Comments on: Financial Times 14,011 by Monk

By: Molly

Molly — Thu, 24 May 2012 22:11:20 +0000

I’m still a fairly newcomer to cryptics and perhaps manage to finish about 50% of the FT puzzles. I found this one very difficult indeed and gave up with lots of gaps. I hadn’t had much sleep (flying in from Toronto) but even that doesn’t offer too much of an excuse. Not complaining though. One day I may be able to finish a puzzle like this. All the best.

By: PeeDee

PeeDee — Thu, 24 May 2012 20:32:19 +0000

We don’t know Lynette means to be critical, could simply be an expression meaning it’s the hardest FT yet.

By: Sil van den Hoek

Sil van den Hoek — Thu, 24 May 2012 19:54:22 +0000

Well spoken, Gaufrid.

One may argue about HOSTAS, one may be annoyed by the typos in 19ac (since nobody mentioned it) and 1d, one may not like too many obscure solutions, one may not like that Monk wasn’t able to realise a pangram this time, one may not have noticed the nina (like me), but …

But, dear Lynette, please tell us what was really wrong for you.
I think that Monk – since his return to Crosswordland [well, I wasn't there when he left ] – is one of the finest setters around.
Solvers like you and me may disagree, but tell us at least why.
If you say “it’s the worst crossword etc” it is about the quality of clueing – therefore, please, explain.
In this place, Monk has shown to be very open to solvers’ comments, so don’t hesitate.

By: Gaufrid

Gaufrid — Thu, 24 May 2012 17:03:22 +0000

Hi Lynette
“This is the worst FT crossword I’ve come across for a long time.”

Why do you say that? I’m sure Monk would appreciate feedback as to why you feel this way and in any case the Site Policy requests that the reason for any dissatisfaction should be clearly indicated.

By: Lynette

Lynette — Thu, 24 May 2012 16:52:09 +0000

This is the worst FT crossword I’ve come across for a long time.

By: PeeDee

PeeDee — Wed, 23 May 2012 13:36:38 +0000

Thanks Monk. I liked your original clue much better, given the difficult parsing and cryptic definition having ‘planted’ in the clue at least gives one a chance! I wonder why it was changed?

By: Paul B

Paul B — Wed, 23 May 2012 13:01:52 +0000

During the rant of a foolish person, how one might get a word in edgeways is shurely INTERNITTENTLY.

Re HOSTAS, you’re evil, M on K.

By: Monk

Monk — Wed, 23 May 2012 12:44:43 +0000

Thanks to PeeDee for comprehensive blog and to others for joining in. The typo at 1D appears to have arisen through changes made to my original clue, "What might be found planted in housing estates?", for which the note was "ho(u)s(ing es)ta(te)s & Lit". Thus Wanderer, Anax and Nestor(ius?) have indeed "cracked it!", and the second clause in N's final sentence is spot on. Apologies for 4D, which appears to have emanated from a senior moment. COED has best (adv.) = "most suitably", so I must have incorrectly extrapolated and truncated this to best (adj.) = "(most) suitable": I'm not able to confirm the device today (help?).

By: crypticsue

crypticsue — Wed, 23 May 2012 12:23:55 +0000

You know that other post about which daily cryptic is the hardest? Well this one wins the prize by a very very long distance. I needed to look at the blog to cheat to get going and then struggled through. Thanks Monk, I think, I’ll let you know when I re-emerge from the darkened room. Well done PeeDee, if I had to blog this one they’d have been waiting a very long time.

By: Nestorius

Nestorius — Wed, 23 May 2012 11:52:47 +0000

@Wanderer and @anax: you cracked it!
HOusingeSTAteS does give HOSTAS “variously intermittently”, that is, at irregular intervals.
Hostas are herbaceous plants frequently used for borders. I have never seen such a thing before: a nina as an almost essential part of a clue whcih in itself is a one-in-all.