Financial Times 18,228 by PETO

9 comments on “Financial Times 18,228 by PETO”

1. 

   grantinfreo

   #1 - Tue 2nd Dec 25, 05:36

   
   

   Yep a few nhos — scotch snap, star shell, the five ks — all guessable. Then there was ballute: even with the first L via alphacheck, thence remembering delivery = ball, I still had no idea. Always learning (or not!), ta for the chew Peto and Cineraria.

2. 

   WordPlodder

   #2 - Tue 2nd Dec 25, 06:46

   
   

   Pretty hard work. SCOTCH SNAP, BALLUTE and THE FIVE K’S were all unknown and the parsing of a few others such as OLD MAID was difficult. No complaints though and as GIF @1 says a learning exercise. My only slight quibble was that AX for ‘guitar’ in ALTO SAX could have been indicated as a US spelling.

   Interesting that the portmanteau word BALLUTE (balloon and parachute) is not even in the OED and of the standard UK reference works plus Merriam-Webster (all in app form anyway) is only in Collins.

   Thanks to Peto for a head-scratching and vocab. building exercise and to Cineraria for the clear explanations

3. 

   Muffyword

   #3 - Tue 2nd Dec 25, 07:45

   
   

   Not sure if it is a theme, but the down answers make bridging words.

4. 

   James P

   #4 - Tue 2nd Dec 25, 08:41

   
   

   Yup I had the same problems as everyone else and not many laughs. A learning experience.

5. 

   Cineraria

   #5 - Tue 2nd Dec 25, 09:51

   
   

   Muffyword@3: Interesting. It had occurred to me that the unusual word-choice in the solutions might be in the service of a theme, but I did not pick up on the possible bridging words. So we have SENSATION down the middle, which seems like a big neon hint, and I see GOTH, STEROL, POLES, ERAS, STAB(S), and SHELLAC (which seem like they are probably deliberate, if those are the words). So . . . . Fads? Taylor Swift? I am not sure how to connect of any of that.

6. 

   Pelham Barton

   #6 - Tue 2nd Dec 25, 13:44

   
   

   Thanks Peto and Cineraria

   24ac: Further to WP@2, the latest print editions of the dictionaries I routinely cite are dated 2007, 2010, 2011, 2013, 2016, and 2023, and it is only the last of these – Collins – which contains the answer ballute. I would be interested to know if the word is in any earlier print editions of Collins.

7. 

   Babbler

   #7 - Tue 2nd Dec 25, 17:06

   
   

   As a matter of interest, do individual setters stick to one particular dictionary? For example Azed routinely states that Chambers is recommended for his puzzles, and warns if a particular answer is not to be found there. (One accepts that proper nouns will not necessarily be in any dictionary.) It might help if setters gave a steer on which dictionary they use. I personally only use Chambers as I don’t like the others, and space is too valuable and the budget too tight to keep buying all of them, but it would still help if I knew that the setter was using e.g. Collins.

8. 

   mrpenney

   #8 - Tue 2nd Dec 25, 18:32

   
   

   Did this–all but the LOI, NHO BALLUTE–while waiting for an appointment with a doctor who was running late. So not the most felicitous circumstances for the puzzle. Still enjoyable in its way.

   By the way, in US crosswords, seemingly the only three Native American tribes that ever turn up are UTE, OTOE, and CREE. Learn those three and you’re set. (Of course, now someone will point me to a crossword where, say, the Potawatomi figure in…)

9. 

   Moly

   #9 - Wed 3rd Dec 25, 12:56

   
   

   Congratulations to those that finished. I did not enjoy at all and abandoned.

   Didn’t have much trouble with the previous Peto.

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