Comments on: Guardian Cryptic N° 25,699 by Gordius

By: drago

drago — Thu, 02 Aug 2012 00:22:06 +0000

Thanks PeterO and Gordius.
I had no complaints about Y-SHAPED, but am surprised that MEAGRE has gone uncommented, as I feel there is insufficient overlap with ‘barren’ – I rejected it and so didn’t pursue EAGRE, to my chagrin.

By: Tim Phillips

Tim Phillips — Sun, 29 Jul 2012 09:43:45 +0000

Dave Ellison @7: arguably one of the newest Goons jokes! I believe they first used it in The Last Goon Show Of All, 5th October 1972:

“I say, I say, I say – how do you start a pudding race?”

“I don’t know, how do you start a pudding race?”

“Say go!”

By: Giovanna

Giovanna — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 19:35:41 +0000

Thanks, Miche @ 17. I enjoyed the link!!

Giovanna x

By: ginnifer

ginnifer — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 19:01:24 +0000

I got ‘stargaze’ for 15down. I was so convinced it was right, I didn’t get 18!

By: Trailman

Trailman — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 13:50:53 +0000

I quite like Gordius usually (I know not everyone does) but today was a bit here and there for me. One of my quickest solves for some time. Some stand-outs certainly – 23 deserves credit – but a few weaker clues too, eg 20. There’s a surfeit of clues with ? at the end: I felt Gordius was perhaps trying a little bit too hard for allusive cleverness.
But how remarkable not to have an Olympic theme today! Maybe it’s being saved up for tomorrow. My money’s on Crucible.

By: Miche

Miche — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 13:37:36 +0000

Giovanna @14 – The slogan “Go to work on an egg” has often been attributed to Fay Weldon, but it’s a bit more complicated. “I flicked through some stuff from 1932 and spotted it, “Go to work on an egg”, so we put that up at the top. It didn’t sell any more eggs, of course, but everyone remembers it.” http://www.guardian.co.uk/lifeandstyle/2009/aug/30/fay-weldon

By: RCWhiting

RCWhiting — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 12:55:46 +0000

Thanks all
Having written in six and a half solutions in the NW corner without a thought I suspected a Mondayesque non-entertainment.
I was wrong, very wrong. Thoroughly tested by the rest and plenty of cleverness to admire.
Especially impressed by 21ac, 19d (Party leader indeed!) and 22d (saw lace instantly but was misled by tradition, TE and DH etc.).
Last in was ‘meagre’

By: rowland

rowland — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 12:51:32 +0000

Thanks to PeterO and everyone who has commented.

Feeling pleased with myself today having completed both Indy and Guardian with very few hitches. The one that stands out for me here is 21 across. Does this really work? I got it easily, since the clue gives it away, but then I started the head-scratching!

Never mind, I’m sure I’ll get over it, and thanks to all.

By: Giovanna

Giovanna — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 12:27:33 +0000

Thanks, Gordius and PeterO.

19d was the last in but once the crossing letters were in place, it all made sense.
I liked Disturbed Night and remembered the rhyme you quote.

I know Fay Weldon from her slogan – Go to Work on an Egg, which was brilliantly successful. (No doubt somebody will correct me if my memory plays false.)

Giovanna x

By: martin

martin — Fri, 27 Jul 2012 11:38:07 +0000

Many thanks for the expanation of Y-SHAPED.

Nice 1d extra in that Josh Stone is famous for being raised in Devon, although unfortunately about 20 miles from Seaton.