Comments on: Guardian Cryptic crossword N° 25,578 by Chifonie

By: tupu

tupu — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 20:39:26 +0000

Hi Robi
Apologies!

By: RCWhiting

RCWhiting — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 19:26:49 +0000

Thanks, Stiofain.
Andy, hard to believe but you might well be right.

By: stiofain

stiofain — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 19:16:18 +0000

RCW the “beep” you refer to happens when you replace any letter in the grid, so doesnt signify you have put in a “wrong letter” and is no help or hindrance in solving.
I too was left a bit hungry by this one but it left me time to tackle this months excellent genius puzzle by Crucible which I think is the most accessible genius yet.
So Im not complaining and agree with the varying difficulty policy but this was the easiest cryptic in a long time I tried to stretch it by not tackling the down clues until I had all the across ones finished but I still finished in sub Rightback time.

By: andy smith

andy smith — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 19:04:06 +0000

@RCW – I suspect that with old age and much experience the crosswords seem easier as well as the policemen seeming younger …

By: Robi

Robi — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 18:58:06 +0000

tupu; maybe you meant Wolfie’s point?

By: tupu

tupu — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 18:53:35 +0000

Hi RCW

This debate has gone on and on and could theoretically run forever if you don’t mind boring other people.

‘It is not going to change’ does not necessarily match ‘perfectly fine’ but it does not necessarily contradict it either.

Most of us seem to recognise that there is a good case for variations in difficulty. Gervase (like Sil earlier) points out that good cluing style is also important. Gervase seems to have been more disappointed today than I was, though we were both left feeling a bit ‘hungry’. However, I can remember a time when Chifonie’s puzzles seemed harder than they do now.

I think Robi’s point is that you have become extremely predictable on this issue. We all know you like harder puzzles, and we don’t know it any better if you keep on saying it. I am often amused and interested by your comments on other things, so I hope you don’t mind too much that I wish you’d lay off a bit on this one.

By: Wolfie

Wolfie — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 18:39:04 +0000

RCW – I don’t recall that you or anyone else being criticised in this forum merely for commenting about a puzzle being easy. Occasionally people (including myself) have taken exception to the tone in which such comments have been expressed.

By: RCWhiting

RCWhiting — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 18:15:14 +0000

Robi@24 It was the current one (pairs).
If, Wolfie,it is perfectly fine, why have I been criticised by other posters (including yourself)?
And “it is pointless”,”it is not going to change”, ” You are going to have to get used to it.” do not seem to match “perfectly fine”.
I do realise that difficulty in this context is very subjective. However,my memories of struggling regularly when I was still working (even with a team effort)twenty years ago are very strong.I suspect that old age has hardly sharpened my brain to such an extent.I do not want to see The G. (my favourite paper) going downhill in any way, including its crosswords.

By: Robi

Robi — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 17:59:30 +0000

Rather than the r=rare associated with waiters, the r=rare association with coins might be more likely: see http://www.coinscatalog.com/rarity.php

By: Gervase

Gervase — Thu, 08 Mar 2012 16:30:51 +0000

I rarely complain about puzzles which are easy, because they usually have other redeeming features such as humour, clever cryptic definitions, ingenious constructions and perfect surface readings. I felt that this one didn’t have very much of these, which is why I felt short-changed. It would have made a good Quiptic.

Of course, many puzzles which, objectively, are of only moderate difficulty can give problems even to experienced solvers. I particularly like ones which prompt a lot of smiles or even laughs. This enjoyment during the solving process seems to relax me, so that I can spot tricky constructions more easily. Arachne’s crosswords are a case in point – I sailed through yesterday’s with a big grin on my face.