Financial Times 18,164 by MUDD

20 comments on “Financial Times 18,164 by MUDD”

1. I presume you won’t be watching the women’s world cup semis this weekend since Stand-Off is a rugby reference – an alternative name for the Fly Half (number 10) in the backs.

   Thanks for the blog & to the setter.

2. We called it Scrum Half when I played a bit of Union as a youth; didn’t know any other terms, so thanks shikasta.
   Nice straightforward puzzle, ta Mudd and loona.

3. I see that now, but no since Scotland are no longer in the competition, I no longer have a horse in that particular race, so to speak (plus I fly off to Sicily tomorrow for a week away from TV)

4. Another solid puzzle. Liked nappy rash, definite article. They do seem to be getting harder as the week goes on, but no impossi-clues so far.

5. gif @2: the scrum half has always been the No. 9 in rugby union and the player outside him/her, the No. 10 to whom the ball is often passed, is known in the Northern hemisphere as the stand-off or fly-half. In the South, first five-eighth or first five has often been used. Out half is yet another term and I have a feeling that might be more common down South as well.

   [This lifelong rugby fan has been thoroughly enjoying the women’s world cup and we have certainly reached a very exciting and competitive stage with 3, maybe 4, serious contenders still in the fray. Over the last few years, with more women’s rugby being broadcast – and with the men’s game generally being protected by multiple paywalls – I have found myself able to name more members of the England women’s team than I can the men’s. That said, in 1984 I played in a match at university against a team fielding a rugby-mad American lady – who, at one point, simply ran straight over one of our players, dislocating his shoulder. And he was a recent England youth captain!]

   A very nice puzzle from Mudd. Some super anagrams. The oxygenated pint made me smile.

   Thanks both

6. [PM @5, we must’ve inherited the South terms: scrum-half, five-eighth, inside centre, outside centre, wing, and I think the other winger was called blind wing, but after 60 years memory fades]

7. Agree with James @4 that today’s puzzle has cranked up a notch (in the parsing department, that is) and with his pick of the clues. I’d also add ARTICHOKE, FINICKY and PHILATELY.
   Thanks to Mudd for making me smile and to Loonapick for the blog.

8. Enjoyable and just about my level, though I failed to parse DEFINITE ARTICLE as I didn’t get the nit reference. I also failed to parse EMAIL and I find its parsing a bit confusing. I wouldn’t have twigged that Liam = Irishman, but even if I had, I wouldn’t have considered “promoted” an indicator that it should be reversed. I thought “promoted” meant that an indicated letter should be moved from somewhere at the back of the word towards the front of the word.
   Thanks Mudd and Loonapick. Enjoy Sicily.

9. Thanks Mudd (except possibly for 7dn) and Loonapick

   7dn further to Babbler@8: I cannot find dictionary support for “promoted” as a vertical reversal indicator. Taking Collins 2023 p 1597 as an example, the nearest definition of promote appears to be “2 to raise to a higher rank, status, degree, etc”. I do not think that justifies an argument that “promote” can be a reversal indicator because “raise” can be. Definitions in other dictionaries appear to be similar. I would of course welcome a reasoned argument in favour of “promote” as used in this puzzle.

   For what it is worth, I am happy with “raise” as a reversal indicator in a down clue, from the definition “2 to set or place in an upright position” (Collins p 1647), with a certain generosity of spirit. Again, there may be a more obviously appropriate definition elsewhere.

10. Rugby positions always elude me; the game is starting to catch on here, but in a small way. Meanwhile, “tailback” here is not a traffic jam but an American football position. Fun with sports!

11. Thanks Mudd for a great set of clues. I missed AUTOCUE & couldn’t parse FOLIO & EMAIL but all else fell into place. Favourites included AFTERS, MOTIF, RACING CAR, PORTLY, POINT, and CONTENDER. Thanks loonapick for the blog.

12. Forgot to mention above that I particularly liked AFTERS and thought it might cause confusion so far as overseas solvers are concerned as I’ve always assumed it is a term only used in Britain. I routinely use it in order to lower the tone when people are politely referring to “sweet”, “dessert” or “pudding”.

13. For a second time this week, Diane summed it up nicely for me.

    I am glad mrp mentioned “tailback”. Additionally, am I the only one to not know that “on the ball” = “fly”?

    Thanks Mudd and loonapick

14. I’m with babbler re 7D
    thought “promoted” was the moving of a letter not a complete reversal

15. 6dn: I am fairly sure that I took FLY on trust while solving. Collins 2023 p 757 gives fly³ slang 1 chiefly Brit knowing and sharp; smart. Incidentally, in this clue, I think OFF is indicated by “away from”, not just “away”.

16. Babbler @12: if one is going to do puzzles written in British English, one has to learn enough Britishisms to get by. “Afters” for “dessert” is one that I picked up pretty early on–I actually think I learned that one before I started doing British cryptics, as I also read a lot of British literature and watch my share of British TV.

    (Similarly, “pudding” for literally any dessert rather than a specific type.)

17. Martyn@13 We guess you are not familiar with The Offspring’s classic “Pretty Fly For A White Guy”? And fair enough.

18. If the ball should FLY OFF THE HANDLE of a cricket bat has it got away from the opener (opening batsman)? I realise it’s a cricket related surface, but does it qualify as a lengthy double definition?

19. Anyway, I completed this during my evening viewing. I liked that the clue confirmed how to spell PHILATELY. I liked AFTERS, it was all good. I actually got confused trying to rotate FOLIO before realising it was the answer – fools mate to Mudd!

    Thanks Mudd, loonapick and commenters.

20. 6dn revisited: It is possible that all of “getting away from opener?” could define OFF THE HANDLE taken together, but I do not think that trying to bring FLY into that works – it is the wrong part of speech.

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