Comments on: Guardian 25,783 / Paul

By: Paul B

Paul B — Sat, 03 Nov 2012 01:59:40 +0000

Re not that Brendan, I asked about the cryptic tense, AAMOF. His remark, unfortunately, is merely an opinion and explains nothing.

Re me doing exactly the same thing per Sil’s observation, guilty! ‘Earlier in the year’ would be crucial, however, as I don’t do it now. New fitness regime at Bringloe Towers, where stuff like that has to be unequivocal.

By: rhotician

rhotician — Sat, 03 Nov 2012 01:50:57 +0000

Patient – I’m bleeding!
Nurse – There, there, poor thing.

By: RCWhiting

RCWhiting — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 23:24:46 +0000

Where do you folks get your injections.
Why does the nurse give me a chunk of cotton wool and instruct me to press it over the HOLE? How come it sometimes bleeds?

Isn’t an oddball a person, not a thing (funny things)?

By: Brendan (not that one)

Brendan (not that one) — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 23:01:26 +0000

Very enjoyable puzzle for me. Although I agree with RCW that it did surrender rather quickly after some initial resistance.

I can’t agree with Paul B @22. Both “misfits” and “Labour leader” are fine. “misfit” is a verb after all. The last comment reminded me of Groucho’s famous remark.

I imagine Paul is laughing his socks off!

Thanks to Paul and Eileen.

By: Sil van den Hoek

Sil van den Hoek — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 22:18:51 +0000

Thanks, Eileen, for blogging this typical fun puzzle.
We only found 27ac (EARLY BIRD) rather weak.
But all in all a more than ‘a reasonable effort’, we thought.
Still not sure whether ‘half-baked’ is a good anagram indicator, but I am happy to give Paul the benefit of the doubt.
I found 7d (UNSHACKLE) particularly neat, just like 11ac (DRIVEWAY).

While I agree with Paul B @22 about ‘misfits’, I personally find ‘Labour leader’ for L acceptable (although I know where Paul B’s coming from).
Moreover, dear Mr B, may I cite a clue from a Neo puzzle in the FT this year?
3 May 2012, 14down : “Italian leader having run-in with Croat about political border (4,7)” …..

By: Eileen

Eileen — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 20:37:41 +0000

Dave Ellison @23

I really don’t want to open a can of worms but I would venture to say that Rufus is, surely, the master of the cryptic definition [to the chagrin of many solvers!].

I haven’t the energy at this time of night to trawl through the myriad examples that I know I could find in the archive but Galeraman [thanks] has reminded us of the most recent example.

By: blaise

blaise — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 20:26:25 +0000

Learned an interesting new term today, even though it was one of three answers I initially got wrong. If you google "clever table" you'll see what I mean. (Well, after all, a pedal's a kind of lever, innit?)

By: Galeraman

Galeraman — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 20:09:29 +0000

Dave Ellison @ 23 “Now why can’t Rufus write CDs like 2d?”. Well, “lead the way in the present transport system” from a couple of weeks ago was not exactly shabby!!

By: Dave Ellison

Dave Ellison — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 19:59:50 +0000

Thanks, Eileen and Paul.

Now why can’t Rufus write CDs like 2d?

I also was an odd baller for 25a, at first.

By: Paul B

Paul B — Fri, 02 Nov 2012 17:38:52 +0000

I’d like to know what the cryptic tense of ‘misfits’ is supposed to be, that’s for sure! And ‘Labour leader’ for L?

I’m sorry old boy, but I’m afraid you can’t come into the club dressed like that.