Comments on: Guardian 24370/Brendan - placeholder http://fifteensquared.net/2008/04/23/guardian-24370-placeholder/ Never knowingly undersolved. Sat, 22 Nov 2008 13:15:25 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.6 By: mark http://fifteensquared.net/2008/04/23/guardian-24370-placeholder/#comment-20906 mark Fri, 25 Apr 2008 07:39:23 +0000 http://fifteensquared.net/?p=1466#comment-20906 Thanks Andrew. I haven't really come across/thought about the idea of "deliberate misdirection" before but take your point. I think a well crafted and ingenious clue should be hard enough; dare I suggest that deliberate misdirection is the last refuge of a lazy setter?! Thanks Andrew.
I haven’t really come across/thought about the idea of “deliberate misdirection” before but take your point. I think a well crafted and ingenious clue should be hard enough; dare I suggest that deliberate misdirection is the last refuge of a lazy setter?!

]]> By: Andrew http://fifteensquared.net/2008/04/23/guardian-24370-placeholder/#comment-20425 Andrew Thu, 24 Apr 2008 08:47:26 +0000 http://fifteensquared.net/?p=1466#comment-20425 I think "in a way" is not technically incorrect - fining someone is a "way" of punishing them. As you say, it could be omitted without affecting the wordplay: maybe it's deliberate misdirection. I think “in a way” is not technically incorrect - fining someone is a “way” of punishing them. As you say, it could be omitted without affecting the wordplay: maybe it’s deliberate misdirection.

]]> By: mark http://fifteensquared.net/2008/04/23/guardian-24370-placeholder/#comment-20419 mark Thu, 24 Apr 2008 07:42:31 +0000 http://fifteensquared.net/?p=1466#comment-20419 Thanks Eileen, I should have got those. But anyone, please, what is the answer to my query on 4D? "Also I have a gripe with 4D. What is the purpose of the words “in a way” in the clue? I was trying to put ST or RD around bits for ages. Not needed for the clue to flow.So??" Thanks Eileen, I should have got those.

But anyone, please, what is the answer to my query on 4D?

“Also I have a gripe with 4D. What is the purpose of the words “in a way” in the clue? I was trying to put ST or RD around bits for ages. Not needed for the clue to flow.So??”

]]> By: Colin Blackburn http://fifteensquared.net/2008/04/23/guardian-24370-placeholder/#comment-20418 Colin Blackburn Thu, 24 Apr 2008 07:35:48 +0000 http://fifteensquared.net/?p=1466#comment-20418 Hi All, Sorry about the lack of a blog. Great puzzle, solved early but I ran out time to actually blog the thing. Thanks in particular to Andrew for taking the time to produce a blog. At least this demonstrates the effectiveness of the Neil's placeholder idea. Hi All,

Sorry about the lack of a blog. Great puzzle, solved early but I ran out time to actually blog the thing. Thanks in particular to Andrew for taking the time to produce a blog. At least this demonstrates the effectiveness of the Neil’s placeholder idea.

]]> By: Eileen http://fifteensquared.net/2008/04/23/guardian-24370-placeholder/#comment-20363 Eileen Wed, 23 Apr 2008 21:39:40 +0000 http://fifteensquared.net/?p=1466#comment-20363 16A BE[A]ST 8D ANNU[A]LS 16A BE[A]ST
8D ANNU[A]LS

]]> By: mark http://fifteensquared.net/2008/04/23/guardian-24370-placeholder/#comment-20356 mark Wed, 23 Apr 2008 20:55:20 +0000 http://fifteensquared.net/?p=1466#comment-20356 Failed to get 8D and 16A - help please. Also I have a gripe with 4D. What is the purpose of the words "in a way" in the clue? I was trying to put ST or RD around bits for ages. Not needed for the clue to flow.So?? Thanks Failed to get 8D and 16A - help please.

Also I have a gripe with 4D. What is the purpose of the words “in a way” in the clue? I was trying to put ST or RD around bits for ages. Not needed for the clue to flow.So??

Thanks

]]> By: Andrew http://fifteensquared.net/2008/04/23/guardian-24370-placeholder/#comment-20344 Andrew Wed, 23 Apr 2008 19:21:58 +0000 http://fifteensquared.net/?p=1466#comment-20344 OK, I'll give it a go... hope Colin's RL delays are nothing serious. A double-edged theme here, featuring two types of LEADING LADIES, and a smattering of &lits including one of the thematic clues. 1ac HILL + A-RY (RY = railway = system of track) 5, 10ac LILLIAN GISH - anag of L (pound) + A SHILLING - a film star, initially of the silent era, and the first of the 9dn 11 FIELD EVENT - cryptic defintion: see discussion in previous comments 12ac,22dn LAUREN BACALL - another anagram (A BANAL CLUE + L (learner) & R), another leading lady. Useful pub quiz fodder: her real name was Betty Joan Perske, and she married Humphrey Bogart when she was 20 and he was 45. 13 DO-(R)-I'S DAY - another one. 14 BEGGARING . Def is "Making poor", but the wordplay took me a while to work out. I think it's start=BEGIN , "finally good" = G at the end, and so GAR must be a fish: which luckily it is. 17 SMELT - nice double def 19 GLOBALISM - anag of BIG + O + SMALL, and the first of three &lit clues in this puzzle. 23 LEGAL AID - LEG (support) + A (advocate primarily) + LAID (put in place), and another &lit - see previous discussion in comments 27 WORD - "what you are doing" is a CROSSWORD 28 STARTLE - anag of RATTLE+S &lit 29 CLINT-ON - I had to check Chambers to find that CLINT is "one of a series of limestone blocks or ridges divided by fissures or grikes". So what's a grike? Glad you asked - it's "a fissure in limestone rock formed or widened by the dissolvent effect of rain". And here we get a link to 1ac for another CLINTON. 2dn IMITATE - IT in I MATE. As mentioned in a previous comment, Fletcher Christian was a Master's MATE on the Bounty, of Mutiny fame. 3dn LEHAR - hidden 4dn RE-FINE-R 6dn,24ac - INDIRA GANDHI: R in INDIA + anag of HEADING less E. Another "leading lady", though a different sort this time; and also another &lit 9dn LEADING LADIES - the theme phrase for the puzzle. Note the "maybe" after "1 29", indicating the Hillary Clinton is only a potential LL. 15dn GOLDA MEIR - GO + anag of A MILDER. Another political LL - PM of Israel 1969-1974. 18 MAE WEST - back to film stars, and also the name of a wartime lifejacket, named after its supposed resemblance to her curvaceous figure. 20 BIG DEAL - B + G in IDEAL 21 SCHERZO - Z (unknown) in anag of ORCHES(tras). OK, I’ll give it a go… hope Colin’s RL delays are nothing serious.

A double-edged theme here, featuring two types of LEADING LADIES, and a smattering of &lits including one of the thematic clues.

1ac HILL + A-RY (RY = railway = system of track)

5, 10ac LILLIAN GISH - anag of L (pound) + A SHILLING - a film star, initially of the silent era, and the first of the 9dn

11 FIELD EVENT - cryptic defintion: see discussion in previous comments

12ac,22dn LAUREN BACALL - another anagram (A BANAL CLUE + L (learner) & R), another leading lady. Useful pub quiz fodder: her real name was Betty Joan Perske, and she married Humphrey Bogart when she was 20 and he was 45.

13 DO-(R)-I’S DAY - another one.

14 BEGGARING . Def is “Making poor”, but the wordplay took me a while to work out. I think it’s start=BEGIN , “finally good” = G at the end, and so GAR must be a fish: which luckily it is.

17 SMELT - nice double def

19 GLOBALISM - anag of BIG + O + SMALL, and the first of three &lit clues in this puzzle.

23 LEGAL AID - LEG (support) + A (advocate primarily) + LAID (put in place), and another &lit - see previous discussion in comments

27 WORD - “what you are doing” is a CROSSWORD

28 STARTLE - anag of RATTLE+S &lit

29 CLINT-ON - I had to check Chambers to find that CLINT is “one of a series of limestone blocks or ridges divided by fissures or grikes”. So what’s a grike? Glad you asked - it’s “a fissure in limestone rock formed or widened by the dissolvent effect of rain”. And here we get a link to 1ac for another CLINTON.

2dn IMITATE - IT in I MATE. As mentioned in a previous comment, Fletcher Christian was a Master’s MATE on the Bounty, of Mutiny fame.

3dn LEHAR - hidden

4dn RE-FINE-R

6dn,24ac - INDIRA GANDHI: R in INDIA + anag of HEADING less E. Another “leading lady”, though a different sort this time; and also another &lit

9dn LEADING LADIES - the theme phrase for the puzzle. Note the “maybe” after “1 29″, indicating the Hillary Clinton is only a potential LL.

15dn GOLDA MEIR - GO + anag of A MILDER. Another political LL - PM of Israel 1969-1974.

18 MAE WEST - back to film stars, and also the name of a wartime lifejacket, named after its supposed resemblance to her curvaceous figure.

20 BIG DEAL - B + G in IDEAL

21 SCHERZO - Z (unknown) in anag of ORCHES(tras).

]]> By: neildubya http://fifteensquared.net/2008/04/23/guardian-24370-placeholder/#comment-20338 neildubya Wed, 23 Apr 2008 18:25:21 +0000 http://fifteensquared.net/?p=1466#comment-20338 If anyone wants to go ahead and write up their own blog then please feel free as it looks like Colin has been delayed by Real Life. If anyone wants to go ahead and write up their own blog then please feel free as it looks like Colin has been delayed by Real Life.

]]> By: Cruciverbophile http://fifteensquared.net/2008/04/23/guardian-24370-placeholder/#comment-20337 Cruciverbophile Wed, 23 Apr 2008 18:15:15 +0000 http://fifteensquared.net/?p=1466#comment-20337 Thank you Eileen (post 4) - I would have never have understood why Christian = mate. Nice puzzle and very hard - in terms of quality and difficulty it wouldn't have been out of place as a Saturday prize puzzle. Thank you Eileen (post 4) - I would have never have understood why Christian = mate. Nice puzzle and very hard - in terms of quality and difficulty it wouldn’t have been out of place as a Saturday prize puzzle.

]]> By: Fletch http://fifteensquared.net/2008/04/23/guardian-24370-placeholder/#comment-20336 Fletch Wed, 23 Apr 2008 18:11:31 +0000 http://fifteensquared.net/?p=1466#comment-20336 The whole clue is the definition plus elements of wordplay. As Andrew says above this, 19 and 28 are examples of &lit clues. Brendan seems to have a particular talent for these. The whole clue is the definition plus elements of wordplay. As Andrew says above this, 19 and 28 are examples of &lit clues. Brendan seems to have a particular talent for these.

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