Financial Times 16,830 by HAMILTON

12 comments on “Financial Times 16,830 by HAMILTON”

1. Thanks to both setter and blogger for a pleasant start to the day. I completely agree about the curate’s egg. Some clues were subtle but PLAINCHANT was one of my last ones in because I thought it was too obvious.

2. Grant – Typo in 10a where the anagram is CENSURED + U.

3. In retrospect this wasn’t hard but for some reason I became stuck in the NE corner and took ages to finish. Definitely not on form, as indicated by the now obvious PLAINCHANT being my last in.

   I didn’t really understand the wordplay for OVERCHARGE and learnt that a SMOOTHIE is a ‘healthy drink’ despite its (presumably) high calorie count. A CROQUETTE as a ‘cake’ was also new, but there it is in Chambers, so can’t complain.

   Thanks to Hamilton and Grant

4. Thought we were on for a pangram but no ‘Z’. If I had known what PLAINCHANT was, I might have found it obvious too – anyway, it was accessible enough.
   I liked GAUNTLET, FRILLY and the surface
   for STIMULATED. I took a long time over CROQUETTE which I suppose is a cake in a fishcake sort of way and because I didn’t think ‘giddy’ for ‘coquette’ which to me suggests calculated rather than ditsy behaviour. However, the dictionary gave ‘flighty’ so I guess it’s fine.
   Thanks to Hamilton and Grant alike.
   Thanks to Hamilton and Grant.

5. Thanks Hamilton and Grant
   A typical puzzle by this setter, whose sometimes quirky clues I tend to enjoy for their um … quirkiness. Having got to know that they will probably be coming is good forewarning – making the journey that bit trickier!
   I think that in 6d the definition should be ‘ask for more to service’, as that the service industry is where it tends to happen the most – alongside the catering inside sporting grounds !
   Have heard of PLAINSONG before but not PLAINCHANT, but it couldn’t be anything else and didn’t hold up progress for too long. Took longer than it should hav to understand ELOP. No real favourites but an overall enjoyable solve, finishing in the NE corner with SMOOTHIE (which popped up recently in another puzzle that I did, holding out just as long again here) and the clever MIDWIFE as the last one in.

6. We crossed in the ether but I echo your sentiments, Wordplodder.

7. In 16a, aren’t East and North points of the compass rather than degrees of the compass?

8. As others have said, the usual Hamilton mix of good (e.g. GAUNTLET, FRILLY …) and poor, such as 23a. I just can’t see why he chose “discovered” as an anagrind (maybe something like “crashed” would work better?) and why on earth did he choose the past tense for the surface? Like Diane, I thought it was going to be a pangram but lacks Z – a lipogram if you like.

9. A pleasant solve so thanks to Hamilton. Also thanks to GB for blogging 15A and 17D however I found your comments unkind and unnecessary.

10. Thanks Hamilton — I enjoyed ELOPE, FRILLY, GALLON, and VENUE. Thanks Grant — I didn’t understand GAUNTLET or MIDWIFE. [And Grant, I certainly don’t understand what Lemski @ 9 means vis a vis 15a and 17d.]

11. Pleasant enough despite some quirky clues. Favourite was MIDWIFE, our LOI.
    Thanks, Hamilton and Grant.

12. Thanks for the entertainment Hamilton and the explanations Grant. I only got round to this with my breakfast coffee this morning so am behind the rest of you. As usual, I enjoyed the challenge.
    Um, Grant, your explanation for 5d is missing an “F” in midwifery.

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