Financial Times 16,639 by BRADMAN

10 comments on “Financial Times 16,639 by BRADMAN”

1. Bradman’s usual enjoyable puzzle: but I felt he was below par with 7dn (DROP IN in the same sentence as DROPPING). Otherwise it was sheer pleasure, especially trying to pronounce mentally ‘GEODESISTS’ — the first and last time I use the word, I’m sure. And thanks to Turbolegs for a Friday well spent.

2. Phew, Bradman at his hardest. I initially gave up, having nothing in the NE corner, but then had another go and managed to finish, my “in” being OCTOPUS for ‘organisation that happens to be everywhere’. Yes, OK it’s in Chambers and probably just my ignorance, but really? I’d vaguely heard of PIPISTRELLE, but had never come across the “ancient Israelite unit of dry measure” for OMER at 4d (wordplay helpful and thanks for link) or the “landing-stair on a riverside” for GHAT at 6d (wordplay not so obvious).

   As also noted by Hornbeam @1, am I missing something, or is DROP IN just a “Bradman not at his best” clue?

   Anyway enough grumpiness. Thanks to Bradman and Turbolegs

3. I was going to say that 6d was a ?H?T clue 🙂 but that’s a bit unfair since the wordplay led to the unlikely answer. OMER was new to me and so was that meaning for OCTOPUS. PIPISTRELLE was worked out from the clue but I’m sure I’ve seen it before. All in all, a pretty good crossword, so no grumps from me.

4. Given that I find Bradman at the harder end of the spectrum, I felt rather pleased to have completed all but three without help today.
   The NE corner was where I too came to grief, failing on HIRER/GHAT. I smiled ruefully at GEODESISTS – couldn’t get the GEO part despite visiting La G?ode in Paris in its inaugural year. PIPISTRELLE I remember from a childhood nature book and thought it such a beautiful word.
   There were so many excellent clues today that I also wonder at DROP IN. Probably spent too much time looking for other options there because of ‘dropping ‘.
   But how brilliant were many of the other clues! I loved MISSPEAK, FELINE and HORSEFLIES. Oh, and INSIDER too, while we’re about it.
   Feel very spoiled by the high calibre of puzzles this week.
   Many thanks to Bradman and the sterling efforts of Turbolegs.

5. Thanks Bradman and Turbolegs

   I may be being dim, and it’ll probably drop with a thud as soon as I post, but I can’t make 16 work.

   Certainly, horseflies are nasty little creatures, but I don’t see what ‘making comment’ is doing.

   I’d originally read it as ‘making comments’, which gave me HORSE LIES, fair enough, but then there’s an extraneous F. And if Pegasus is a dbe, where’s the indicator?

   Any further guidance will be appreciated.

6. Simon S @5: I suppose it’s a kind of telegraphic speech from someone seeing Pegasus in motion.

7. A challenge from the Don, but not an insurmountable one.  We had the most trouble in the NE corner where we took aqges to see TRUSTEES and had to check GHAT in Chambers.  21ac also held us up for a while as we were trying to make an anagram of ‘Priest left in heap’ until we remembered about PIPISTRELLE – which was one of our favourites alomg with OCTOPUS and INCIDENT (we liked the fact that ‘disturbance’ was not an anagram indicator).

   Thanks, Bradman and Turbolegs.

8. I’m only here for the second or third time and, if this is Bradman at his hardest, I feel pleased to have made significant progress and no shame in having been defeated by four interlinked in the NE.  GHAT is a nho, though I’d guessed it began with a G, OCTOPUS had me fixated on ‘omni’, HIRER and TRUSTEES just wouldn’t come.  But I had huge enjoyment from most of the rest, including all those highlighted by Diane @4.  MANURE made me smile: I view Ur as the “classic” ancient city of crosswordland.

   Simon S @5: ‘making comment’ is serving as an “as reported” or “as might be said” indicator.  What might be said of Pegasus?  HORSE FLIES

   Thanks Bradman and Turbolegs

9. Tough for sure. I can normally do Bradman reasonably quickly but this one was a far stiffer challenge than usual and it’s reassuring to read that others found it the same After about two hours I’d got them all but Ghat, which looks obvious now but my energy and inspiration was flagging by then. Several new words and some marvellous clues Geodesists is a fantastic new word and I thought a wonderful clue. Horseflies also took ages but it’s lovely. Thanks to everyone.

10. Thanks Bradman and Turbolegs

    Agree that this was a little tougher than normal from the Don with his trademark number of lesser known words.  Thought that they were all very fairly clued and was able to work them all out from the wordplay eventually.  Had left this one at home whilst away for the weekend with the last few in the north east corner left, but on return saw the cryptic definition for HIRER and then was able to piece together GHAT (which I had to check and then remembered the term) and TRUSTEES to finish it off.

    Sort of enjoyed all of the loose-ish definitions and thought that they added that little bit more spice to the solve.  Had to have a web-based geography lesson to locate Bakewell to validate that it had something to do with a PEAK.

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