Comments on: Everyman No. 3432 (15th July)

By: DexterC

DexterC — Mon, 20 Aug 2012 09:23:50 +0000

A bit late checking blog this week, it is good to see some local input for a change. Ken, I disagree with you. The search for the answer using standard references (thesaurus & dictionary)is allowed is part of the enjoyment of the chase. Although, even using those there are often gaps.

By: Caz

Caz — Sat, 18 Aug 2012 23:10:42 +0000

ditto Ken: We might get out more if the Herald sourced a local cryptic. Although sometimes the Saturday xword lasts until the next Saturday.

By: Ken

Ken — Sat, 18 Aug 2012 22:46:31 +0000

Howdy folks in NZ…me too!! I am regularly harangued for spending most of Saturday with the Cryptic!! Partner stopped the Herald once to try and stop me, but to no avail. Haha….but I still hate calling it quits and looking up the solutions!! “Cheese it”????? though….oh come on!!

By: Ben

Ben — Sat, 18 Aug 2012 20:41:00 +0000

Ditto Audrey; we too, are in NZ and I’ve refrained from ever commenting as it seems somewhat passé!
This is our Sunday morning ritual, and this morning we struggled, mainly as we had ‘calla’ instead of Lilac in 1ac… Sob sister, primrose path and cheese it proved too hard and we resorted to looking it up or we’d get nothing done today! Radial was our first in…
Thanks again for a great puzzle!

By: Elizabeth

Elizabeth — Sat, 18 Aug 2012 04:35:39 +0000

You are not talking to yourself Audrey, the month delay doesn’t really matter does it? These are always a good crosswords.
This weeks took me longer than usual, too much else going on. 19d Radial was the last to solve.

By: Audrey Ansell

Audrey Ansell — Sat, 18 Aug 2012 01:39:51 +0000

According to the Oxford Concise Dictionary Dolcelatte (which I think translates to sweet milk) is an Italian soft cheese.
Probably no one will read this comment as here in New Zealand, we get this crosssword over a month after those in England, so I’m probably talking to myself.

By: Donna

Donna — Sun, 22 Jul 2012 20:57:58 +0000

Thank you so much for the explanation of “treat,” Kathryn’s Dad! I love learning the different British expressions which we don’t hear in the States. My husband and I enjoy a lot of the British TV shows and I remember the first time we heard the expression “to go pear-shaped.” It was in “The Thin Blue Line.” We had no idea what it meant! Luckily, I have a Chambers Dictionary! The other expression I love is “there’ll be wigs on the green!” I think I first came across it in a Gothic novel by Sheridan LeFanu. I had no idea what it meant but when I found out it made laugh it was so perfect! As for “CHEESE IT,” I believe that expression was used in a lot of 1940ish American gangster films, as in “Cheese it! The cops!” usually with the sound of sirens in the background!

By: Kathryn's Dad

Kathryn's Dad — Sun, 22 Jul 2012 19:54:13 +0000

Thanks, Lorraine. Fame at last!

I remember finding this one mainly straightforward but with one or two tricky ones. CHEESE IT was new to me as well (I think dolcelatte is more ‘sweet milk’ – think La Dolce Vita, The Sweet Life).

I too struggled to finally get TREAT. Donna, I’m not surprised that you didn’t understand that one: in informal British English, you’d say ‘it’s my shout’ if you were standing at the bar and wanted to offer the people in your group a drink. In other words, you’d be ‘treating’ them to the beverage of their choice.

By: Donna

Donna — Sun, 22 Jul 2012 17:02:33 +0000

Thank you, Everyman, for another enjoyable puzzle and Lorraine, for your informative blog. I can’t say exactly why, but I found this puzzle trickier than usual. I got about half of it last Sunday evening, but then it took me two more sittings until I could finally finish it off on Tuesday evening. Last to go in was 26 Across. Like Bamberger, I had trouble with this one. I knew it had to be a double definition and since “treat” worked for “nurse” I wrote that in. I’m not quite sure I understand “treat” for “shout.” I was happy that the British spelling of “ardour” at 11 Across didn’t throw me as British spellings sometimes do! I’m learning! I haven’t looked at this week’s Everyman yet because yesterday there was a cryptic in The New York Times Sunday magazine. They have one every couple of months here. I started it late in the evening and stayed awake until an absurd hour trying to finish it. Everything was going so smoothly until I got hopelessly stuck on 2 crossing clues. I should’ve given up and gone to bed but I just couldn’t! In the end I still didn’t figure them out but will have another look today after my third cup of coffee! Wishing you all happy solving this week and “see” you next Sunday!

By: Robi

Robi — Sun, 22 Jul 2012 10:39:41 +0000

Good puzzle as always although I didn’t know PRIMROSE PATH, SOB SISTER and CHEESE IT.

Thanks 1d; fame at last! [Does he read the blog?]

I particularly liked INANIMATE OBJECT, RADIAL and TREAT.