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20 Dec 09 - 12:42 PM (#2792866) Subject: BS: Crosswords: Is Araucaria losing it? From: Paul Burke Araucaria's "holiday" prize crossword in the Guardian yesterday, and it was a doddle- far from lasting me through Christmas, I had it done within the hour. Is the old Master losing his touch? I'm disappointed. This from a setter who would regularly churn out alphabetical jigsaws - no numbers, just the knowledge of the letter the answer starts with, and its length- with rhyming clues. Or magnificent conundra like "Damn'd siesta! My God, I'm not Gunga Din! Heel, hounds!" (3,4,3,10,2,3,2,3,3-3,3). Hours of innocent fun. It's less than 6 months to the Guardian's 25000th cryptic crossword- I hope he lasts to see it, and I also hope that I'm wrong, and he's just temporarily dumbing down for this pallid latter age. He is well into his eighties, after all. |
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20 Dec 09 - 02:15 PM (#2792940) Subject: RE: BS: Crosswords: Is Araucaria losing it? From: John MacKenzie Monkey puzzle tree |
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20 Dec 09 - 03:08 PM (#2792983) Subject: RE: BS: Crosswords: Is Araucaria losing it? From: Rowan Same family as the Wollemi Pine. And Bunya Pine. Cheers, Rowan |
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20 Dec 09 - 06:32 PM (#2793160) Subject: RE: BS: Crosswords: Is Araucaria losing it? From: Herga Kitty Paul - I don't buy newspapers at the weekend, but survive commuting during the week with the help of the Guardian and Independent cryptic crosswords. I've noticed that the Araucaria ones have become less frequent, but they're still generally a lot more challenging than, eg Rufus... and the clues still tend to be linked. Kitty |
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20 Dec 09 - 06:36 PM (#2793164) Subject: RE: BS: Crosswords: Is Araucaria losing it? From: Dave MacKenzie I still think that Mr Graham has too much time on his hands. |
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21 Dec 09 - 08:04 AM (#2793471) Subject: RE: BS: Crosswords: Is Araucaria losing it? From: Matthew Edwards Maybe you're just getting better at solving them Paul? It could be that Araucaria is softening you up before he hits you with the real Christmas Crossword which will be published on the traditional date of Christmas Eve along with the equally cryptic end of term quiz from King William's College. Did you see the recent obituary in 'Other Lives' for Peter Graham who has died aged 86? "He was a keen solver of the Araucaria crossword in the Guardian, commenting that he felt he knew the writer's mind. It was only after several years that he discovered that Araucaria was his elder brother, John, who had been writing secretly, while still serving as a parish priest himself." Matthew |
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21 Dec 09 - 08:21 AM (#2793475) Subject: RE: BS: Crosswords: Is Araucaria losing it? From: TheSnail "Damn'd siesta! My God, I'm not Gunga Din! Heel, hounds!" (3,4,3,10,2,3,2,3,3-3,3) Took me about thirty seconds. On the whole, I don't think Araucaria has ever been very difficult but somehow the clues and asnwers are very satisfying. With Bunthorne I often didn't understand even when I saw the answer. |
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21 Dec 09 - 11:28 AM (#2793585) Subject: RE: BS: Crosswords: Is Araucaria losing it? From: Dave MacKenzie The difficulty I find with Araucaria is working out what the instructions mean before I start on the clues. |
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21 Dec 09 - 12:23 PM (#2793629) Subject: RE: BS: Crosswords: Is Araucaria losing it? From: The Sandman try Soduku, all that is required is logic. |
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21 Dec 09 - 12:44 PM (#2793645) Subject: RE: BS: Crosswords: Is Araucaria losing it? From: MGM·Lion Yes, but Sudoku is boring and crosswords aren't [IMO obviously — each to his own!] |
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21 Dec 09 - 12:49 PM (#2793649) Subject: RE: BS: Crosswords: Is Araucaria losing it? From: HuwG Araucaria may not be losing it, but I probably am. I got about half the answers to Saturday's puzzle within a couple of hours but then suffered complete brain-fade; the paper still sits accusingly on my kitchen table waiting for me to finish it. For variety, I sometimes try the Azed. There was a TV program only a few days ago on how to solve cryptic crosswords. I learned only then that the name derived from the Spanish Inquisitor Diego de Deza |
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21 Dec 09 - 01:39 PM (#2793684) Subject: RE: BS: Crosswords: Is Araucaria losing it? From: Dave MacKenzie I find sudoko handy to do when I'm thinking about something else. |
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21 Dec 09 - 03:26 PM (#2793757) Subject: RE: BS: Crosswords: Is Araucaria losing it? From: open mike thought you were talking about chickens.. http://www.araucanasonline.com/ this all is a mystery to me... is this available in U.S.? oh, now i see the reference to the the tree known as Monkey Pine or Monkey Puzzle related to the tree a.k.a. Norfolk Island Pine http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Araucaria_heterophylla often used as living christmas tree.. |
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21 Dec 09 - 04:20 PM (#2793803) Subject: RE: BS: Crosswords: Is Araucaria losing it? From: MGM·Lion To clarify for Transpond friends — Araucaria [which indeed = monkey-puzzle tree] is the pseudonym of one of The Guardian newspaper's most popular cryptic crossword-puzzle compilers·and·setters. His real name is John Graham and he is an 80+ y-o clergyman. |
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22 Dec 09 - 02:48 PM (#2794464) Subject: RE: BS: Crosswords: Is Araucaria losing it? From: GUEST,Mick Stubbles John Graham also publishes crosswords in other newspapers, e.g. the Financial Times, where he uses the pseudonym Cinephile. Cinephile is of course an anagram of the tree Chile Pine; which is another name for the Monkey Puzzle Tree (a.k.a. Araucaria) |
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23 Dec 09 - 08:57 AM (#2794944) Subject: RE: BS: Crosswords: Is Araucaria losing it? From: Mo the caller I've avoided reading this thread, in case it gives away any answers, but can someone who has done the crossword explain my answer (without spoiling it for anyone else). The first 4 letters of 31 across need to match the first 3 words of the clue and I don't see how they do (unless 'David the poet' goes together) |
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23 Dec 09 - 01:29 PM (#2795122) Subject: RE: BS: Crosswords: Is Araucaria losing it? From: Paul Burke Give us the clue: I've forgotten it, and thrown the paper out now. |
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23 Dec 09 - 04:24 PM (#2795139) Subject: RE: BS: Crosswords: Is Araucaria losing it? From: Mo the caller 31 (1.5d) Book featuring David the poet's realm and Burnley's endless potential It's one of the 'undefined' clues I do them online from the website I've filled up the top two thirds, but the bottom R hand corner is still blank, including the word that links all the defined clues. (Don't tell me) I like Araucaria, they can be mystifying until you find the link, then, as Brain and Dave, said they are satisfying and not too hard. |
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23 Dec 09 - 05:00 PM (#2795165) Subject: RE: BS: Crosswords: Is Araucaria losing it? From: Paul Burke Hint- it's a great historical engineer, also an anagram of "man making rubber dildos". |
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23 Dec 09 - 05:02 PM (#2795169) Subject: RE: BS: Crosswords: Is Araucaria losing it? From: Mo the caller Yes, I got the answer, I just didn't understand how the first 4 letters fitted the clue. |
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23 Dec 09 - 08:05 PM (#2795312) Subject: RE: BS: Crosswords: Is Araucaria losing it? From: Rowan To clarify for Transpond friends — Araucaria [which indeed = monkey-puzzle tree] Well. MtheGM has got it partly right but there are several species of Araucaria and only one is properly the Monkey puzzle. Araucariaceae commonly cultivated include Araucaria araucana. Monkey-puzzle or Pehuén. Araucaria angustifolia. Paraná Pine (Both of these are endemic to South America). Araucaria bidwillii. Bunya Pine. Eastern Australia. Araucaria hunsteinii. Klinki. New Guinea. Araucaria columnaris. Cook Pine. New Caledonia. Araucaria cunninghamii. Moreton Bay Pine, Hoop Pine. Eastern Australia, New Guinea. Araucaria heterophylla. Norfolk Island Pine. Norfolk Island. and there are quite a few others not commonly cultivated. Cheers, Rowan |
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24 Dec 09 - 01:12 AM (#2795411) Subject: RE: BS: Crosswords: Is Araucaria losing it? From: HuwG "Book" in the case of 31 across, refers to the First Book of Samuel in the Old Testament. |
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24 Dec 09 - 03:14 AM (#2795441) Subject: RE: BS: Crosswords: Is Araucaria losing it? From: MGM·Lion ===MtheGM has got it partly right === It is not his habit, Rowan, to get things 'partly' right: he customarily & invariably gets things right except on those occasions when he deosn't, of course. Fact that some other trees may be captiously officious is another matter, best not delved too deeply into, Mr Mountain-Ash. |
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24 Dec 09 - 03:50 AM (#2795448) Subject: RE: BS: Crosswords: Is Araucaria losing it? From: Paul Burke HuwG's got it- Book featuring David = 1 Sam + poet = bard + realm = kingdom + Burnle(y) anagrammed My Bible knowledge isn't extensive, but I guessed it couldn't be Ecclesiasticus... Incidentally, the bottom right "keyword" was the very last thing I got. |
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24 Dec 09 - 07:02 AM (#2795532) Subject: RE: BS: Crosswords: Is Araucaria losing it? From: Mo the caller Thanks, I was looking at that and not seeing the i as a 1 I understood all the rest but was trying to make Psalms |
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24 Dec 09 - 11:10 AM (#2795644) Subject: RE: BS: Crosswords: Is Araucaria losing it? From: MikeL2 Hi Just this minute been watching a repeat of one of The Two Ronnies Christmas Shows. It shows one sketch where they are in a railway carriage on the way into work and Barker is doing a tough crossword in his paper and Corbett is doing the Sun's Easy Crossword. Corbett insists on keeping reading out loud clues from his paper much to Barker's annoyance. Corbett finishes by reading out the last clue which was " you find it on the bottome of a bird cage". Four letters the last two ..IT Barker looks at Corbetts answer and said " GRIT" you fool not ..IT A nun in the same carriage doing a crossword asks, "Anyone got a rubber ". (For our US members she means an eraser.....lol) Me .....I do crosswords too but not The Guardian...........nor The Sun....lol cheers Mike |
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25 Dec 09 - 07:54 AM (#2796192) Subject: RE: BS: Crosswords: Is Araucaria losing it? From: Fiolar Crossword fans should try the following website: http.//fifteensquared.net/ It gives completed editions of most crosswords. It allows you to cheat a little bit as it gives solutions to the most difficult ones. Happy Christmas. |
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25 Dec 09 - 06:41 PM (#2796430) Subject: RE: BS: Crosswords: Is Araucaria losing it? From: Paul Burke Why would anyone want to cheat Fiolar? A proper cryptic is one mind against another. You know who's won, and there's no possibility of cheating. |
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26 Dec 09 - 01:13 AM (#2796522) Subject: RE: BS: Crosswords: Is Araucaria losing it? From: MGM·Lion "Damn'd siesta! My God, I'm not Gunga Din! Heel, hounds!" (3,4,3,10,2,3,2,3,3-3,3) Took me about thirty seconds. === I am impressed, Snail. I will admit I haven't cracked this one yet — it's the sort I generally don't even attempt from cold, but leave until I have a few of the letters, when it will suddenly become clear. I'm no tiro — over many years I have been a winner, oft multiply, in New Staggers, Speccie, Guardian, PrivateEye, Pass, &c&c&c, winning cash, Chambers', books ... Has time come for solution of above conundrum to be revealed? I would sleep easier. Someone put me out of misery please — by PM if can't bear to publish it here. Thanks - Michael |
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26 Dec 09 - 05:47 AM (#2796569) Subject: RE: BS: Crosswords: Is Araucaria losing it? From: Paul Burke Mad dogs and Englishmen go out in the mid-day sun. That's the beauty of Araucaria- it's all there in the clue! |
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26 Dec 09 - 06:40 AM (#2796583) Subject: RE: BS: Crosswords: Is Araucaria losing it? From: MGM·Lion Many thanks. I shall thank you properly when I finish kicking myself! I once even sang it at a Noel Coward evening on a drama course! Disgusted with myself. |