Comments on: Guardian 25,596 – Paul

By: pennes

pennes — Sat, 31 Mar 2012 11:20:34 +0000

I’m a bit late as I was left with just Hopsack, i first thought that there must be a “b” in the answer. Picked up the crossword this morning and saw it quickly, but I agree that hops are not a source of beer and I did try to think of every grain posible that could be used in beer making. Apart from that and, like others not finding fiddle working very well, I thought this a lot of fun, rather liking ladybird and icecaps.

By: stiofain

stiofain — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 22:47:05 +0000

A great fun xword from Paul I did it in the garden in our unseasonably hot weather, strangely enough i was wearing my mankini and eating a bacon butty at the time.

By: Derek Lazenby

Derek Lazenby — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 22:39:53 +0000

slipstream, butties are specifically buttered sandwiches, whereas the generic term sandwiches could mean buttered or un-buttered. Those of us of a more downmarket outlook think Chip Butties are the best. Ask your nearest cook to explain the difference between chips and fries!

By: tupu

tupu — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 21:28:37 +0000

I wonder if it is completely accidental that Miliband also fits the crossing letters of 13a. As far as I can see it won’t parse and ultimately makes poor sense but one is initially tempted to try it as with alternatives to 28a. The mention of Labour and the idea of Mil(l) and (l)and (territory) come to mind.

By: Rosmarinus

Rosmarinus — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 19:48:27 +0000

Mitch #7 If played is used as an adjective it just about works.

By: slipstream

slipstream — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 19:43:29 +0000

American bias: PHOENIX was easy, but I have never heard of BACON BUTTY. Bacon sandwiches, sure.

By: Derek Lazenby

Derek Lazenby — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 17:36:38 +0000

Got it all apart from mankini, being unenlightened enough to try sticking main around things. Never heard of it. Neither had any of the missing letters gadgets I tried.

Thought there several clues which might be problematical to non-Brits.

By: Dave Ellison

Dave Ellison — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 16:01:37 +0000

Thanks, Andrew and Paul. I needed elucidation on 5a and 16a (which seems so obvious now).

I, too, was a WANKING man for a while, but couldn’t get any satisfaction with it; a move too far even for Paul? Then went back to my original thoughts on using MAIN, and to my surprise GOOGLE checked out for me. (I saw a MANKINI in Four In A Bed recently; I expect no one else here watches this!)

Enjoyable crossword again today.

By: crypticsue

crypticsue — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 14:02:21 +0000

What a lucky Andrew! Why do all the good puzzles turn up on days when I haven’t got much time to solve them. Sneaked this in between bouts of work and thoroughly enjoyed myself. Thanks Paul for a very enjoyable Thursday puzzle – lots to make me smile, top favourite being 21,6

By: gm4hqf

gm4hqf — Thu, 29 Mar 2012 13:13:24 +0000

OK Robi

I just thought that diddle meant to play with something and also to trick someone.