Comments on: Financial Times 14,110 by Cincinnus

By: Sil van den Hoek

Sil van den Hoek — Sat, 29 Sep 2012 13:30:39 +0000

John @7, Chambers gives us as definition no 2 in the main entry for “Pink”: Any plant or flower of the caryophyllaceous genus Dianthus, including carnation and sweet william.
That will do, I guess?
[but I wasn't familiar with it (either)]

By: John Newman

John Newman — Fri, 28 Sep 2012 10:40:28 +0000

Nice of Cincinnus to have a word. But we still do not have an explanation for 14A. Pink is indeed the hidden word. But what is the pink flower?

I am old enough to remember Lonnie Donnegan as well, but remember him mostly for his use of “bloody” British which was cut out by most radio stations in Australia at the time when playing the song, and for his chewing gum on the bedpost.

I always enjoy Cincinnus puzzles but this one was spoilt for me by his use of too many America reference clues.

By: Pete Maclean

Pete Maclean — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 17:36:21 +0000

I meant to add: this ‘flag’ = ‘iris’ often comes up in cryptic puzzles and is a handy thing to remember.

By: Pete Maclean

Pete Maclean — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 17:35:25 +0000

My Chambers has as its fourth entry for 'flag': n an iris; reed-grass (Bible). [Ety obscure; cd Du flag]

By: Gaufrid

Gaufrid — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 17:34:27 +0000

Hi Bamberger
See: http://oxforddictionaries.com/definition/english/flag–3

By: Bamberger

Bamberger — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 17:08:13 +0000

9a How does Iris =flag, please? The free online dictionary doesn’t have this.
Thanks

By: Pete Maclean

Pete Maclean — Thu, 27 Sep 2012 01:46:06 +0000

I am ashamed and disappointed that I missed the tribute to Pink Martini. I know them well although I have never managed to see them live. I am on their mailing list in the hope that I will get to see them one day. That day could be Valentines Day next year when they are scheduled to play in Washington DC. I live about 150 miles away but I am not sure I will be in the country at the time. I did see a streamed performance they gave a few months ago but that was with Storm Large, not China Forbes.

Another musician I have seen live is Pete Seeger but I must have missed that particular folk song. The name does not ring a bell for me at all. And I am old enough (just!) to remember Lonnie Donegan.

Thanks for your feedback.

By: Cincinnus

Cincinnus — Wed, 26 Sep 2012 23:52:32 +0000

Hi Pete, Thank you for a fine blog, as always, and for your kind words. You say re 14 across: "Cumberland Gap is a rather obscure location". Really? As a location, perhaps, but very well known - at least to those of us of a certain generation - as the title of a folk song popularised in the US by Woody Guthrie and Pete Seeger, among others, and in the UK by Lonnie Donegan in the 1950s. Still on a musical track, but a more up-to-date one, the puzzle contains a hidden tribute to one of my favourite bands - but I should imagine hardly anyone would have spotted this. PINK MARTINI (14, 19 across) is a "small orchestra" based in PORTLAND, OREGON (1, 5 across). The lead singer is CHINA FORBES (26, 22 down). Listen to them here.