Comments on: Financial Times 13815 Phssthpok

By: jmac

jmac — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 19:02:26 +0000

Thanks for the blog Scchua – you really put a lot of work into your blogs which makes them particularly helpful. It’s always good to know that other solvers found it a bit harder than expected, and it wasn’t just me. Also thought it was a top class puzzle so thanks Mr(?)P.
Re your comment @ 4, personally I’m delighted that there is no check/cheat facility with the FT – keeps it real!

By: crypticsue

crypticsue — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 11:58:39 +0000

I agree that this was tough, especially the SW Corner. Thanks to scchua for the explanations and to the setter for the brain pummeling.

By: scchua

scchua — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 11:50:10 +0000

Thanks Stuart and Thomas99. I think you’re right, and I’m the long shot with this one. And it’s also a long shot that the FT will one day buy the interactive software with a cheat (or at least check) button!

By: Thomas99

Thomas99 — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 11:23:26 +0000

Ah – Thanks Stuart; botany comes to the rescue. I wasn’t completely happy with steel girders as ‘strips’. Assuming gart doesn’t mean “put on” too, I think it probably is Girder.

By: Thomas99

Thomas99 — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 11:21:31 +0000

Believe it or not, Toscanini – who doesn’t seem like a figure from the distant past to me at all – conducted the world premiere of La Boheme (the opera with Mimi). He was very young of course. It adds another layer to 9a.

Thanks for the blog. I also found it quite hard for Phssthpok. He often seemed to be deliberately confusing me with his word order!

By the way I also had Girder for 22d. Not sure whether I should have now, but thought it might be worth mentioning (to gird – to put on and Girder – (sort of) strip…)

By: Stuart

Stuart — Tue, 04 Oct 2011 11:15:46 +0000

Hello scchua – May I make a different suggestion for 22d?

Girder – a strip of strengthening tissue (botany) & one who puts on clothes

Thank you as always for the blog.