Comments on: Guardian 25,599 – Rufus

By: Huw Powell

Huw Powell — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 01:03:30 +0000

PS, I wanted 12 to be BRACTS.

By: Huw Powell

Huw Powell — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 01:01:13 +0000

Paul @ 10, it’s rare I see others complaining about the grid. Rufus uses this one a lot, and it’s a cruel affair. I got more in tune with him after reading the interview a while back and stopped complaining about the CDs and DDs; and now I only hate this grid when a more conventional setter uses it.

Kicked myself when I got BABEL – sure, *A*E* could be anything, but with this clue?

Embarrassed to not get BOHEMIA.

Never heard of either usage of STOCKS. Although, ironically, I have it written in next to the clue!

Would not have ever figured out RECANT, either. Yes, that NW corner was tough! But the rest was so much fun, who cares?

Thanks for some nice Monday relaxation, Rufus, and for the blog, Andrew!

By: nametab

nametab — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 20:48:31 +0000

Thanks Andrew. I found this one realy easy. I admire Rufus’ wordplay, and the ‘crypticity’ is rarely deep. Liked OSTEOPATH & GLASS EYE. Agree (again) with Paul B @13 about grid.

By: chas

chas — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 19:31:14 +0000

Thanks to Andrew for the blog.

I seem to be in the minority: (1) I got BABEL from the tower and (2) I found the whole thing easier than Rufus normally is for me!

I did not like equating quartz and glass in 6d.
It also took me a while to get DRIFTER: my first guess was coaster.

By: muck

muck — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 18:17:14 +0000

Thanks for the blog Andrew. I though it was pretty typical Rufus. I could argue with 6dn in which he clearly intends quartz as a synonym for GLASS. Quartz is a crystalline form of silica. Glass is 'made by fusing together one or more of the oxides of silicon, boron or phosphorus ... and cooling the produst rapidly to prevent crystallisation' (Chambers)

By: RCWhiting

RCWhiting — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 17:33:24 +0000

Even as a committed non-biblist I had no problem deciding between Blackpool,Hanoi and Babel.

By: Derek Lazenby

Derek Lazenby — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 15:46:44 +0000

Got to laugh, I came here expecting all the usual too easy comments! OK the word list was needed for babel, but at least it was on the first page!

By: apiarist

apiarist — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 15:38:24 +0000

I struggled with the NW corner because I was so sure 9a was dissenter ! Quite a tricky crossword for Rufus I thought.

By: RCWhiting

RCWhiting — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 15:08:08 +0000

Thanks all
It is pretty miserable when a compiler keeps his easy ones for The G. and gives the better one to The Daily Torygraph. (crypticsue @17)

By: grandpuzzler

grandpuzzler — Mon, 02 Apr 2012 14:23:47 +0000

Thanks Rufus and Andrew. BABEL was my first in! Saw TOWER in the middle of the clue and that was that. On the other hand, I opted for SWAN at 16d. Thought I had seen every three and four letter bird in crossword land but SHAG was new to me.

Cheers…