Financial Times 18,115 by JULIUS

16 comments on “Financial Times 18,115 by JULIUS”

1. I agree that this was great fun. The anagram in 1ac made me chuckle. Excellent blog too, although there is a typo in 27ac (Oxford).
   Thanks Julius and loonapick.

2. Great fun throughout.

   Thanks to Julius and loonapick

3. We don’t get that many themed puzzles in the FT – this was typically clever from Julius. And, given the theming, the setter is forgiven ENSOUL which is certainly a forced word. Unlike our blogger, I didn’t find any of the devices particularly forced, however, and the anagrams, as always, are a delight. As is IBUPROFEN as a reverse hidden. Lots of super clues but the grid is the star on this occasion.

   Thanks Julius and loonapick

4. I am one more who liked the reverse hidden IBUPROFEN.
   Also liked MIDDLE-OF-THE-ROAD, BOOT CAMP and METAL.

   Thanks Julius and loonapick.

5. I echo all the above, especially re IBUPROFEN.

   Many thanks, Julius and loonapick.

6. Unlike some who post here, I like a good Spoonerism, so MIDDLE-OF-THE-ROAD was right up my street, so to speak. Great puzzle. Thanks both.

7. Thanks Julius and loonapick

   To the thematics you could also add 23 INTRO, POP is contained in 27, and RAP is reversed in 16.

   And 16 contains most of MENTo, while 4 has 2/3 of SKa.

   It’s probably a stretch too far to say that 6 has a pun on URBAN.

8. Thanks for the blog, dear loonapick, and thanks to those who have commented.
   I’ve stepped in to volunteer to do this month’s news-themed puzzle so see you again on Sunday perhaps…
   best wishes to all, Rob/Julius

9. Two days running with a theme, but I never notice them unless someone points the theme out to me. I managed to complete it, but didn’t get the Spoonerism. In practice I never do, so I’m one of the anti-Spoonerism gang. I find them tiresome.
   I remember reading an article many years ago claiming that, interestingly, there is no evidence that Spooner made Spoonerisms, but that he did have a reputation for non sequiturs and eccentric turns of phrase.
   Thanks for an entertaining puzzle and helpful blog

10. Thanks Julius for a most enjoyable crossword with a theme even I could see. I wondered if SKY PILOT was somehow related since that was a big hit by Eric Burden & the Animals. My top picks were COUNTRY, APRON, ANTIOCH, LATIN, SKY PILOT, G CLEF, and BOOT CAMP. I’m embarassed to say I couldn’t parse IBUPROFEN. Thanks loonapick for the blog.

11. Mostly tractable, with NE corner needing some time given two previously unknown words, a brand name and GARAGE which misled me to think it was a double definition.

    I share Julius’s view of EASY LISTENING. Also Ticked EXCLAIM, APRON, ANTIOCH, REGGAE, GRUNGE, and IBUPROFEN so cleverly hidden. Always so many ticks with Julius

    All parsed

    Thanks Julius and loonapick

12. I look forward to your news-themed puzzle on Sunday, Julius. I hope there will be the bare minimum mention of convicted felons. Unfortunately one of them does rather overpopulate the news.

13. Martyn @11: I was also misled by GARAGE; I first entered ‘estate’ which can be a vehicle or a residence & I think ‘estate’ has been clued similarly by other setters. It took a bit before I realised the error.

14. TS@13 – yes, I also thought of ESTATE as a solution for 15ac. Luckily I solved 6dn and some of its crossers before arriving at 15ac, so I avoided the trap.

    I will try to remember the news puzzle this week

15. Sky and Pilot are both bands

16. I find Spoonerisms more enjoyable (and more susceptible of solution) when the mangled expression is one that makes sense without being forced. That said, given the theme it was almost inevitable.
    For me, BOOT CAMP was the favorite.
    Cheers to all.

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