Comments on: Guardian Quiptic 688/Pan

By: Rodger

Rodger — Wed, 30 Jan 2013 16:23:09 +0000

Must disagree that “honey” is an Americanism. Did Ringo Starr not sing “Honey, Don’t?” Did Mick, inquiring whether the Boston Strangler were familiar, not provide reassurance, saying “Honey, it’s not one of those?”

“Hone,” on the other hand, is a tight fit on “polish.”

By: michelle

michelle — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 01:34:41 +0000

Robi@12 and Pierre@13
somehow with your encouragement and support I have persevered and have just finished the Everyman #3459. I really thought I would not be able to finish that one. Pierre, I look forward to your blog next Sunday, to see if I got it right!

By: michelle

michelle — Tue, 22 Jan 2013 01:13:51 +0000

Robi@12 and Pierre@13 – yes, I have also enjoyed the Everyman blogs. I have been going back through the old Everyman puzzles (and the regular Cryptics as well as the Quiptics) on Guardian website, then referring to the respective blogs on fifteensquared as part of my “cracking cryptic crosswords crash course”. It is fabulous that both Guardian and fifteensquared have archived all the old puzzles and blogs so that someone like me can really learn a lot.

By: Otherstuff

Otherstuff — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 23:45:24 +0000

a friend of mine had a greenstick fracture when we were young so the word has stayed with me. Had a little moan on the Guardian website about the re-appearance (yet again) of lady gaga – makes me wish only dead people would appear as in the Times. I found it more difficult than the prize or everyman over the weekend

By: Pierre

Pierre — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 19:47:29 +0000

On which Sunday, Paul aka Pierre will be doing the blog, so if you’re still stuck, drop in.

By: Robi

Robi — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 18:46:52 +0000

Michelle @11; you probably know that there is also an Everyman blog a week after the puzzle publication, so if you get stuck you can refer to that on Sunday.

By: michelle

michelle — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 14:39:18 +0000

hi robi

hahaha…. no that’s not me in the picture at bottom of today’s Rufus which I tried by the way and could barely get half of it done.

I am also still struggling on yesterday’s Everyman.

At least I did 99% of the Quiptic – it was obviously well-designed for beginners like me this week

By: Robi

Robi — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 13:30:37 +0000

Thanks Pan & Pierre. Yes, a bit trickier than some – HONE was my last in, as there were so many possibilities and I fell into the ‘e’ sweetheart trick. Although Chambers does not give hone=polish in the main dictionary, it does in the Chambers Xword dictionary as a synonym!

Welcome Michelle; there is a picture of you at the bottom of the blog for the Guardian Rufus puzzle.

I sometimes look for constructions that are too clever in these clues – I did not expect to see ‘man’ in both clue and answer for COMMANDO.

By: Eileen

Eileen — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 12:17:09 +0000

I see what you mean, crosser, but I would still think of that as meaning ‘sharpen’! Anyway, since Collins surprisingly has it, I’m not arguing.

By: crosser

crosser — Mon, 21 Jan 2013 12:00:55 +0000

Thanks, Pierre.
Eileen, I thought of hone as to hone/polish one’s skills.