Comments on: Financial Times 14,212 by IO

By: PeeDee

PeeDee — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 23:18:42 +0000

Being a mathematician I had the same concerns as you mike, but then on second thoughts came to the same conclusion as Pelham. I had written some comemnts in the original blog to that effect, but then for some completely numpty reason I acidentally deleted it and ha to write another more rushed attempt.

By: mike04

mike04 — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 23:11:44 +0000

Thanks, Pelham.

I should’ve considered ‘non-zero’ in the sense of ‘not equal to zero’.
With hindsight, of course, it’s rather obvious!

By: Pelham Barton

Pelham Barton — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 21:17:57 +0000

mike04@4 re 13ac: The first definition of real in Chambers 2011 is "actually existing". Try a sentence like "there is a real effect": you could replace "real" by "non-zero" in that.

By: mike04

mike04 — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 21:02:59 +0000

Thanks very much, Io and PeeDee.

In 13ac, I’m wondering about the definition ‘Real’ and the solution ‘NON-ZERO’.
In mathematics, zero is a real number:
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Real_number

By: crypticsue

crypticsue — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 14:03:10 +0000

Having had an enforced week off from crosswords/reading anything at all, I did wonder how I was going to cope with an IO on my first day back but I didn’t have any problems at all and enjoyed myself into the bargain. Always a fan of a crossword where my favourite miserable donkey makes an appearance.

Thanks to IO for entertaining me greatly while proving that my brain still works and to PeeDee for the blog.

By: Pelham Barton

Pelham Barton — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 13:40:21 +0000

Thanks Io for an enjoyable crossword and PeeDee for the blog. Favourite clue 22ac and I needed PeeDee’s explanation for 23ac and 10dn.

7ac: I agree with PeeDee’s explanation (I agree with all of the others as well, but he expressed doubt about this one).

13ac: My one grumble with this crossword. Nero was a real person, but the story of him fiddling while Rome burnt is almost certainly untrue: at best he will have played a plucked stringed instrument such as a lyre. To me, that means we need some indication of the dubious nature of the definition.

5dn: When solving, I wondered if “on” was doing double duty here, but Chambers 2008 gives pointe as “the extreme tip of the toe, or the position of standing on it”, so “tiptoe” is a sufficient definition.

By: Rowland

Rowland — Wed, 16 Jan 2013 13:31:50 +0000

It is O getting the ‘no’. So you are right! But it could have been ALL OURS anyway, so not the best trick. I thought some here didn’t make a lor of sense, but still an enjoyable run-out.

Thanks,
Rowly.