Comments on: Financial Times 13,888 / Sleuth

By: Sleuth

Sleuth — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 23:50:00 +0000

Thanks to Duncan for his superbly detailed blog and clue analysis and everyone for their comments. Re Lenny@3,
I’ll strive to be more succulent and less chewy in future!

By: Bamberger

Bamberger — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 19:54:44 +0000

Got most of the rhs out but not much of the lhs.
Getting 1a would have helped but without 2,3&4d there were too many possibilities. Jack=tar or ab or j. carol =c , play -some short play?
Knew 1d was an anagram but just couldn’t get it.
19a -never come across this before.
14d Had no idea who Haye was -don’t think this was very fair.

Thanks for the clear blog.

By: Lenny

Lenny — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 17:27:21 +0000

I found this quite a chewy puzzle from Sleuth. Thanks Duncan for explaining the reference to David Haye. Knowing nothing about boxing, I assumed that the cryptic was something to do with haymakers.

I had the same trouble with 19 as Pelham and Mike and entered Studfarm faute de mieux. At least I knew that it is a popular word for CDs. I remember Mike Laws clue “Arab staying here should see to his mates”.

By: MikeC

MikeC — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 14:19:59 +0000

Thanks Duncan and Sleuth. I rather agree with PB about both 19 and 25. In 19, STUDFARM was the only word that fitted, but I had no confidence that it was correct!

By: Pelham Barton

Pelham Barton — Thu, 29 Dec 2011 09:28:31 +0000

Thanks Sleuth for an enjoyable puzzle and Duncan for the blog. 10dn was probably my favourite.

19ac: To me, this meaning was too obscure for a one-part cryptic definition clue. It was my last entry, and entered without much confidence.

25ac: Good use of an anagram for a word that was unknown to me – there was only one plausible way of fitting the unchecked letters into the grid.