Comments on: Guardian 25,593 – Orlando

By: Davy

Davy — Wed, 28 Mar 2012 08:03:53 +0000

“Easy money but insecure arrangement.”

A bit too close to the answer methinks.

By: stiofain

stiofain — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 22:03:09 +0000

Sil its worthy of earning you a sinecure in the guardian stable!! The surface is brilliant especially in the early hours

By: Sil van den Hoek

Sil van den Hoek — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 21:22:55 +0000

To be honest, stiofain, I couldn’t resist the challenge.
So, I did just something, very quickly.
I have no idea whether the surface makes sense (probably not), but the clue sounded/looked so silly that I started to like it.
BTW, just saw that I posted it at 12:46 am.
Can’t remember me being awake at that time ….

By: stiofain

stiofain — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 19:21:02 +0000

haha great clue Sil if you are still reading

By: gordon ellitt

gordon ellitt — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 10:49:48 +0000

Worth investigating Leap Year syndrome for the glitch?

By: Paul B

Paul B — Tue, 27 Mar 2012 01:07:35 +0000

Someone is praying to be given reason? Shurely shome (etc).

By: Sil van den Hoek

Sil van den Hoek — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 23:46:54 +0000

Wrong about roping old money: money for old rope!

By: stiofain

stiofain — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 22:03:13 +0000

Davy@30 my pet hate/glitch ( among the many ) is when there are multiple lights to fill for a clue ( Paul is the main offender ) the numbers overwrite the start of the clue eg if it is 19,13 it overwrites the first letter or two of the clue, if it is 21,15 across,17 down,14 it overwrites the first line and you need to refer to the pdf to see it.
This is so easy to fix with one
I applied for a web job at The Grauniad a few yrs ago, I should of wore a turtleneck sweater grew a little goatee and a ponytail and had the latest overpriced MAC under my arm and not worried about being compatible and I would have got it. They were paying 45k, now who can think of a good clue for SINECURE.

By: Sil van den Hoek

Sil van den Hoek — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 21:57:13 +0000

Like others, we found this a very enjoyable Orlando.
In many crosswords we consider the NW to be the hardest part, but not today.
So, plain sailing? Not really.
My PinC felt that there was some kind of cross referencing going on. Not just EMPEROR-wise. An “old man” (20ac) and an “old fellow” (6d). “Paddy” (25ac) and “Paddington” (21d). “Folk” in both 20ac and 27ac. “Wooster” (7d) and “Worcester” (14d), homophones.
It made the puzzle all the more coherent.

Many thanks, manehi, for the blog.
And the same amount of thanks to Orlando for another bunch of quality clues.

[and for those who really liked it, try last Saturday's FT Prize Puzzle in which Cincinnus (Orlando's alter ego) geared up a bit too]

By: Davy

Davy — Mon, 26 Mar 2012 21:12:25 +0000

Thanks manehi and full marks to Orlando for this excellent puzzle. I also wanted to put LEAP for 29d and also toyed with RAP and DUB for 18a until ALEHOUSE came into view.

Of the many good clues, I’ll select RHODESIA, CROSSOVER and PERUVIAN as particular favourites.

As to Hugh’s comment which I did read earlier, it seems that there are too many glitches for what is essentially a simple application. I really don’t understand how so many mistakes can be made for what should be an automated process. Ah well, at least it’s free to print the crossword, assuming of course that the correct page emerges which sometimes it doesn’t.