Comments on: Guardian Cryptic N° 25,795 by Brummie

By: brucew_aus

brucew_aus — Sun, 18 Nov 2012 21:48:41 +0000

Did forget to mention the clever mini theme in the clues of singers and songs in 9, 11, 25, 28, 1d and 15 as well as other entertainment items in a few other clues – 14 and 7.

By: brucew_aus

brucew_aus — Sun, 18 Nov 2012 21:40:33 +0000

Thanks Brummie and PeterO

Another one caught up in the wash of the testing puzzles over the past few days – only got to look at it on Sunday. Well worth the wait … didn’t latch on to the theme until finished and final parsing.

Curiously DARWIN took ages as I tend to look beyond my own backyard … tried making TAIWAN fit for ages – not even a capital! Wasn’t familiar with the Cockney ‘believe it’ which held up that line for a while. Hadn’t seen TRY SQUARE either.

Last in was SCREENWASH in what was an enjoyable solve.

By: Coffee

Coffee — Sat, 17 Nov 2012 01:49:00 +0000

One of the few I didn’t get was DR WHO – am ashamed to say that my mind was not entirely on the puzzle as I was watching… Dr. Who.
Damn Messrs Moffat, Gaiman, Smith & co.

By: Sylvia

Sylvia — Sat, 17 Nov 2012 00:32:21 +0000

Failed to get ‘screenwash’ and consequently ‘enunciate’. I was convinced the improved visibility referred to reading glasses or to an optical operation. Doh!

By: Brendan (not that one)

Brendan (not that one) — Sat, 17 Nov 2012 00:11:29 +0000

Another really enjoyable puzzle. This must be the best week for a long time. Four absolute crackers in a row.

I always enjoy Brummie and he didn’t disappoint today. Although it was an easier solve than usual for him.

Interesting to read Brummie’s response to “INNERTUBE”gate. At the time I thought it was a storm in a teacup and I admire his robust response.

Thanks to PeterO for the blog.

By: RCWhiting

RCWhiting — Fri, 16 Nov 2012 17:49:24 +0000

Thanks all
Not without some pleasures but rather straightforward from this compiler.
Last in was 18ac.

By: chas

chas — Fri, 16 Nov 2012 17:33:07 +0000

Thanks to PeterO for the blog. I needed you to explain several cases where I actually had the right answer without being able to explain it.

You said in your introduction that you have had several years experience with this compiler – under one name or another. I have not had that experience so I found this puzzle hard going. I am just not on his wavelength at all.

By: Davy

Davy — Fri, 16 Nov 2012 17:14:41 +0000

Thanks Peter,

An excellent puzzle from Brummie which was very entertaining. It was also one that I finished without aids and for which I didn’t require
an explanation for any of the clues. That must be a first !. So many good clues so I choose just two : TRY SQUARE and WOULD YOU ADAM AND
EVE IT. Thanks Brummie.

By: Miche

Miche — Fri, 16 Nov 2012 14:17:56 +0000

Thanks, PeterO.

Took me a couple of minutes to get started, but once I saw the theme there were a couple of write-ins (if a clue mentions “19′s 20 of 10,” and you have 19=DARWIN, 20 and 10 are evident without looking at their clues). A fun puzzle all the same.

Gervase @12: Though (mostly) not so called by other characters, the Doctor was named as “Dr. Who” or “Doctor Who” in the credits of every episode for the first 17 series. https://dl.dropbox.com/u/1786999/DrWho.png

By: Trailman

Trailman — Fri, 16 Nov 2012 14:01:18 +0000

Another cracker to follow on from yesterday. Completely different though, in that yesterday’s flowed from the start, while today the first read through only led to AQUA / TRY SQUARE. After a break, SCREENWASH filtered through and I was away. Theme didn’t help till near the end though.