Only now as I look back on yesterday's comments do I see the original. I can only presume that it wasn't at time of devising known that it would pop up in the Xmas week. Nevertheless, I personally think it therefore went from weak to weaker. Still, at least it wasn't the obvious Crimbo-related anagram (I'll not say the word I have in my head, in deference to any stragglers) with an equally blatant indicator such as 'gets rearranged'.
If I’d completed it before posting the link I could have had a stab at the brief ‘special instruction’ that is missing from the archive version. The clues below must have had asterisks by them and the clue for 1 across tells you that the answer to 1ac ‘produced all the starred items.
11, 26, 44 and 45 were ‘all the starred items’. 24 and 30 are the partial names of works by 1ac. The clue for 24 works ‘at Christmastime’. Don’t know if they had asterisks too. There might be others I’ve missed.
The missing instruction didn’t harm my solving much but I couldn’t get 22d which isn’t themed, well I don’t think so after Googling. Here’s the link again for Big A fans
As often with a Vulcan, some very quick clues and some less so.
13a's a fine word; 9a's maybe a bit esoteric and could cause some ructions; some quite nice CDs dotted around but 21a and 18a seem a bit suspect and I have at least one where the crossers allow numerous plausible options and of course there's no word play to disambiguate.
Quite the workout for a Monday. Got 18 from the letters and parsing, but the definition was a new one on me. Parsing for 20 eluded me. I had to reveal 17 so reassured to find others also struggled with it.
Hmm. Upon seeing several comments on how this was quite tricky for a Monday I surprised myself at how quickly I was making headway earlier. Rattled off all but six clues in less than half-an-hour. Then after a little more time and thought both 7 and 17 slipped in. 17 I felt I should have seen sooner. This left me staring on and off for a full four hours at 3, 4, 6 and 10. Finally the penny dropped for 10 and thus I was able to pick the rest off pretty pronto. A dry night for me tonight but I could murder a vino or two after that session of a differing sort. Favourite was 16.
Completed Harribobs last night. The "colouring in" part at the end was particularly tricky. I kept losing my place, and couldn't make out some of my letters of the non-words on the coloured background.
I must fess up that my first thought upon seeing 25 was to go through 'The Grand Old Duke of York' in my head. No, nothing worked there, rather unsurprisingly.
Oops! Revealed 4. I had considered it but didn’t try to parse it. 18 is new to me; I thought “bin,” and I was thinking of transportation in 10 until I was finally left with just one blank letter.
Probably a late change to make the online version more topical, that missed the print deadline. Clues that don't work are sometimes changed, but I don't see anything wrong with the version of this one in the paper. For those who didn't see it, the printed paper's 2d was:
Not speaking, listen out (6)
Briggg, thank you for posting the 2000 Araucaria Christmas puzzle. I’m not sure if I was doing the Guardian then, and I doubt I could have handled it, anyway. This time around I finished most of it. I got 1a right away, so that was a big help. I did reveal three answers, I think it was, at the end, and used the check button a few times. My favorite themer didn’t make the cut, and I was surprised by 15a.
Settling down to tackle it now.
Hope everyone had a lovely Christmas. By setting my sights lower this year I ended up having a surprisingly enjoyable one.
As we never got to comment on the Everyman yesterday I'd just like to mention that my favourites were 19a and 16d. Also, I'm done by the first word of 12a. Only two letters short and I've got a couple of possible options within the wordplay but neither of which sound familiar to me as the answer.
Didn't know it was International Cryptic Definitions Day. Happy that, anyway, colleagues. Some very nice ones that induce a smile and with a really good surface (I like 20 especially, 6, and 1, if you accept the premise). Not sure about 2dn. Thank you Vulcan.
Not keen on answer to 11a...takes me back to a very distant era ! Last one I had, I think, was in The Pegasus in Stokie, think Chas and Dave still owned it then !(I think it was a brief tenure..) Happy long-gone days...
Very slow on the uptake with 9a had the wrong farewell in mind which clouded the whole thing. 18a also had me fooled for a time. Otherwise nothing too difficult liked the wordplay in 6a. Thanks Vulcan.
It looked impenetrable to start with, but made headway with bottom half and the rest gradually dawned. 4d last in: only spotted its craftiness after a guess on one letter. It felt a bit different from Vulcan's usual fare, but no less enjoyable for that. Many thanks, Vulcan.
Thoroughly enjoyed this puzzle. Some excellent use of crossword grammar and wordplay. One or two took time to reveal themselves - but then came the Doh! moments. FOI was 9a and LOI was 4d. Favourites were: 5a, 6a, 22a, 2d, 7d and 17d. Thank you Vulcan.
I liked the joint bottom and the reminder of Ronnie.
By the way, after Brig made my weekend by posting a link to an old Araucaria puzzle, I discovered how to get to a list of all the Guardian crosswords (cryptic, prize, quiptic,...) by your favourite setter: https://www.theguardian.com/profile/arachne, for example.
Got all but 2d and 3a after midnight, and, as usual polished them off after some shut-eye.
I only got them because I used trial and error at the intersecting letter. Both words were there from the literal interpretation but for the life of me I don't see either clue's value in the cryptic sense! 18a is equally mystifying on the second bit.
Cryptic crossword No 28,327
Comments
Only now as I look back on yesterday's comments do I see the original. I can only presume that it wasn't at time of devising known that it would pop up in the Xmas week. Nevertheless, I personally think it therefore went from weak to weaker. Still, at least it wasn't the obvious Crimbo-related anagram (I'll not say the word I have in my head, in deference to any stragglers) with an equally blatant indicator such as 'gets rearranged'.
That was a lot harder than your average Monday. No problem confusing the Quiptic and Cryptic this week. Tricksome.
25a was indeed hilarious but perhaps a bit mystifying to those who didn't see the interview or follow the story.
I'm stuck on 26, then it's all done.
Forgot to do this yesterday, and sailed through it this morning. New tactic - leave it for 24 hours?
Very dubious
Give that man a gui(n)ness!
If I’d completed it before posting the link I could have had a stab at the brief ‘special instruction’ that is missing from the archive version. The clues below must have had asterisks by them and the clue for 1 across tells you that the answer to 1ac ‘produced all the starred items.
11, 26, 44 and 45 were ‘all the starred items’. 24 and 30 are the partial names of works by 1ac. The clue for 24 works ‘at Christmastime’. Don’t know if they had asterisks too. There might be others I’ve missed.
The missing instruction didn’t harm my solving much but I couldn’t get 22d which isn’t themed, well I don’t think so after Googling. Here’s the link again for Big A fans
https://www.theguardian.com/crosswords/prize/22089
Plain sailing until the brick wall of 5 in the NE. Will leave it a while & maybe come back later. 8d raised a smile
Yes thank you for the Araucaria. Right up my street. He really was the 1a of compilers.
Elgar's Double Toughie all done and dusted now.
I had to try out a few first letters for 17 before I saw the light.
Did any of you notice how extremely fragrant the Everyman was?
As often with a Vulcan, some very quick clues and some less so.
13a's a fine word; 9a's maybe a bit esoteric and could cause some ructions; some quite nice CDs dotted around but 21a and 18a seem a bit suspect and I have at least one where the crossers allow numerous plausible options and of course there's no word play to disambiguate.
Agree! I got it but I reckon it should be hyphenated it it exists at all!
Thank you!
Bit dubious about 3d. Is that a real/fair word?
Quite the workout for a Monday. Got 18 from the letters and parsing, but the definition was a new one on me. Parsing for 20 eluded me. I had to reveal 17 so reassured to find others also struggled with it.
Guilty!
Hmm. Upon seeing several comments on how this was quite tricky for a Monday I surprised myself at how quickly I was making headway earlier. Rattled off all but six clues in less than half-an-hour. Then after a little more time and thought both 7 and 17 slipped in. 17 I felt I should have seen sooner. This left me staring on and off for a full four hours at 3, 4, 6 and 10. Finally the penny dropped for 10 and thus I was able to pick the rest off pretty pronto. A dry night for me tonight but I could murder a vino or two after that session of a differing sort. Favourite was 16.
but "a" is not "and finally one" in this context. The clue is fine...
Completed Harribobs last night. The "colouring in" part at the end was particularly tricky. I kept losing my place, and couldn't make out some of my letters of the non-words on the coloured background.
I must fess up that my first thought upon seeing 25 was to go through 'The Grand Old Duke of York' in my head. No, nothing worked there, rather unsurprisingly.
Yep, it’s a pity the asterisks had been omitted from the necessary clues but it was good to revisit the old days.
I loved 25A. I have the same problem with 12A. An enjoyable Everyman, nonetheless.
"A double Elgar and Harribobs please?"
"Are you sure sir?"
No, but it’s an apt answer! I’m surprised I got it; not my field.
Oops! Revealed 4. I had considered it but didn’t try to parse it. 18 is new to me; I thought “bin,” and I was thinking of transportation in 10 until I was finally left with just one blank letter.
Probably a late change to make the online version more topical, that missed the print deadline. Clues that don't work are sometimes changed, but I don't see anything wrong with the version of this one in the paper. For those who didn't see it, the printed paper's 2d was:
Not speaking, listen out (6)
Wow - probably a record time for me. But then I am on holiday (at home).
Very much enjoyed the wordplay in this one Vulcan - thank you
Briggg, thank you for posting the 2000 Araucaria Christmas puzzle. I’m not sure if I was doing the Guardian then, and I doubt I could have handled it, anyway. This time around I finished most of it. I got 1a right away, so that was a big help. I did reveal three answers, I think it was, at the end, and used the check button a few times. My favorite themer didn’t make the cut, and I was surprised by 15a.
Another word for handle.
Yeah, there are some that suddenly appear as blindingly obvious - when you've stared at them for a ridiculous amount of time. Great fun.
I often have difficulty with puzzles on a Monday, after struggling over the weekend with the likes of Elgar's Double Toughie and Harribobs' Inquy.
Settling down to tackle it now.
Hope everyone had a lovely Christmas. By setting my sights lower this year I ended up having a surprisingly enjoyable one.
As we never got to comment on the Everyman yesterday I'd just like to mention that my favourites were 19a and 16d. Also, I'm done by the first word of 12a. Only two letters short and I've got a couple of possible options within the wordplay but neither of which sound familiar to me as the answer.
Anybody else put "toilet" for 17 down! Lol.
Didn't know it was International Cryptic Definitions Day. Happy that, anyway, colleagues. Some very nice ones that induce a smile and with a really good surface (I like 20 especially, 6, and 1, if you accept the premise). Not sure about 2dn. Thank you Vulcan.
Eighteen and a half perhaps?
lovely wordplay Vulcan, especially 10a, many thanks
Not keen on answer to 11a...takes me back to a very distant era ! Last one I had, I think, was in The Pegasus in Stokie, think Chas and Dave still owned it then !(I think it was a brief tenure..) Happy long-gone days...
Very slow on the uptake with 9a had the wrong farewell in mind which clouded the whole thing. 18a also had me fooled for a time. Otherwise nothing too difficult liked the wordplay in 6a. Thanks Vulcan.
3d must be a legitimate word, but it's one of those that feels as if it might just as easily not be. It took me a long time to find it.
Given that tangential definitions are a Rufus / Vulcan trademark, some of those here raised a smile when the P D’d.
My husband does the crossword in the paper, I do it on-line simultaneously - we found different clues given for 2dn. Anyone else notice this?
It looked impenetrable to start with, but made headway with bottom half and the rest gradually dawned. 4d last in: only spotted its craftiness after a guess on one letter. It felt a bit different from Vulcan's usual fare, but no less enjoyable for that. Many thanks, Vulcan.
Thoroughly enjoyed this puzzle. Some excellent use of crossword grammar and wordplay. One or two took time to reveal themselves - but then came the Doh! moments. FOI was 9a and LOI was 4d. Favourites were: 5a, 6a, 22a, 2d, 7d and 17d. Thank you Vulcan.
I liked the joint bottom and the reminder of Ronnie.
By the way, after Brig made my weekend by posting a link to an old Araucaria puzzle, I discovered how to get to a list of all the Guardian crosswords (cryptic, prize, quiptic,...) by your favourite setter: https://www.theguardian.com/profile/arachne, for example.
Either my brain wasn't working or this was pretty tricky for a Monday. All fair in retrospect.
9a , no 3a!
Cryptic guessword?
Got all but 2d and 3a after midnight, and, as usual polished them off after some shut-eye.
I only got them because I used trial and error at the intersecting letter. Both words were there from the literal interpretation but for the life of me I don't see either clue's value in the cryptic sense! 18a is equally mystifying on the second bit.
225 here I come!
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