Comments on: Inquisitor 1256: The Answer is 5 by Eclogue

By: Bertandjoyce

Bertandjoyce — Sat, 08 Dec 2012 07:32:31 +0000

We’ve recently returned from holiday and are only just catching up on the Inquisitors.

We thought this was a very cleverly constructed puzzle although we also feel that there was some rather obscure clueing. We also needed your help HolyGhost with the parsing of 20ac so many thanks.

Thanks Eclogue for the amusement which lasted quite a few days!!

By: Liz Geear

Liz Geear — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 16:42:36 +0000

Well I thoroughly enjoyed this one. 20AC couldn’t have been anything else so it went in but thanks for the explanation now, HG. It might not be in the ‘dictionary’ but in the US those hired thugs are definitely sometimes referred to as being ‘apes’ (they sent the apes in). BRB gives peter(s) (vt) as ‘dwindling away to nothing’ – ends, surely?. Re 39a…mmm I can see what you mean about a tenuous link,Hi. A wussy being a timid person and a girly being a patronising term but I have heard men called wussies as an alternative to (BIG)girls! However I think there is a place for non-dictionary definitions in this type of puzzle – usually topical and humorous anyway – and a smattering of TIC is not a bad thing.
Thanks Eclogue – no complaints from me.
And thanks HG for an illuminating blog!

By: Hi of hihoba

Hi of hihoba — Wed, 28 Nov 2012 08:43:58 +0000

I thought this was a brilliant grid spoiled by some pretty obscure (even poor) clues.

I agree with HG’s comments about 20A, 32A, 24D and 40A. I would add that “peters” on its own in 46A does not mean ends unless it is followed by “out”, and that in 28A “apes” may be goons (stupid people, American) but they are not “hired” to my knowledge or in my dictionaries. Also defining WUSSIES as “girlies” in 39A is poor – the dictionary indicates only the most tenuous connection.

The crossword was solvable, but these problems rather spoiled an otherwise entertaining Inquisitor.