I think RCW should have had his moneysworth from the photographs and info alone. Also many thanks for other more supportive comments, obviously knowing my brief with the Guardian, FT and Daily Telegraph is to supply relatively easy Monday puzzles.

By: sheffield hatter

sheffield hatter — Tue, 09 Aug 2011 07:11:15 +0000

I think some of you are being a little unfair to RC Whiting. The standard of some of the clues in this Rufus was woeful. “A French maid (4,2,3)” was not by any stretch of the definition a cryptic clue. Similarly, “The never ending round” was so obvious that I hesitated to put it in, thinking that it might be a red herring.

I buy the Guardian every day and like to do the crossword every day too, and I don’t think the suggestion of doing another paper’s crossword on Mondays is very helpful. What if all the papers decided to do beginner-level crosswords on Mondays?

By: Scarpia

Scarpia — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 23:32:09 +0000

Just imagine if the Guardian printed a Rufus puzzle every day this(or any other)week – RCW would,undoubtedly,explode in a fit of apoplectic rage!
Is Mr. Stephenson bribable?

By: MikeC

MikeC — Mon, 08 Aug 2011 22:05:48 +0000

Thanks scchua and Rufus. I agree that this was not the hardest of puzzles but it was still imho very entertaining. My COD was 8d. Perhaps I was in a Paul-ine mood but the idea that “a runaway affair” was a culvert struck me as wonderfully absurd – though perfectly fair.