Comments on: Guardian 25,835 / Paul

By: Huw Powell

Huw Powell — Wed, 09 Jan 2013 01:00:26 +0000

I know nobody ever reads my comments, except for the bloggers, since I prefer to run a small backlog (I hate to face the day without a puzzle to finish in the morning and a new one to start in the evening, at the very least!).

This was a real cracker! I think that whole week was, if I recall correctly. I do enjoy the “young guns”, Paul and Brendan, who seem to be pushing the boundaries while emulating the best of the old masters.

Had an almost empty NE corner due to having no idea who the Olympian was – though the cryptic part of the clue is absolutely fair – and plumping for corblimey, and, strangely, Toronto. That city only works if “tont” means “we” somewhere in Europe…

Probably my most enjoyed 225 blog ever, since I was able to correct some errors one at a time and proceed from the new checked letters, GORBLIMEY allowed me to solve AUGURY, my COD (or of the week…) and then CENTAURUS!.

At 18 I was very into the “symbol” concept – as “something thought”. Interesting to read that the word was clued elsewhere using that concept. I do think it was intended.

Thanks so much to Paul for the challenge and to Eileen and the rest of you lot for the blog.

By: Sylvia

Sylvia — Tue, 08 Jan 2013 03:28:18 +0000

Very late solving last week’s crosswords, but 18d at first suggested ‘twiddle’ for a thumb thing – something I am apt to do unconsciously :=)

By: Gaufrid

Gaufrid — Sun, 06 Jan 2013 07:49:52 +0000

Thanks Ilippu, error corrected.

By: Ilippu

Ilippu — Sun, 06 Jan 2013 03:05:57 +0000

this is 25835…not 25836…search may prove difficult. thanks.

By: Sil van den Hoek

Sil van den Hoek — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 00:34:51 +0000

Whoa, Carmel, very near!
Now there’s an opportunity missed by our beloved setter.

By: Carmel

Carmel — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 00:25:18 +0000

Fairly random thought – Pistorius is a near anagram of Pussy Riot.

By: Brendan (not that one)

Brendan (not that one) — Fri, 04 Jan 2013 00:16:08 +0000

Quite an easy solve as I studiously avoid the Olympics. I have no interest in any of the events bar football for the other 3 years and 48 weeks! Consequently I had to Google the names of the athletes?? as I’ve never heard of them.

Still quite an enjoyable puzzle. I didn’t spot the lavatorial references though?

Thanks to Eileen and Paul.

By: Giovanna

Giovanna — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 22:25:00 +0000

Thanks, Paul for the fun and Eileen as ever for a super blog.

I needed the link to Cockspurs and was interested to find pome there from a fairly recent puzzle.

Happy New Year to you all.

Giovanna x

By: rhotician

rhotician — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 22:00:02 +0000

The thimble is most commonly worn on the middle finger. My own middle finger is damaged so I use my ring finger. My granny had a large thimble which she used on the thumb of her left hand for heavy-duty work on such as rugs.

By: RCWhiting

RCWhiting — Thu, 03 Jan 2013 19:29:53 +0000

Gervase, I am sure you are right although both words do have the same origin.