Comments on: Financial Times no.13,994 by NEO

By: Neo

Neo — Sat, 05 May 2012 01:27:24 +0000

Not that you’re a stirrer, Sil: but how about SPOON?

By: Sil van den Hoek

Sil van den Hoek — Fri, 04 May 2012 23:05:55 +0000

I want to emphasise that the FT/Indy Neo/Tees thing is not at all meant to be some kind of criticism.
I also like to confess that Neo/Tees – and this is no flattery – has become one of my favourite setters through the years.
While, at times, he is critical about the output of some of his fellow compilers, this criticism is most of the time quite valid – in his own puzzles he is always true to his own principles.
There must be a pseudonym that suits The Guardian ….

By: Neo

Neo — Fri, 04 May 2012 11:17:30 +0000

Many thanks to the peacock (excellent work) and to the other peacocks for their displays. Commiserations to the turkeys, which sounds pejorative and, indeed, is! But I know it’s a drag when you can’t damn well get one. As I found out in today’s Grauniad.

Re difficulty FT vs Indy, I do take the handbrake off when I know the audience is going to be 95% British, and up to speed with some of the cultural refs from, say, footie and soaps. But I still like to do good stuff for the FT mob, which seems to be a worldwide community of fantastically rich folk with whom one should keep in.

Thanks to Wanderer for spotting the linked lights: this was meant as an antidote to the somewhat fractured nature of the grid, with its nine-square diagonal barrier. As for 23D Sil, I don’t think ‘of’ or ‘in’ is strictly necessary, since ‘Peak District’ is the definition. It just runs on from the wordplay, in which the D moves down in DANES.

By: Ringo

Ringo — Fri, 04 May 2012 08:12:31 +0000

Thanks, all, for the comments. Many apologies if it sounded like braggartry on my part! First time I’ve ever been described as a strutting peacock… I suppose it was one of those mornings where everything just fell into place. Regular readers (Sid and Doris Bonkers) will know that I’ve had enough tough mornings with the pink ‘un to justify the odd ‘doddle’…

@Wanderer: well spotted! A nice touch, as you say.

@Sil: yes, all great, those. I think “former union lad” for “stepson” was my favourite device.

By: Sil van den Hoek

Sil van den Hoek — Thu, 03 May 2012 22:07:17 +0000

Neo’s precise [because he wants to be precise] and Neo’s also less adventurous than Tees [because it's the FT and not the Independent].
So, Neo is perhaps Tees Lite, but still Great Stuff (in propertion, that is).

Most of the grid was filled rather quickly, with some really easy ones (10ac, 28d).
But there were some gems too – every single one, perhaps, for a different reason.
13ac (GENERATION), 17ac (VISITOR), 1d (AUTOBAHN), 2d (ULTRAMARINE) and 9d (SCREW) all brilliant – I think, Neo can surely read my mind (when it comes to asking himself: why?).

Only (minor) point of criticism: the lack of the little word “of” preceding “Peak District” in 23d.

Tees Lite?
Perhaps, yes, but a satisfying solve it was!!

By: Lynette

Lynette — Thu, 03 May 2012 19:41:45 +0000

I’m with you Bamberger. I didn’t get IDO, PROTEASE or ENOUNCE. I do think that people who say it was a doddle sound like strutting peacocks…

By: Bamberger

Bamberger — Thu, 03 May 2012 18:03:52 +0000

Failed on canaanites, amniote protease and stephenson -not a doddle for me sadly.

By: Wanderer

Wanderer — Thu, 03 May 2012 12:50:40 +0000

Thanks Ringo, I’m with you and crypticsue. Lovely stuff.

As a bonus, Neo has run the central four rows together, giving us

BEAT GENERATION, HEALTH VISITOR, AIRPORT BEACON and PRESENTING ARMS. A neat touch.

By: crypticsue

crypticsue — Thu, 03 May 2012 11:48:40 +0000

I second Ringo’s comments – thank you to him and Neo