Comments on: Financial Times 13,292 – Dante

By: Rufus

Rufus — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 11:07:07 +0000

And P.S: For minister I used “doctor” for the verb “minister” (“tend, take care of, nurse etc”).

By: Rufus

Rufus — Fri, 05 Feb 2010 11:03:51 +0000

Thanks to Uncle Yap for another comprehensive blog, and for the comments.
For 18 dn I intended DEAD CERT (“No racehorse alive is one”). I don’t think DEAD MEAT or DEAD HEAT really fits the “one” in the clue, but obviouisly I have to think more about clues like this!

By: Mike04

Mike04 — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 22:57:34 +0000

Hello Sil v d H

Re 18dn: Now we have 3 possible solutions! Any more out there?

Re 23ac: I read the word ‘doctor’ in the same way.
I suppose ‘minister to the sick’ comes quite close.

Some marvellous clues. Thanks, Dante.

By: Sil van den Hoek

Sil van den Hoek — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 21:50:45 +0000

An Dear Mike04, I entered “dead heat”.

Pete, re “Some of his cryptic definitions are priceless”:
yes, some are, but a lot are not really my cup of tea.
Like (your favourite) 5d – don’t see anything special about it – or 21d (where I initially thought of something with “shares”, and why not?).

We were a bit puzzled by “doctor” = “minister” (23ac).
In a sense of “to take care of”?

But all in all, nice crossword.
When the FT wouldn’t have said that this was a Dante, I would have guessed that after solving. And that’s what I like (and one the reasons I always solve the Dantes):
a Setter with (a) Style!

Favourite clue: probably 7d (INTER) – I like this kind of wordplay.

By: Mike04

Mike04 — Thu, 04 Feb 2010 20:00:41 +0000

Many thanks for the blog, Uncle Yap

In 15ac, I think Dante is referring to an implement for cleaning the soles of shoes before entering a house.

I may be wrong, but for 18dn, I entered DEAD CERT.
No prize this week then?