Comments on: Guardian 25,457 / Gordius

By: Wolfie

Wolfie — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 11:28:46 +0000

A late response to those who object to the use of ‘comma’ as ‘stop’. There are plenty of authorities to support Gordius’s position, including my trusty old copy of Fowler’s ‘Modern English Usage’ in which there is a lengthy discussion of the use of the comma in the section on ‘stops’.

By: stumped

stumped — Thu, 20 Oct 2011 01:27:17 +0000

Thanks Eileen for pointing out some stumblers. I too assumed Capital Punishment ends a sentence.

Concur with K’s Dad’s critique and also don’t consider comma a point.

Didn’t know tarn is a word for lake. I’ll have to buy my very first dictionary.

Glad to see Thursday’s is Auracaria. Managed to finish Saturday’s Prize quite readily yet had enormous difficulty with Orlando on Monday.

By: Sil van den Hoek

Sil van den Hoek — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 23:53:12 +0000

Thanks Eileen for the blog.
And I agree with you about many of your reservations today (even if I know that Gordius is not etc etc).
Quite a difference compared to yesterday’s masterpiece.
And a point is not a comma, and a comma not a point.
For us a clear mistake.
But there were some nice clues (21ac, 25ac, 7d, 18d).

By: g larsen

g larsen — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 23:02:08 +0000

I agree with Wolfie @26 that it’s surprising how many posters seem to have it in for Gordius. When the Guardian produced its series of paperback collections of crosswords by particular setters a few years ago, Gordius was one of those chosen, so somebody must have thought there was a market for him. (The others were Rufus, Paul and Bunthorne – I wonder how the respective sales went.)

I thought this was a pretty good crossword, and at the risk of labelling myself as one of the ‘clever people’ (D Lazenby at @15) I can claim to have got ‘eleemosynary’ very early on – it was obviously an anagram.

By: Eileen

Eileen — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 22:39:24 +0000

Hi MattD

I was halfway through a lengthy reply to your comment but decided simply to repeat what has been said here so many times, and has been illustrated here again today, that we all have our favourites and what a good job it is that we’re all different – also, how lucky we are that we have such a variety of puzzle that usually during the week we can all find at least one to suit us.

Having said that, I can’t see that today’s 9ac is anywhere near the same league as Rufus’s widely-regarded classic ‘ROVERS’ RETURN ['bar of soap'] and I find your “not a classic … but still *far* better than *anything* I have *ever* done from the Times or Independent” quite staggering!

By: MattD

MattD — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 21:47:54 +0000

I don’t understand how this is a “mixed bag” it is no more mixed than what we get from other setters. 9a is perfectly cryptic as usually the phrase does not mean “imitate”. I saw a tv programme a couple of years back where “bar of soap” was held up as a brilliant clue and this is no different – taking an everyday phrase and have a skewed interpretation of it.

This is not a classic I agree, but still far better than anything I have ever done from the Times or Independent. Plus, no obscure poems or Shakespearen references. Marvellous.

By: Martin P

Martin P — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 21:15:21 +0000

I took this to the pub. Two blokes were talking loudly about stripping engines, another pair similarly about software features. Usually the XW helps me shut such stuff out, but this worked the other way, so had to come home to finish. Don’t know if that says anything about the puzzle…

By: Pasquale

Pasquale — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 20:45:29 +0000

Interesting – I remember as a teenager in the 60s giving my dad a book of Guardian puzzles and from that book learning the word ELEEMOSYNARY. It has stuck with me ever since!

By: RCWhiting

RCWhiting — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 18:38:04 +0000

Gio, well done.
K’s D @ 3. I don’t agree with a word but think he is absolutely entitled to those views.
The criticisms are all directed at clues/solutions ie inanimate objects which can not be offended.
There is no criticism of the setter, merely what he has produced for us to admire or otherwise.

By: Giovanna

Giovanna — Wed, 19 Oct 2011 18:03:12 +0000

Thanks, Gordius and Eileen.

This took a bit of getting into. Like many others, point for a comma was problematical. After all your recommendations, I have resolved to read Tom Jones.Like Stella @5 with Spanish as her clue, the Italian elemosina – charity, alms – led me to 26a.

Nothing easy this week but not complaining, RCW! There’s nothing like a bit of variety.

Giovanna