| Author |
Message |
mUs1Ka
Guest
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| Posted: Wed Sep 15, 2004 8:54 pm
Post subject: Re: Daily free cryptic crosswords, RIP |
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Odysseus wrote:
| Quote: | Harvey Van Sickle wrote:
On 14 Sep 2004, Paul Wolff wrote
In message <Xns9564A44371B28whhvans@62.253.162.203>, Harvey Van
Sickle
harvey.news@ntlworld.com> writes
for a giggle, I like "Listen closely for a sexual perversion
(4,2,4,4)".
The first word is 5 letters.
You're absolutely right. Sorry.
I'm still not getting that one; I must be out of practice (as the
bishop said to the actress).
|
Prick up your ears and listen closely.
--
Ray
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graham
Guest
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| Posted: Wed Sep 15, 2004 9:45 pm
Post subject: Re: Daily free cryptic crosswords, RIP |
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"Harvey Van Sickle" <harvey.news@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:Xns95659C4CF2179whhvans@62.253.162.202...
| Quote: | On 15 Sep 2004, LarryLard wrote
Harvey Van Sickle <harvey.news@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:<Xns9564E50D51244whhvans@62.253.162.205>...
Re: Araucaria's "alphabetical crosswords"
As far as I know, none of the other setters have done anything
approaching that level of complexity.
To my mind the acme of insanely difficult crosswords must be the
Listener crossword, formerly to be found in the periodical of that
name, and now carried by the Times every Saturday. Unfortunately
they charge for access to back issues, so you will have to make do
with this link:
http://www.crossword.org.uk/listen.htm
That's true, but I was really talking about complexity rather than
straightforward difficulty. (I hope that distinction makes sense; it
does to me.)
You're being a bit cryptic here;-) |
Graham |
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Bill Bonde ( ``Soli Deo G
Guest
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| Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2004 3:11 am
Post subject: Re: Daily free cryptic crosswords, RIP |
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Paul Wolff wrote:
| Quote: |
In message <2qohjjF12f2stU1@uni-berlin.de>, Mike Lyle
mike_lyle_uk@REMOVETHISyahoo.co.uk> writes
Which reminds me. Any takers for my "Not the SDC Punter's Revenge"
RBQ-style cryptic? (It seems somehow to have got split into two almost
identical threads by Google.)
My newsreader threads by references, not subject lines, and quotes the
original subject when displaying the thread tree, so I can't even find
it now ... and what *is* RBQ?
Here's a question: "An Irish poet and politician, who died on the Somme, |
might feel equally at home at a racecourse in England or in a skyscraper
in New York. Which ones, and why?" from
http://www.bbc.co.uk/radio4/comedy/rbq.shtml
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Paul Wolff
Guest
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| Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2004 5:09 am
Post subject: Re: Daily free cryptic crosswords, RIP |
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In message <2qqjnbF12m1fvU1@uni-berlin.de>, Mike Lyle
<mike_lyle_uk@REMOVETHISyahoo.co.uk> writes
| Quote: | Radio 4's flagship programme: _Round Britain Quiz_. (I'm sure you
remember now.)
|
Ah yes, Irene Thomas (who knew *everything*) and Anthony Quinton (who
knew *why* everything). Gone downhill since the Good Old Days, of
course.
Broadband's great for listening to BBC radio programmes at civilised
hours.
| Quote: |
If you like I'll re-post the thing when I get home.
|
No need thanks, I stirred myself enough to search on Subject headers.
Five seconds well spent. I now see why the RBQ reference, and will
construe accordingly. I'm on the Hispaniola right now.
--
Paul
In bocca al Lupo! |
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Mark Barratt
Guest
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| Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2004 6:09 am
Post subject: Re: Daily free cryptic crosswords, RIP |
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Paul Wolff wrote:
| Quote: | Radio 4's flagship programme: _Round Britain Quiz_. (I'm sure you
remember now.)
Ah yes, Irene Thomas (who knew *everything*) and Anthony Quinton (who
knew *why* everything). Gone downhill since the Good Old Days, of
course.
|
I've heard it said that Ms Thomas et al insisted on having the
answers in front of them as they recorded the show. She apparently
considered herself a performer, not a competitor.
--
Regards,
Mark Barratt |
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Charles Riggs
Guest
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| Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2004 8:58 am
Post subject: Re: Daily free cryptic crosswords, RIP |
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On 15 Sep 2004 10:56:49 GMT, Dena Jo <me@privacy.net> wrote:
| Quote: | On 14 Sep 2004, Charles Riggs posted thus:
here comes the big one, you might have met me.
In 1976?
|
I was back and forth in those days, but to Europe* from the US, not to
Ireland yet. Still, I might have made a side-trip had I known.
*Accepted meaning of Europe, Hiberno-English usage-wise. |
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Sean O'Leathlobhair
Guest
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| Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2004 2:18 pm
Post subject: Re: Daily free cryptic crosswords, RIP |
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Harvey Van Sickle <harvey.news@ntlworld.com> wrote in message news:<Xns9564E50D51244whhvans@62.253.162.205>...
| Quote: | On 14 Sep 2004, Wood Avens wrote
On Tue, 14 Sep 2004 21:08:00 GMT, Harvey Van Sickle
harvey.news@ntlworld.com> wrote:
AND NOT ONLY THAT: THE CLUES ARE PAIRED AS RHYMING
COUPLETS. (That's just showing off, frankly...)
It is, innit. Trouble is, it also makes it harder, as it sets up
quite spurious (usually) connections between the clues, which one
(well, I, at least) then deliberately has to make oneself ignore.
Eeeevil.
I'll be very sad when he's no longer here to set them. (He's 83 now:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,3604,438558,00.html.)
As far as I know, none of the other setters have done anything
approaching that level of complexity.
|
The strangest Araucaria crossword that I remember was many years ago.
I forget the details but there was some hint that the answer to one
across clue was relevant to solving the down clues (or vice versa).
The answer to this clue was: "Mind your ps and qs". You then had to
solve the down clues normally but swap any p in the answer for q and
vice versa before entering it.
I also remember one time when it was not the initial letters of the
answers that were A, B, C, . . . but the final letters.
There is no doubt that he is my favourite compiler. Note that if you
see "compiler" in the clue, you may have to insert "me" in the answer.
Seán O'Leathlóbhair |
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Mike Lyle
Guest
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| Posted: Thu Sep 16, 2004 7:46 pm
Post subject: Re: Daily free cryptic crosswords, RIP |
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|
"Sean O'Leathlobhair" <jwlawler@yahoo.com> wrote in message
news:d1835a57.0409160018.216261dd@posting.google.com...
| Quote: | Harvey Van Sickle <harvey.news@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:<Xns9564E50D51244whhvans@62.253.162.205>...
On 14 Sep 2004, Wood Avens wrote
On Tue, 14 Sep 2004 21:08:00 GMT, Harvey Van Sickle
harvey.news@ntlworld.com> wrote:
AND NOT ONLY THAT: THE CLUES ARE PAIRED AS RHYMING
COUPLETS. (That's just showing off, frankly...)
It is, innit. Trouble is, it also makes it harder, as it sets
up
quite spurious (usually) connections between the clues, which
one
(well, I, at least) then deliberately has to make oneself
ignore.
Eeeevil.
I'll be very sad when he's no longer here to set them. (He's 83
now:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/g2/story/0,3604,438558,00.html.)
As far as I know, none of the other setters have done anything
approaching that level of complexity.
The strangest Araucaria crossword that I remember was many years
ago.
I forget the details but there was some hint that the answer to one
across clue was relevant to solving the down clues (or vice versa).
The answer to this clue was: "Mind your ps and qs". You then had
to
solve the down clues normally but swap any p in the answer for q
and
vice versa before entering it.
I also remember one time when it was not the initial letters of the
answers that were A, B, C, . . . but the final letters.
There is no doubt that he is my favourite compiler. Note that if
you
see "compiler" in the clue, you may have to insert "me" in the
answer. |
Does this work?
In exasperation, we hear the simian may have left traces of wounding
bafflement on the Latin-American grower. (6, 9)
Mike. |
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david56
Guest
|
| Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2004 3:21 am
Post subject: Re: Daily free cryptic crosswords, RIP |
|
|
Mark Barratt typed thus:
| Quote: |
Paul Wolff wrote:
Radio 4's flagship programme: _Round Britain Quiz_. (I'm sure you
remember now.)
Ah yes, Irene Thomas (who knew *everything*) and Anthony Quinton (who
knew *why* everything). Gone downhill since the Good Old Days, of
course.
I've heard it said that Ms Thomas et al insisted on having the
answers in front of them as they recorded the show. She apparently
considered herself a performer, not a competitor.
|
Slander. Take it back, now!
--
David
===== |
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Dr. Jai Maharaj
Guest
|
| Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2004 1:08 pm
Post subject: Re: Daily free cryptic crosswords, RIP |
|
|
In article <Xns9564AEF2D8BB8DenaJo@130.133.1.4>,
"Dena Jo Kanner" <denajo.kanner@era.com> <denajo2@yahoo.com> posted:
| Quote: | On 14 Sep 2004, Peter Duncanson posted thus:
Clue: "As a horse Dena Jo is lively"
Solution: "No jade"
What???
|
This is not for you; get back to selling real estate.
Here's more help:
Dena Jo Kanner
ERA National Realty of Arizona
222 W. Gurley Street
Prescott, AZ 86301
Office - (928) 778-2000
Fax - (928) 778-4505
Email - denajo.kanner@era.com
Dena Jo Kanner's picture is here:
http://www.era.com/erabin/cgipic?Person=97829&Photo=1
http://www.era.com/cgi-bin/agentinfo?Agent=97829
DENA JO KANNER THANKS JAI MAHARAJ
In the two posts below, Dena Jo Kanner writes:
"Why, thank you, Jai . . ."
"Once again, Jai ..., thank you for the
opportunity to advertise my real estate services."
Post 1
| Quote: | Subject: Re: Dena Jo Kanner (Was: Re: OT - what's with engineers?)
From: Dena Jo <me@privacy.net
Newsgroups: misc.writing.screenplays,alt.usage.english,alt.english.usage
Date: 15 May 2004 18:58:34 GMT
Message-ID: <Xns94EA7A09315AEDenaJo@130.133.1.4
References: <Xns94EA660CFB08DDenaJo@130.133.1.4> <XC5GS8yR@Ue20ZwJ235jpTQB2
X-Trace: news.uni-berlin.de 6eLV87WXAFSZfpFWgOBufgPtBiLb0MowBnHzS9jsAnWQ5TTWAi
On 15 May 2004, Dr. Jai Maharaj posted thus:
In article <Xns94EA660CFB08DDenaJo@130.133.1.4>,
Dena Jo <me@privacy.net> posted:
Hi, everyone! Haven't been participating much because I've
basically been holding down two jobs, starting a career in real
estate . . .
Dena Jo Kanner
ERA National Realty of AZ
222 W. Gurley St.
Prescott, AZ 86301
Office: (928) 778-2000
Fax: (928) 778-4505
Email: denajo.kanner@nationalrealtyaz.net
Email: denajo2@yahoo.com
http://www.era.com/erabin/agentinfo?Agent=97829
Why, thank you, Jai/Jay! I didn't have to nerve to advertise my real
estate services in the newsgroups -- you know, bad form and all that.
But thank *you* for doing it for me! That's so sweet of you. Clearly,
everyone is wrong about you. You're a swell guy!
--
Dena Jo
Email goes to denajo2 at the dot com variation of the Yahoo domain.
Have I confused you? Go here:
http://myweb.cableone.net/denajo/emailme.htm
http://www.google.com/groups?selm=Xns94EA7A09315AEDenaJo%40130.133.1.4&output=gplain |
Post 2
| Quote: | Subject: Re: Dena Jo Kanner's age (Was: Re: OT: Combatting,,,)
From: "Dena Jo" <me@privacy.net
Newsgroups: alt.usage.english,misc.writing.screenplays
Date: Wed, 25 Aug 2004 07:06:40 -0700
Organization: CompuServe Interactive Services
Message-ID: <cgi6dl$dvj$1@ngspool-d02.news.aol.com
NNTP-Posting-Host: 24-116-165-155.cpe.cableone.net
X-Trace: ngspool-d02.news.aol.com 1093442805 14323
24.116.165.155 (25 Aug 2004 14:06:45 GMT)
X-Complaints-To: newsmaster@compuserve.com
NNTP-Posting-Date: Wed, 25 Aug 2004 14:06:45 +0000 (UTC)
X-Newsreader: Microsoft Outlook Express 6.00.2800.1437
X-MimeOLE: Produced By Microsoft MimeOLE V6.00.2800.1441
"Dr. Jai Maharaj" <usenet@mantra.com> wrote in message
news:WyL2L35gwVb6@KZ131s7SqOezNp...
In alt.usage.english,
in article <0clmi0d5b2sco3p2jfrbe3frv6fn1omeu3@4ax.com>,
Charles Riggs <chriggs@eircom.net> posted:
On 24 Aug 2004, "Dena Jo Kanner" <denajo2@yahoo.com> wrote:
[...]
On 24 Aug 2004, Mike Lyle posted thus:
[...]
ObAUE: I'm not entirely sure an American woman of 39++ can refer to
herself as a girl. An Irish women could since we don't have the US
hang-up here, but in America I'd say you're a woman.
[ Subject: Re: Is Jesse a hoax? - THANKS, JAI!
[ From: Dr. Jai Maharaj
[ Date: 8 Oct 2002
In article <anvc2l$hm13s$1@ID-139412.news.dfncis.de>,
"Dena Jo" <denajo2@cs.com> posted:
Jai posted:
Why, looking for a companion? You published your age
and contact information sometime ago:
Name City State Age
DENA JO KANNER LA QUINTA CA 47
Phone: 760-772-0390 (try also: 760-772-0380)
Fax: 603-843-9709
Denajo@aol.com
denajo2@cs.com
Hey, Jai/Jay. What part of of 39++ did you not understand?
So let's evaluate your service here.
DENA JO KANNER
Yep. Still my name.
LA QUINTA CA
Nope. No longer live there. As everyone knows.
47
49 on my last birthday. As everyone knows -- or *could* know since I
don't hide my age.
Phone: 760-772-0390
Dead phone number. As anyone would know if they gave it 3 seconds of
thought. Oh, I forgot. You're not capable of 3 seconds of thought.
(try also: 760-772-0380)
Dead phone number. As anyone would know if they gave it 3 seconds of
thought. Oh, I forgot. You're not capable of 3 seconds of thought.
Fax: 603-843-9709
Dead phone number.
Denajo@aol.com
Defunct email address.
denajo2@cs.com
Useless email address. Completely blocked.
So that Jai/Jay doesn't have to waste his time responding to this email,
here's my personal information.
Dena Jo Kanner
49 years old
Likes long walks on the beach -- NOT!
I can be reached at 928-777-2352. Be sure to call if you're looking for
property in the Prescott area or if you need a referral to a Realtor in
the... well, anywhere in the world, actually.
You can email me at denajo2@yahoo.com, but unless you're on my special
list of beloved correspondents, OE will automatically send your email to
cyberspace wasteland and I may never see it. And if anyone would like the
instructions for setting up *that* mail rule in OE, let me know. I'd be
happy to share that information with you.
Once again, Jai/Jay, thank you for the opportunity to advertise my real
estate services.
Dena Jo
http://www.google.com/groups?selm=cgi6dl%24dvj%241%40ngspool-d02.news.aol.com&output=gplain |
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Dr. Jai Maharaj
Guest
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| Posted: Fri Sep 17, 2004 1:15 pm
Post subject: Re: Daily free cryptic crosswords, RIP |
|
|
In article <4148384d@dnews.tpgi.com.au>,
"John Holmes" <see sig> posted:
| Quote: | Dylan Nicholson wrote:
"Harvey Van Sickle" <harvey.news@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:Xns956451390EE5Ewhhvans@62.253.162.206...
On 13 Sep 2004, Dylan Nicholson wrote
"Harvey Van Sickle" <harvey.news@ntlworld.com> wrote in message
news:Xns9563E1DCA4264whhvans@194.168.222.123...
Aw, poop: unless I'm missing a link, it's not cryptic. :(
http://www.theage.com.au/entertainment/puzzles/cryptic.html
Many thanks; I'll check that out.
Going by how easy the first few clues are, I'm not sure it'd be much
of a replacement.
It used to be more challenging - certainly the print edition is.
I don't think so. The crossword there now is exactly the one in today's
print edition.
The Age used to have very good cryptics up to about 15 years ago, set by
somebody called "Despard". Those disappeared when the paper became a
cheapskate reprint of the SMH. Now the cryptics are either too easy
(usually) or just so clumsily and boringly clued so as not to be worth
the bother.
|
The bigger challenge is to create cryptic crosswords.
Jai Maharaj
http://www.mantra.com/jai
Om Shanti |
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Evan Kirshenbaum
Guest
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| Posted: Sat Sep 18, 2004 3:45 am
Post subject: Re: Daily free cryptic crosswords, RIP |
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don groves <dgroves@domain.net> writes:
| Quote: | Someone, it may have been Isaak Asimov (he of the _Lecherous
Limericks_), wrote a SciFi vignette back in the '40s or '50s
about man's first trip to Venus. The Venusians were extremely
aloof and ignored all attempts at conversation until one day,
tired of being treated as invisible, an Earthling turned to a
silent, passing Venusian and said, "Aw, go fuck yourself", at
which the Venusian brightened and vigorously shook the man's
hand. Turns out Venusians were autosexual and that was the only
greeting they recognized as civil.
|
I find it hard to believe that anyone could have gotten that published
in the '40s or '50s. Or was his claim just that he had written it but
not published it?
--
Evan Kirshenbaum +------------------------------------
HP Laboratories |The Elizabethans had so many words
1501 Page Mill Road, 1U, MS 1141 |for the female genitals that it is
Palo Alto, CA 94304 |quite hard to speak a sentence of
|modern English without inadvertently
kirshenbaum@hpl.hp.com |mentioning at least three of them.
(650)857-7572 | Terry Pratchett
http://www.kirshenbaum.net/ |
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Don Aitken
Guest
|
| Posted: Sat Sep 18, 2004 4:45 am
Post subject: Re: Daily free cryptic crosswords, RIP |
|
|
On Fri, 17 Sep 2004 14:45:09 -0700, Evan Kirshenbaum
<kirshenbaum@hpl.hp.com> wrote:
| Quote: | don groves <dgroves@domain.net> writes:
Someone, it may have been Isaak Asimov (he of the _Lecherous
Limericks_), wrote a SciFi vignette back in the '40s or '50s
about man's first trip to Venus. The Venusians were extremely
aloof and ignored all attempts at conversation until one day,
tired of being treated as invisible, an Earthling turned to a
silent, passing Venusian and said, "Aw, go fuck yourself", at
which the Venusian brightened and vigorously shook the man's
hand. Turns out Venusians were autosexual and that was the only
greeting they recognized as civil.
I find it hard to believe that anyone could have gotten that published
in the '40s or '50s. Or was his claim just that he had written it but
not published it?
|
It wasn't Asimov. A bit of head-scratching produced the title, which
was "Politeness", and that enabled me to find it on ISFDB. It was
Fredric Brown, as I ought to have guessed, especially since I have the
very book on my shelves; the book being "Angels and Speceships", first
published in 1954. It consists of eight stories first published in
Astounding, alternating with short-shorts not previously published, of
which this is one. I'm sure that no SF magazine of the time would have
taken it, but E.P.Dutton were less prudish. The F-word itself, of
course, appears as a long dash, but "---- yourself!" could hardly be
mistaken for anything else.
The same book contains not one but two excellent stories on the
unpromising subject of typesetting - "The Angelic Angleworm" and the
unforgettable "Etaoin Shrdlu".
--
Don Aitken
Mail to the addresses given in the headers is no longer being
read. To mail me, substitute "clara.co.uk" for "freeuk.com". |
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don groves
Guest
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| Posted: Sat Sep 18, 2004 4:55 am
Post subject: Re: Daily free cryptic crosswords, RIP |
|
|
In article <pt4kzi1m.fsf@hpl.hp.com>, kirshenbaum@hpl.hp.com
wrote...
| Quote: | don groves <dgroves@domain.net> writes:
Someone, it may have been Isaak Asimov (he of the _Lecherous
Limericks_), wrote a SciFi vignette back in the '40s or '50s
about man's first trip to Venus. The Venusians were extremely
aloof and ignored all attempts at conversation until one day,
tired of being treated as invisible, an Earthling turned to a
silent, passing Venusian and said, "Aw, go fuck yourself", at
which the Venusian brightened and vigorously shook the man's
hand. Turns out Venusians were autosexual and that was the only
greeting they recognized as civil.
I find it hard to believe that anyone could have gotten that published
in the '40s or '50s. Or was his claim just that he had written it but
not published it?
|
I read it in a sci fi anthology, probably by Campbell. I can't
remember now if the f word was completely spelled out but it was
enough to make the intent obvious. Maybe I shouldn't have quoted
it for that reason. I'll visit our main library and see if I can
find the anthology.
In the same volume was another short-short depicting the visiting
of earth by giant but apparently gentle creatures from outer
space. The earthlings had just about figured out the invaders
meant them no harm when a fine mist began descending and, upon
looking up, discovered the aliens spraying for bugs.
I just remembered the name! Frederick Brown! How could I have
forgotten, he is/was one of my favorite authors.
--
dg (domain=ccwebster) |
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don groves
Guest
|
| Posted: Sat Sep 18, 2004 5:35 am
Post subject: Re: Daily free cryptic crosswords, RIP |
|
|
In article <d3pmk0t3ec565a5abr9ni7a7v8qcnvd3ds@4ax.com>, don-
aitken@freeuk.com wrote...
| Quote: | On Fri, 17 Sep 2004 14:45:09 -0700, Evan Kirshenbaum
kirshenbaum@hpl.hp.com> wrote:
don groves <dgroves@domain.net> writes:
Someone, it may have been Isaak Asimov (he of the _Lecherous
Limericks_), wrote a SciFi vignette back in the '40s or '50s
about man's first trip to Venus. The Venusians were extremely
aloof and ignored all attempts at conversation until one day,
tired of being treated as invisible, an Earthling turned to a
silent, passing Venusian and said, "Aw, go fuck yourself", at
which the Venusian brightened and vigorously shook the man's
hand. Turns out Venusians were autosexual and that was the only
greeting they recognized as civil.
I find it hard to believe that anyone could have gotten that published
in the '40s or '50s. Or was his claim just that he had written it but
not published it?
It wasn't Asimov. A bit of head-scratching produced the title, which
was "Politeness", and that enabled me to find it on ISFDB. It was
Fredric Brown, as I ought to have guessed, especially since I have the
very book on my shelves; the book being "Angels and Speceships", first
published in 1954. It consists of eight stories first published in
Astounding, alternating with short-shorts not previously published, of
which this is one. I'm sure that no SF magazine of the time would have
taken it, but E.P.Dutton were less prudish. The F-word itself, of
course, appears as a long dash, but "---- yourself!" could hardly be
mistaken for anything else.
The same book contains not one but two excellent stories on the
unpromising subject of typesetting - "The Angelic Angleworm" and the
unforgettable "Etaoin Shrdlu".
|
Thanks, Don! I remembered Fred Brown's name just as I was about
to send my previous post. I'll have to find a copy for my
library, brings back a lot of memories.
--
dg (domain=ccwebster)
PS - you don't suppose the young Dick Cheney read the same
story... |
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