Comments on: Guardian 25,461 / Rufus

By: Huw Powell

Huw Powell — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 18:34:13 +0000

Oops, that’s weird. The last sentence belongs somewhere in the middle of my post, not at the end.

By: Huw Powell

Huw Powell — Sat, 05 Nov 2011 18:33:01 +0000

I know I am over a week late to the party, but I really struggled with this, keeping it “open” on the table because I wanted to come here and kvetch a bit about one of my pet cryptic peeved, which when combined with another, takes a lot of the fun away for me.

The first is this grid. Rufus seems to use it a lot, and it’s a rough one – only a few (ten?) first or last letters are checked, and the four quadrants are barely connected.

Combined with heavy use of DDs and CDs (I count 13 in this puzzle, ignoring the TD), it can make for a tiresome slog.

That’s why I wish Rufus would stop using it – take one or the other – reduce the DD/CD usage or use a more interlocked grid. Quite a few of these answers could have been any of many words, making the construction less interesting.

I also slipped into the “LEFT” trap at 16d, leaving me unable to solve 20a. Can’t see why PORRIDGE = “time”…

Oh well, I’ve said my bit and I’ll stop whining now. Thanks for the puzzle, Rufus, and the blog, Eileen!

Anyway, I did like the TD at 10a, and probably a couple others early last week.

By: Paul B

Paul B — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 22:06:58 +0000

Our problem is with these dratted splittable infinitives.

On 3dn I’m not sure about the 2nd def: can ‘barely’ *really* mean ‘in the altogether’?

By: stumped

stumped — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 21:18:06 +0000

Rabba – Head of a rabble (esp. religious groups)

By: MattD

MattD — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 21:06:46 +0000

Frantom. A pun? No and I can’t see an accidental one either. Unless it was hilariously clever, in which case yes, I am a comic genius.

Also thought “left” btw until the “f” caused too many problems.

By: stumped

stumped — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 21:05:15 +0000

Nice puzzle. Glad to see I wasn’t only one held up in NE corner.

Had 27a = chastened until penny dropped on 17a and gave 18d.

Favourite clue 25a.

Gave up on 3 clues.

4d – Orderly = Soldier – well, now that you mention it…
8a – First thought Abbot, then considered Simon (as in Simon Peter the “rock” etc)
10d – Porridge – didn’t make the prison connection – d’oh

I thought the split infinitive thing was dead & buried. The objectors should go and start something along the lines of the French Academy.

By: FranTom Menace

FranTom Menace — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 20:10:45 +0000

MattD, was that pun intended?

We agree with some that it was a trickier Rufus than normal, and we didn’t complete the NE corner. Funnily, Fran said ‘left’ for 16d and I said ‘late’, we agreed that the correct answer was ‘late’. Looking at it it seems that both are valid, just that ‘late’ felt the likely answer likely because of the more cyptic ‘gone’ meaning ‘dead’.

Thanks Rufus, and thanks to Eileen for helping with the NE corner!

By: Wolfie

Wolfie — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 20:03:03 +0000

Chas – I think the point Thomas makes is that it is possible – indeed extremely common – for an English word to have more than one meaning. ‘Barely’ is a good example of such a word.

By: chas

chas — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 19:43:04 +0000

In my comment 8 I gave a clear example of barely meaning complete but only just.
I see that Thomas99 is unable to provide an example supporting his view so he chooses to attack me.

I have nothing to add.

By: MattD

MattD — Mon, 24 Oct 2011 18:53:38 +0000

Thought that was tough and for the first time in months didn’t complete a rufus. Agree with previous poster that a lot of dd and cd can slow you up if you aren’t really on the ball.

I just wished 8a was rabba as some version of rabbi as it would explain the ? Which pilot does not. Shame it is neither correct nor a word as it made me smile at the possibility.

Thanks eileen for filling in the ne corner for me.