Comments on: Guardian 25,575 – Rufus

By: shuchi

shuchi — Tue, 06 Mar 2012 06:32:55 +0000

Thanks Andrew for the blog. Good fun puzzle. Enjoyed the simple anagrams for the clue surfaces – 18a, 7d, 19d. 15d (UNSCREWS) was my COD.

I read 14d as a double definition, ‘prime’ referring the adjective ‘cardinal’ and ‘minister’ to the noun.

By: Derek Lazenby

Derek Lazenby — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 15:11:20 +0000

Yes, all good clean fun, though it took me longer than the rest of you, but nothing new there.

Minor details

1. Rufus seems to be getting into the habit of using overly black grids. I really don’t like them.
2. A blaze and a star may well both be marks on a horse’s face, but they are not synonyms, they are completely different marks
3. And Eileen, you shouldn’t be surprised at the idea of rummy being played for money, any game can be gambled on on a win/lose basis but also any game with a score gives ample opportunity for the score being converted into units of money (gin rummy for examplle).

By: cholecyst

cholecyst — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 15:11:11 +0000

Thanks Andrew and Rufus. Had to smile at 22ac because in cricket when you are ON STRIKE you are IN and not OUT.

By: Robi

Robi — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 13:54:23 +0000

PeterO @9; you might be interested in this piece of Wikiness:

‘the telephone, for which the blower is a slang term, especially in the United Kingdom. The slang came from the Royal Naval ships prior to telephones. Communication was direct, through a voice pipe. The pipe had a whistle inserted at each end. When a message was to be passed, the caller would remove the whistle at his end, place his mouth into the cavity, sealing it. He would then blow hard. The whistle at the other end would attract the man on watch. He would remove his whistle and call into the pipe. Conversations over, both whistles were replaced.’

By: Robi

Robi — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 13:29:51 +0000

Of course, the naval reference is in ‘ARK’ANSAS……….

By: chas

chas — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 13:01:49 +0000

Thanks to Andrew for the blog. I needed you to explain why I had the right answer for 22a.

The SE corner held me up for a time until I spotted NOVELS in 20d. Once I had that V then the rest fell into place fairly swiftly.

By: Giovanna

Giovanna — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 12:55:45 +0000

Thanks, Rufus and Andrew for a nice start to the week.

I wondered if Eileen would get this puzzle to blog.

See what you mean, Robi @7 and they may struggle with Giovanna, too!

Another naval reference at a pinch is Senior (Service).

Giovanna x

By: PeterO

PeterO — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 12:23:51 +0000

Andrew, thanks for the blog. On the subject of naval references, I have a suspicion about 25A, but the only reference I can come upon to back this up is (somewhat improbably) a 1945 Dictionary of RAF slang by Partridge:

Blower, from the Naval sense, ‘telephone’ or, rather, the speaking-tube connecting Bridge and Engine-room.

By: liz

liz — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 12:04:02 +0000

Thanks, Andrew. It was good to see Eileen get a mention

I rather hurriedly put SIGN UP at 16dn, while thinking that SIGN ON would justify the question mark better. Only real hold-up in what was a smooth solve.

Lots of good surfaces today, as you would expect! 10ac, 19ac and 24ac were my favourites.

By: Robi

Robi — Mon, 05 Mar 2012 11:58:00 +0000

Thanks Andrew and Rufus. As tupu said, nice and relaxing after Saturday’s nightmare.

I wondered about the ‘on’ in the clue to 25. Thanks for reminding me of BLOWER=telephone, which I missed completely.

What a starring role to have your name in the crossword! I can’t see Robi going in one anytime soon.