Comments on: Guardian 25,692 / Brummie

By: Huw Powell

Huw Powell — Tue, 24 Jul 2012 02:33:58 +0000

Clunky in my opinion. 3/4 easy clues, 1/4 bizarre British place names that no one has ever heard of.

18 lacks a definition.

To finish the 1/4, I found that Brits call them WHEEL-CLAMPs. Then I just went brute force at onelook. Found my wild guess of CLACTON-ON-SEA exists. Embarrassed at missing CONSONANT. Onelook gave me some obscure village at 18a. I think house-train is very poor. FEATHER was what, again? Oh, yes, an obvious clue with an impenetrable cryptic def.

OK, I understand that sometimes these puzzles will be full of Britishisms and local lore, but this one was just weird. It should have had a title, or directions, so some of us would understand why some of the clues were unsolvable.

As always, thanks Brummie for the confusing path to solution, and Eileen for the blog.

By: drago

drago — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 23:29:23 +0000

PS you have two 5-downs

By: drago

drago — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 23:01:11 +0000

Thanks Eileen and Brummie. A pleasant stroll.
I wonder if Brummie is a fan of modern dance? The Cholmondeleys and the Featherstonehaughs are all-female and all-male dance companies founded by Lea Anderson.

By: RCWhiting

RCWhiting — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 21:26:33 +0000

John, the gas does exist as diatomic molecules,hence O2.
But the symbol for the element is simply O.

By: Eileen

Eileen — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 20:56:51 +0000

Hi molonglo

You seem to imply now that you got there in the end and I really don’t want to patronise you if you did – but neither do I want you to miss the humour of the clue if you didn’t!

I can’t remember if you are one of our transatlantic commenters: if so, you may not be familiar with two elements of the wordplay;

Chambers: 1: ‘house-trained: [of animals] taught to urinate and defecate outdoors or in a place provided for the purpose
2: ‘to go: to urinate’

so the length of the clue is what makes it so amusing!

[If you're not American, a thousand apologies ]

By: molonglo

molonglo — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 20:35:50 +0000

Eileen @20 – only the awfully long definition, which eluded me for as much time as completing the rest of the puzzle.

By: Eileen

Eileen — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 19:42:25 +0000

Hi Giovanna

Buon Compleanno e tanti auguri!

Yes, I meant to say that Cockburn wasn’t even on that list!

By: Martin P

Martin P — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 19:23:39 +0000

A one-pint-solve but fun all the way.

Thanks again Brummie, keep ‘em coming

By: Giovanna

Giovanna — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 18:35:47 +0000

Thanks, Brummie and Eileen for my birthday entertainment!

Loved 18 across even more when I saw the links. It’s not just the non-Brits who would struggle with the pronunciation. Anybody who had not been told, would never guess at its pronunciation!This is the sort of thing that makes English so enjoyable.

Gervase @ 8… the imagination boggles!!!

Giovanna x

By: John

John — Thu, 19 Jul 2012 17:48:23 +0000

Or am I thinking of the gas?