Comments on: Guardian 25,600 – Arachne

By: Huw Powell

Huw Powell — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 15:24:24 +0000

Mark @ 38, one of Arachne’s trademark twists is to play with gender for purposes of general obfuscation. Of course a woman can be a LANDOWNER, if she possesses a tract, as can a man, but using “she” might send the solver off in the direction of a woman’s name, say, either as charade fodder or perhaps the eventual solution to aim for.

I’d like to see MCMLIII clued, with the enumeration (8-5,5) despite a 7 letter space.

LATEST was interesting (I did not parse it), since I believe I have seen “NATWEST” used as fodder before somehow.

Thanks UY and Arachne and everyone else!

By: AndrewC

AndrewC — Wed, 04 Apr 2012 01:06:18 +0000

Sky Pilot

By: RCWhiting

RCWhiting — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 23:25:59 +0000

Mark @38
Would you prefer “He possesses tract…”?
Exactly why?

By: Brendan (not that one)

Brendan (not that one) — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 22:09:19 +0000

Enjoyable solve, but I must add my objection to 6D.

Perhaps OK if some indication of derivation (Latin, Roman, Caesar’s or something suitably more subtle). But 8! Not for me.

By: chas

chas — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 22:05:34 +0000

To Mark@28
I believe ‘sky-pilot’ is specifically RAF slang for a chaplain.

By: Bovine

Bovine — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 22:00:09 +0000

Definitely one of Arachne’s easier ones. Absolutely loved 6d. Thought 10a was dreadful.

By: BertandJoyce

BertandJoyce — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 21:49:57 +0000

Totally disagree with mark@38. A really enjoyable solve this evening. Last one in was ‘latest’ which was rather appropriate all things considered. Just managed to work it out before checking the blog!

Sky-pilot is slang for a clergyman or military chaplain in Chambers – perhaps someone to guide you on the way to heaven in the skies!! Or then again………. maybe not!

Thanks Arachne – you didn’t disappoint again! Really liked the fact that the landowner was a woman! Good on you!

Thanks also to UY!

By: mark

mark — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 21:33:30 +0000

Not to my taste at all.

Ok, good to learn that pipe = weep. Fair enough.

But 1D, per-lease! That’s so tortured and just unfair. I guessed the answer but where’s the fun in that.

What is “She” doing in 25A?
6D – it’s all been said already

Finally, and I’m happy to be educated – why does “sky pilot” = clergyman?

By: Rorschach

Rorschach — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 21:32:45 +0000

What a shame they aren’t called Beatitudas…

By: Kathryn's Dad

Kathryn's Dad — Tue, 03 Apr 2012 20:59:58 +0000

Evening, morpheus. Since I started the debate, I will add one more comment. You are right; usage changes, and that is one of the beauties of English. But if enough folk stick with usage, we will keep important distinctions: I might well be uninterested in your comment at no 33; but given my contribution earlier, I’m unlikely to be disinterested, because I disagree with you. And there are plenty of other words for ‘scathing’, so if I get some time over the holiday weekend, I shall start a “let’s keep ‘coruscating’ for ‘sparkling’ campaign” on Facebook.

Except I don’t have a Facebook account.