Comments on: Financial Times 13939 Neo

By: Pelham Barton

Pelham Barton — Wed, 29 Feb 2012 13:51:10 +0000

Sil @9: When I was solving 26ac, I took it as a partial “& lit” with “Boy” as the definition and the whole clue as the wordplay in the form ED (Boy) + (given) DIE[t] (prescribed food endlessly). That would have been highly unsatisfactory using two forms of the same boy’s name in the definition and wordplay, so I was delighted that I was wrong.

By: Sil van den Hoek

Sil van den Hoek — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 21:47:09 +0000

I agree with everyone who thought this was another fine puzzle by Neo – so, that’s probably ‘everyone’ ….

My last ones in were STUMPS (couldn’t be anything else, but no cricket expert), ADDICTED (clear why, but just like 17d and 20d not a cd that was up my street) and RECHAB (sounded Hebrew, and, ah, dear Amy).

I liked DECIMAL POINT, but I am sure that I saw the idea behind it somewhere before, but even so. BTW, for some reason I initially entered ‘medical point’ …..
And 24ac (ASTRONAUT), also nice (and also one that rang a bell, but again, even so).
And many more, like EWING or MIAMI.

In 6d, writing Gay with a capital G is just how it should be – Neo living up to his reputation!

A bit of a pity that ‘chicken’ couldn’t be directly linked to ‘sandwiches’ in 21d, but even so [hmm, that's the third time I use that in this comment .... ].

Only one I did not understand (even after a deep sort of thinking) was EDDIE (26ac). ‘Die’ was clear enough, but ‘ed’. Chapeau, scchua, to parse that!
I am not sure whether I like it or not, but eve … [oh no!].

Many thanks, scchua, for your splendid blog.

And Neo, of course, for another one that I really liked.

By: tim patterson

tim patterson — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 19:40:43 +0000

Coming out of lurk today, just back from another day between the shafts at Barclays! Anyway, what a great puzzle. Neo’s stuff always amuses, usually by taking the mick out of us lot, though we were let off today. Great piece as always, and me and the boys and girls say thank you for keeping us informed and entertained at 15 Squared.

By: scchua

scchua — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 16:19:59 +0000

Thank you all for comments, and especially Neo for dropping by.

Well done grandpuzzler (have to remind myself to make it harder next time).

By: grandpuzzler

grandpuzzler — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 15:51:52 +0000

Thanks to Neo and scchua. Enjoyed this puzzle very much. Asyndetic was a new word for me.
Regarding the picture set: Ella Fitzgerald, Bobby Darin, Louis Armstrong and Kevin Spacey (playing Bobby Darin in the biopic) all sang Mack The Knife which was from the Threepenny Opera which was based on The Beggar’s Opera (6d).

By: Wanderer

Wanderer — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 15:47:34 +0000

Strikingly large number of anagrams, most of them excellent — especially DECIMAL POINT, ASTRONAUT, the long Roman one, the long operatic one (Gay musical – lovely misdirection), SYCAMORE, and the partial anagrams at ASYNDETIC and the wonderful YOU’VE GOT ME THERE. In fact, with NOTEPAD, SVENGALI, READYING, TRIMESTER and maybe more also being anagrams or part anagrams, I can’t remember when I last saw so many in one crossword. Not that this is a criticism — far from it, they were a fun solve. I also had ticks for MIAMI, EWING and ATHENE.

Thoroughly enjoyable, many thanks to Neo and scchua (although I fear your picture puzzle has defeated me again…)

By: Tony Welsh

Tony Welsh — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 14:46:32 +0000

17d puzzled me too. It _had_ to be addicted but why? I even googled “addicted horse” and found that there are such people as horse addicts. I am not totally convinced by scchua’s parsing.

By: Pelham Barton

Pelham Barton — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 14:15:32 +0000

Thanks Neo for an enjoyable crossword and scchua for the blog.

18,23 / 24ac: Two very nice clues each of which I would describe as a complete “& lit” – the whole clue is necessary for the wordplay and relevant to the definition.

2dn: Good use of an anagram for an obscure word – by the time I had got A-Y-D—C, there really was only one way to fit the remaining letters in to make a sensible word.

17dn: The one that got away for me. That is the problem with cryptic definitions – they are great fun if you spot them, but there is no other way in if you do not. It must be admitted that there are not many other words that will fit the space, but my mind got stuck on the alternative I have just given.

By: Neo

Neo — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 11:04:37 +0000

Hello Scchua (and Ferret). Thanks as ever for your wonderful bloggery, comprehensive to the last. I might not get another look-in today, so all the best to all.

By: Ferret

Ferret — Tue, 28 Feb 2012 08:23:08 +0000

Thanks for parsing 17d, I had it as addicted or admitted with no idea why.

I had 10a as PUSS minus SS, an old ship and hence an old lady?