Comments on: Guardian 25,726 – Paul

By: William

William — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 20:25:37 +0000

Thanks Uncle – a fine blog as usual.

I enjoyed this puzzle a lot. Lots of different tricks and devices that are Paul’s trade mark.

I’m with morphiamonet @14 – it’s no more than a simple slip and in no way detracts from the fun of the puzzle.

Paul is up there with the best in my view.

More please.

By: anax

anax — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 16:06:43 +0000

If my own experience is anything to go by, I think there may be something innocent behind the double use of an identical device.
It’s quite rare that a puzzle appears with no intervening editing process – there will generally be at least one or two changes, sometimes involving a complete rewrite of a clue. That can happen a long time after the first draft of the puzzle and it’s easy to miss the fact that in rewriting a clue you repeat something that’s already been used (especially if, as in Paul’s case, you’re setting a lot of puzzles).
It’s unfortunate when it happens, but at the editing stage it can happen very easily.

By: morphiamonet

morphiamonet — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 15:00:31 +0000

Noticeable and avoidable, yes, but ‘unforgiveable’??

Seriously folks, has anybody found a sense of proportion that appears to have gone missing.

By: Cosafina

Cosafina — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 14:01:41 +0000

Thanks Paul and Uncle Yap. I had great difficulty with 25a – mainly because I didn’t notice that I’d spelled 23d TETHH… doh!

By: RCWhiting

RCWhiting — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 13:22:33 +0000

Thanks all
A satisfactory workout for a Tuesday.
Having solved 7d early I actually used the thought when I came to 15d.
Last in was ‘supersize’, I was seeking an American term for a prisoner!
I liked 5d for its deceptive definition.

By: Miche

Miche — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 12:05:44 +0000

Thanks, UY.

I don’t time myself, but I’m pretty sure this was a quicker solve than usual with Paul. I particularly liked “Article subedited” at 13d and the anagram at 22,3. Not so convinced by 17,28: to go down in history and to be notorious aren’t all that close in meaning. Notoriety can be as fleeting as celebrity.

By: Robi

Robi — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 11:43:53 +0000

P.S. VERTICALLY CHALLENGED had a superbly written clue, I thought.

By: Robi

Robi — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 11:41:44 +0000

Entertaining, although not as playful as some of Paul’s.

Thanks UY, I always thought that INDIAN SUMMER referred to the Raj; for an interesting discussion see here.

TRILEMMA and TESTA were new to me. When I saw the ‘z’ and ‘j’ I thought a pangram might be on, but no. I liked SUPERSIZE, which could also be ‘As an American.’ [No general offence intended!]

By: crypticsue

crypticsue — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 09:57:32 +0000

An enjoyable Paul for a sunny Tuesday. Not quite as much fun as usual and reading the other comments, I don’t think that was just me. Thanks to Paul and UY

By: tupu

tupu — Tue, 28 Aug 2012 09:48:13 +0000

Thanks UY and Paul

This got more enjoyable as it went along.

Some very good misleading surfaces e.g.15d and 8d. I also ticked 22,3 – my COD, 25a, 5d.