Comments on: Financial Times 14,009 – Crux

By: Sil van den Hoek

Sil van den Hoek — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 18:28:00 +0000

OK, Bamberger, I will not mention it again – promise (er, try to)!
It is just how I feel about Crux crosswords.
And I am perfectly happy with so-called ‘easier’ crosswords when they are so well-written as the puzzles this fine setter produces, time after time.

By: Bamberger

Bamberger — Fri, 01 Jun 2012 07:42:02 +0000

I’m happy with the level of difficulty. Of course I’m at the lower end of the ability level but my view is that if anyone finds it too easy , they have 5 others to choose from.

By: PeeDee

PeeDee — Thu, 31 May 2012 07:21:51 +0000

Thankyou Sil.

My take on 2dn is -

surface reading: to play this pipe (musical instrument) whilst taking drugs (grass) is illegal

cryptic reading: sprinkling (playing) a hosepipe on the lawn (grass) may be illegal (during a hosepipe ban).

Not the greatest clue ever written IMO.

By: mike04

mike04 — Thu, 31 May 2012 07:05:27 +0000

Thanks for the blog, Sil.

Yes, I think 2dn is a Cryptic Definition referring to a Hosepipe Ban.
For PLAY, Collins gives “to discharge or cause to discharge: he played the water
from the hose onto the garden”.

Definition in 14dn – a verb: works hard = ST(R)IVES (rather than STRIVER).
Definition in 22dn – a noun: protection (rather than ‘giving protection’) = ESCORT.

By: Yank

Yank — Wed, 30 May 2012 23:19:59 +0000

Is it possible that 2d is “hashpipe”? That would fit with the “grass” theme. Still a bit of a stretch…