Comments on: Guardian 25,510 – Shed

By: NeilW

NeilW — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 00:45:43 +0000

Thanks, Shed, both for the crossword and the final say on the debate!

By: stiofain

stiofain — Wed, 21 Dec 2011 00:06:45 +0000

Nice one Shed
Ive been checking back for the definitive answer all day and great crossword BTW.

By: Shed

Shed — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 23:41:45 +0000

Thanks to Uncle Yap for the blog and to everyone for the ingenious explanations of 21a, but actually it was just an inexcusable mistake. It was indeed supposed to be ETA in (k)RAKEN – but it isn’t. Sorry.

By: harhop

harhop — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 20:47:28 +0000

Reticule – you’re all so young! As a word it is way out of date, but survived into the 1990s in the (ironic) phrase used by ladies now of a certain age – ‘capacious reticule’

By: StanXYZ

StanXYZ — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 17:26:17 +0000

By: StanXYZ

StanXYZ — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 16:59:56 +0000

15d – Musician – Double Bass? Hmmm?

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=3uzC5KC_260

By: Thomas99

Thomas99 — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 16:15:54 +0000

Martin H (25). I don’t know if it’s decisive, but the answer to “Would you say ‘James was a violin’” is certainly yes. In the context of an orchestra, it’s normal not to add the suffix.

By: Martin H

Martin H — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 15:49:34 +0000

Mitz @23 – the examples you give, with their qualifications, first clarinet, second violin, are fine, as would be, say, principal horn; but would you say “James was a violin”? I don’t think so, and have to agree with Derek about the double bass. This sort of thing does happen, but always sounds odd – I was at the next table to a couple in a hotel dining room when the waitress brought them the breakfast tray. She was obviously unsure who had ordered what, so the husband said helpfully, “I’m the boiled egg.”

By: NeilW

NeilW — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 15:33:02 +0000

Sorry, Derek. ET = Anticipated Time amongst your friends, yes, maybe. But how do you factor in “show” which clearly means, cryptically, arrival?

By: Mitz

Mitz — Tue, 20 Dec 2011 15:26:15 +0000

Derek @22: usually I would agree with you, but I have come across instances when the various musicians in the orchestra are simply referred to in terms of the instruments that they play (eg James was second violin; Sally was first clarinet).

I’m sure you are a fabulous Mr Bass-man…