Comments on: Guardian 25,527 – Brendan

By: Sooz

Sooz — Wed, 15 Feb 2012 12:12:22 +0000

Fantastic. I loved the way the theme slowly emerged, nagging at the edges of my mind till ROMNEY made all clear. All very nicely judged. I didn’t know Huntsman was a candidate till I checked. Thank you Brendan for coaxing us (some unwillingly!) out of possible parochialism.

By: LordCope

LordCope — Fri, 13 Jan 2012 05:31:43 +0000

Very enjoyable indeed. Bloke and not Broke…. Bloke == Chap, and then another L to R conversion (see previous Brendan puzzle). Bach is Welsh affectionate diminutive.

By: molonglo

molonglo — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 20:54:46 +0000

Brendan, I’m more than happy to bring up response no. 50, whose collectivity confirms the added worth of puzzle 25527, generating so much thought as it did. Your comment #42 provokes another: the world is richer because England gave it Alice, the Goons, and even the Official Monster Raving Loony Party – but is poorer for this latest Tea Party and those racing headlong in competition with it. Keep at it. Thanks again.

By: Brendan

Brendan — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 13:19:35 +0000

In response to RichardC (#48) that was just how things worked out. My main problem was fitting in SANTORUM and what I did seemed about the only way to do it (CAMPO SANTO is in Chambers). When TRUMPERY slotted in, I felt the gods of crosswords were on my side. It’s quite fitting that “A Gingrich” is both aging and rich.

Molonglo (#34), I couldn’t quite get Herman Cain in. Trump has said he may run as an Independent (of reality?) candidate. At http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oRBrbOTTT4w you can see the reaction when a well-known journalist asked Cain what cabinet post he might see himself in and he said “Defence”. (For those not following, Cain, during the campaign, expressed his concern that the Chinese are trying to develop a nuclear weapon).

My thanks to Andrew.

By: RichardC

RichardC — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 11:06:34 +0000

Just to add to the overall mix: I wondered if it was significant that the obvious losers are all lined up on the LHS and if you read sequentially you get “Paul Perry Bachmann In Extremis” i.e. they’re all on the brink of losing, and then on the RHS “Onus A Gingrich” which could be read, at a stretch, as “Onus a’Gingrich” or “Onus on Gingrich” to pull it out of the bag having lost his earlier surge in the polls. Or am I being a bit to nerdy about the politics?

By: Davy

Davy — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 09:38:20 +0000

Thanks Andrew,

This was an excellent puzzle from Brendan and one which I didn’t find that easy but maybe I’m not a smarta**e. I totally and unequivocally endorse the comment from DorothyS. Very well put !. At least in this country, we don’t get bible-bashers standing for parliament. It’s especially frightening that there are people in America who dismiss science and believe that the universe started 6000 years ago, although I’m sure that the same people benefit from the findings of science.

I thought that YACHTER was so well-disguised that I had to key in __C_T_R to Find and Fit. Doh.

I knew most of the names of the circus clowns and saw Gingrich but failed to see Santorum. Liked ATRIA, PREMIUM, MODERATOR and BACH.

Thanks Brendan for a cleverly crafted puzzle.

By: PeeDee

PeeDee — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 09:17:54 +0000

I was over in the US for a few weeks last spring. What struck me was how polarised US politics is, there seems to be no rational debate or middle ground at all, just a vitriolic rejection of the ‘other side’, whichever side that happens to be. I hope it doesn’t get that way in the UK, politicians here take the piss out of each contantly but there is still some mutual respect.

As for left-leaning politics in the Guardian crossword – shock-horror! Whatever next! Left-leaning editorials? Left-leaning articles? Even the cartonns could become political. Who knows where it may lead?

By: mhl

mhl — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 08:33:54 +0000

An excellent puzzle – thank-you, Brendan. Thanks to Andrew for the post.

The Guardian crossword has a long tradition of including the odd bit of political comment, and it’s one aspect that many of us particularly enjoy about the crossword. I assume that anyone who objects to the term “circus clowns” either hasn’t been paying attention, or holds views every bit as offensive as these dangerous, odious candidates.

By: DorothyS

DorothyS — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 05:27:17 +0000

To Jim @43

Sounds like you may be an American. So am I, but I didn’t find this puzzle in any way offensive. What I find offensive is that any member of this embarrassing collection of bigots, hypocrites, ignoramuses, flimflam artists, and just plain nut-jobs had the gall to even consider becoming a candidate for the presidency of the United States, let alone follow through on it. If only they really were circus clowns, I’d feel a helluva lot safer.

Loved the puzzle. Thanks, Brendan

By: Jim morton

Jim morton — Tue, 10 Jan 2012 03:24:41 +0000

Sureprising though it may be to the Guardian readership, there are those who find circus clowns as a definition of Republican candidates for the presidency of the United States to be an offensive term that has no place in what is supposed to be an entertaining pastime.