Comments on: Financial Times 14,041 by Gozo

By: Ernie

Ernie — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 19:49:10 +0000

crypticsue

re 21a

Chambers gives the definition for pikelet as a teacake (dialect).

By: PeeDee

PeeDee — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 14:34:04 +0000

I just posted a blog for yesterday’s FT if anyone is still interested.

By: Rishi

Rishi — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 13:35:41 +0000

Bamberger@4

There is no doubt about your answer PALOOKA as the given justification P(A LOOK)A is spot on.

Chambers records it but marks it as US slang. Origin unknown!

By: Bamberger

Bamberger — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 13:10:10 +0000

Re 3 I’d assumed I was the only 20a from yesterday who couldn’t finish it.
20a “Bungler becomes a spy in Panama”. Answer p a look a. Now I’ve heard some expressions for bunglers but never that one (used several solvers on p?l?o?a)

By: crypticsue

crypticsue — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 12:23:41 +0000

Not that difficult once I got into my stride. I had heard of both the tea and the woodlouse so they didn’t hold me up. However, I might dispute whether a 21a is really a 15a, although I suppose you can eat both at teatime. Thanks to Gozo and PeeDee too.

Do tell, was there no blog for yesterday’s FT because, like me, no-one could finish it!!

By: Richard

Richard — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 12:19:35 +0000

Thanks for the blog, PeeDee. Attempted this in a 40 minute lunchbreak with no access to dictionary or google.

Like Bamberger I found 22d very hard and I’d never heard of Pekoe (in 27).

I was also hampered by not knowing that Pimento = allspice. I should (cheekily) point out that Poss et al are not all spices – only Ginger is a spice!

My favourite clues were 6 & 21.

By: Bamberger

Bamberger — Wed, 27 Jun 2012 10:31:47 +0000

I didn’t find it easy and had gaps all over. As ever with crosswords, if I’d had somemore crossing letters some of the missing answers might have been gettable.

5d I also had leg side.
22d Very hard in my book

Anyone know what happened to yesterday’s blog of 14040 Phssthpok, please?