Comments on: Guardian 25,495 – Gordius

By: RCWhiting

RCWhiting — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 22:50:21 +0000

If you turn ‘Africa barter’over you get ‘retrAB ACIrfa’.

By: Davy

Davy — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 19:58:29 +0000

To Innocent Abroad,

In 26a, ‘E’ is also the international registration letter for Spain so I think the clue is fine.

By: Innocent Abroad

Innocent Abroad — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 14:51:37 +0000

Well, I only got four clues, and now I’ve seen the answers I’m not at all surprised.

I have lots of quibbles but will only bore you with a couple. I agree with Mick H [25] – clues with two solutions are just unfair. And clueing “e” as “Spain” because it’s the initial letter of Espana is surely a bridge too far, whilst using “over” to indicate position in an across clue is even further than that, surely.

By: ChrisChods

ChrisChods — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 13:56:07 +0000

Thanks for the blog, Andrew. Came on here today having just downloaded the pdf for the prize, which also shows the solution to the previous day’s puzzle of course. I was a little taken aback by LOTTO at 3d, which I didn’t recognize, then remembered this too was my last in, and I had inserted a guess (for what it’s worth, HOSTS) in my grid. While I accept my guess was wrong, (‘house’(vb) to equal ‘host’ + has = ‘s giving hosts, lots to see) I feel my guess makes better use of the clue than the answer, LOTTO, with that redundant ‘see’, (maybe that of the Bishop of Bath and Wells). Yes, I’m a little annoyed by the true answer, and think this is one of the weakest clues I have seen in a Guardian Crossword. A shame because otherwise I was enjoying the puzzle, but the editor ought to have a word about this clue.

By: fearsome

fearsome — Sat, 03 Dec 2011 13:26:57 +0000

Lotto was my last answer and I was not still not sure of it. The final “see” in the clue puzzled me. Am I missing something?

By: bingybong

bingybong — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 23:18:13 +0000

Seeing the generally-positive responses to ‘paperback’ is quite reassuring. As someone who did the Times Crossword for many many years I was rather shocked to be told that ‘slaphead’ was not a fair indicator for ‘S’ in a clue I’d submitted to another site, and would “never be allowed” on a Times puzzle. Whether that’s true or not I’m still not sure but it certainly raised the hackles of a couple of strict Ximeneans.

By: gm4hqf

gm4hqf — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 18:42:05 +0000

Thanks Andrew and Gordius

I also entered RUED for a start, seemed to make more sense.

Had to think for a while over MAHARAJA, COEQUAL and PARENTAGE but otherwise not too difficult.

By: Mick H

Mick H — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 18:24:58 +0000

I’m surprised the RUDE/RUED ambiguity got through. I think most editors see that kind of clue as unfair. I felt it read better as a clue to RUED – as, clearly, did most people here. Surely that’s not viewed as a legitimate way to trick the solver?
Enjoyable otherwise.

By: stiofain

stiofain — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 18:20:15 +0000

I thought the paperback device was oone of the few good points in this – at least he didnt shoehorn in his usual biblical stuff

By: chas

chas — Fri, 02 Dec 2011 17:03:47 +0000

The other thing I meant to say in my previous post was about 1d.

I found paperback perfectly OK. After all we are used to seeing ‘in Gateshead’ as a way of indicating ING so this is just a similar example.

I am sure there have been other instances but I cannot remember any more at the moment.