Comments on: Guardian 24,355 (Sat 5 Apr)/Araucaria - Mixed bag http://fifteensquared.net/2008/04/12/guardian-24355-sat-5-apraraucaria-mixed-bag/ Never knowingly undersolved. Sat, 22 Nov 2008 12:29:54 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: muck http://fifteensquared.net/2008/04/12/guardian-24355-sat-5-apraraucaria-mixed-bag/#comment-19525 muck Tue, 15 Apr 2008 17:14:22 +0000 http://fifteensquared.net/?p=1430#comment-19525 I had the online version too and guessed that there might be a missing preamble. This was confirmed by Croquemonsieur on talk.guardian.co.uk, and by phoning my mother in England, but it is time Guardian Online puzzles got their act together. I have emailed the XW editor, but had no reply. I had the online version too and guessed that there might be a missing preamble. This was confirmed by Croquemonsieur on talk.guardian.co.uk, and by phoning my mother in England, but it is time Guardian Online puzzles got their act together. I have emailed the XW editor, but had no reply.

]]> By: fromthemorning http://fifteensquared.net/2008/04/12/guardian-24355-sat-5-apraraucaria-mixed-bag/#comment-19407 fromthemorning Mon, 14 Apr 2008 11:56:29 +0000 http://fifteensquared.net/?p=1430#comment-19407 We're novice solvers, and as such found this crossword great fun. Probably because the anagram clue type seems the easiest for us beginner to get to grips with, whilst the nature of the ambiguous definition and no anagrind being present gave a different sort of challenge. It was nice to get the rare satisfaction of being able to complete and therefore enter an Araucaria prize crossword! I can understand how a veteran solver could feel let down by the lack of any wordplay though. We’re novice solvers, and as such found this crossword great fun. Probably because the anagram clue type seems the easiest for us beginner to get to grips with, whilst the nature of the ambiguous definition and no anagrind being present gave a different sort of challenge.

It was nice to get the rare satisfaction of being able to complete and therefore enter an Araucaria prize crossword!

I can understand how a veteran solver could feel let down by the lack of any wordplay though.

]]> By: Berny http://fifteensquared.net/2008/04/12/guardian-24355-sat-5-apraraucaria-mixed-bag/#comment-19395 Berny Mon, 14 Apr 2008 08:58:39 +0000 http://fifteensquared.net/?p=1430#comment-19395 We encountered the OL version and couldn't get very far because while we spotted what might be solutions we could not fit them to A's usual tightness. We suspected a missing preamble so phoned a friend! With the preamble we solved it quickly. That said I do respect the way he is always attempting to introduce novelty so will forgive him the occasional lapse. B an K We encountered the OL version and couldn’t get very far because while we spotted what might be solutions we could not fit them to A’s usual tightness. We suspected a missing preamble so phoned a friend! With the preamble we solved it quickly. That said I do respect the way he is always attempting to introduce novelty so will forgive him the occasional lapse.

B an K

]]> By: Comfy Settee http://fifteensquared.net/2008/04/12/guardian-24355-sat-5-apraraucaria-mixed-bag/#comment-19363 Comfy Settee Sun, 13 Apr 2008 21:09:56 +0000 http://fifteensquared.net/?p=1430#comment-19363 Disappointing - just handle-turning really, and none of the *cleverness* that one associates with A. As Eileen says, probably far more enjoyable for the setter than the solver, and whilst there's often an element of thar with A., it was definitely OTT this time... Disappointing - just handle-turning really, and none of the *cleverness* that one associates with A. As Eileen says, probably far more enjoyable for the setter than the solver, and whilst there’s often an element of thar with A., it was definitely OTT this time…

]]> By: John Ridge http://fifteensquared.net/2008/04/12/guardian-24355-sat-5-apraraucaria-mixed-bag/#comment-19333 John Ridge Sun, 13 Apr 2008 07:55:37 +0000 http://fifteensquared.net/?p=1430#comment-19333 I agree with Eileen. In addition, I was put off by clues in which the definition is inside, not at the start or finish - e.g. 21ac, 24ac, 19d. I can see that padding is needed to hide the anagram fodder, but... I agree with Eileen.

In addition, I was put off by clues in which the definition is inside, not at the start or finish - e.g. 21ac, 24ac, 19d. I can see that padding is needed to hide the anagram fodder, but…

]]> By: Cruciverbophile http://fifteensquared.net/2008/04/12/guardian-24355-sat-5-apraraucaria-mixed-bag/#comment-19331 Cruciverbophile Sun, 13 Apr 2008 07:19:33 +0000 http://fifteensquared.net/?p=1430#comment-19331 The online puzzle didn't contain any preamble so I was stumped for a while. I got a few definitions and spotted the anagram fodder but was unable to see how they went together. Then it occurred to me that (I think) Araucaria has done something like this before, so the penny dropped. I finished the puzzle but found it samey and a bit of a slog. I don't really see the point of DLM clues as they can't by nature provide the entertaining wordplay associated with normal clues. I hope this sort of thing won't appear too often. The online puzzle didn’t contain any preamble so I was stumped for a while. I got a few definitions and spotted the anagram fodder but was unable to see how they went together. Then it occurred to me that (I think) Araucaria has done something like this before, so the penny dropped. I finished the puzzle but found it samey and a bit of a slog. I don’t really see the point of DLM clues as they can’t by nature provide the entertaining wordplay associated with normal clues. I hope this sort of thing won’t appear too often.

]]> By: Eileen http://fifteensquared.net/2008/04/12/guardian-24355-sat-5-apraraucaria-mixed-bag/#comment-19296 Eileen Sat, 12 Apr 2008 22:45:23 +0000 http://fifteensquared.net/?p=1430#comment-19296 I agree with Andrew: disappointing for Araucaria. Very clever - and presumably satisfying for the setter but much less so for the solver. I persevered to the end but without the usual enjoyment. I agree with Andrew: disappointing for Araucaria. Very clever - and presumably satisfying for the setter but much less so for the solver. I persevered to the end but without the usual enjoyment.

]]> By: Andrew http://fifteensquared.net/2008/04/12/guardian-24355-sat-5-apraraucaria-mixed-bag/#comment-19294 Andrew Sat, 12 Apr 2008 22:37:33 +0000 http://fifteensquared.net/?p=1430#comment-19294 I don't find this type of puzzle very satisfying at all - very hard to get started and then rather tedious to finish off (in fact I didn't bother with this one). Azed sometimes uses them too, though without overlaps and with the anagram fodder always coinciding with the beginning or ending of a word of the clue (which helps a bit), and usually in groups of three, following some sort of theme. Of course, the fact that the online version didn't have the instructions didn't help... I don’t find this type of puzzle very satisfying at all - very hard to get started and then rather tedious to finish off (in fact I didn’t bother with this one). Azed sometimes uses them too, though without overlaps and with the anagram fodder always coinciding with the beginning or ending of a word of the clue (which helps a bit), and usually in groups of three, following some sort of theme.

Of course, the fact that the online version didn’t have the instructions didn’t help…

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