I think I had a record number of gimmes on this one -- eleven -- ELBOWED, MONTHLY, PET SHOP, LIFT OFF, EPICURE, BONFIRE, INVADER, SAILORS, HOGARTH, LUCIFER, EARLOBE, so I was off to a fast start. I thought it was going to be my fastest solve ever, but toward the end I was very much slowed down by getting VBP, which I was sure had to be a mistake. Still, I wasn't willing to change any of the clues that contributed to those 3 letters. Had to get the whole title "Very British Problems" before I figured it out! Good show, EC & HR!
1
I had far more gimmes than usual--PET SHOP, EVEREST, BONFIRE, INVADER, SAILORS, HOGARTH, LUCIFER, and EARLOBE--so I was suckered into thinking this would be easy. It turned out to be a slow hard solve for me! I also had wrong 'gimmes' with GOURMET and TAKE OFF (I think of LIFTOFF as being one word--I guess the noun is but not the verb) and NORFOLK, but I decided to double-check NORFOLK and quickly changed it to SUFFOLK (I lived in NORFOLK county in Massachusetts for many years, Boston being in SUFFOLK, and I get their English locations somewhat confused).
But with that many words, I was impressed at how little I could put together of the quote. I looked up the Shatner film, so I was sure of VBP, and that didn't help at all! So there was a lot of guessing. Bits of it started to coalesce-- "we ever run out of" something and "stiff upper lips" and I actually remembered to pay attention to the author and title line, so that helped. I tried to start it with "if a survivor of" for too long, as well.
The book does sound interesting. Sadly, no library I have access to owns it.
But with that many words, I was impressed at how little I could put together of the quote. I looked up the Shatner film, so I was sure of VBP, and that didn't help at all! So there was a lot of guessing. Bits of it started to coalesce-- "we ever run out of" something and "stiff upper lips" and I actually remembered to pay attention to the author and title line, so that helped. I tried to start it with "if a survivor of" for too long, as well.
The book does sound interesting. Sadly, no library I have access to owns it.
2
No delivery of my Sunday NYT today (yet again). Can someone please post the Spelling Bee puzzle? Thanks.
Y+CELORT 6/12/18
Tougher than usual puzzle from EC & HR.
Well, I was quite chuffed with this one, although still not a tea drinker.
Like others I had gourmet first. I also had trouble with the piercing as my dictionary has ear lobe as 2 words, and nowadays people will pierce anything. I wasn't familiar with the book, but may just look into it.
Like others I had gourmet first. I also had trouble with the piercing as my dictionary has ear lobe as 2 words, and nowadays people will pierce anything. I wasn't familiar with the book, but may just look into it.
2
A second 3 in Spelling Bee came late. That, together with finishing with ORRERY made it interesting and fun.
1
A moderately entertaining, if somewhat alarming, puzzle.
Easier than usual, for no obvious reason. Eight gimmes: LIFTOFF, VANDYKE, BONFIRE, SAILORS, HOGARTH, RESOLVE, LUCIFER and EARLOBE.
What does VBP represent? INVADER would have been the ninth gimme but I didn't like the placement of the V.
What does VBP represent? INVADER would have been the ninth gimme but I didn't like the placement of the V.
VBP = Very British Problems, as referred to in Caitlin's piece.
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And the title of the book!
I admit to being an Anglophile and so enjoyed this quote immensely, along with the many British-related words. I had a lot to start with; the Python's PET SHOP, LIFT OFF, BONFIRE, knew the Beatles famous last gig on the ROOFTOP, HOGARTH, RESOLVE, and a good guess of the EARLOBE piercing. I did try William briefly before INVADER. Many other words came with just a couple of letters, e.g. TOFFEES, YANKEES, SUFFOLK, VAN DYKE, when I got rolling with the back-and-forth. It was very amusing to get the "stiff upper lips" and "heaven forbid". I got British in the title, but the understanding of VBP didn't come until completion. Cheers!
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[This Saturday afternoon, some kind of a glitch happened. The Wordplay that should have gone up at noon in the East did not go up until almost 2:30.]
This one was a toughie.
It also probably set a record for answers that relate to the quote.
[SPOILER ALERT]
I must admit to having had almost no absolute gimmes; very unusual for me. INVADER was the only one that proved correct. TAKE OFF and GOURMET were wrong.
YANKEES became a gimme only after I realized the theme.
The answers that required searching were too numerous to mention.
But after all, a challenge is what we are here for.
This one was a toughie.
It also probably set a record for answers that relate to the quote.
[SPOILER ALERT]
I must admit to having had almost no absolute gimmes; very unusual for me. INVADER was the only one that proved correct. TAKE OFF and GOURMET were wrong.
YANKEES became a gimme only after I realized the theme.
The answers that required searching were too numerous to mention.
But after all, a challenge is what we are here for.
3
I tried Gourmet too, Jerrold, and almost Take OFF, but then LIFT occurred to me so I was saved.
I went back and forth between EPICURE and gourmet, but originally placed gourmet in the puzzle grid. I too had relatively few gimmes, despite the fact that I'm an Anglophile. Once I finished the puzzles, the things that should have been gimmes stood out, of course. I love Cox & Rathvon's puzzles: I did an archived Cryptic a few weeks ago where four clues took up the entire length or width of the puzzle.
“Flip-flops” was an interesting kind of “middle” puzzle.
[SPOILER ALERT]
At first it seemed too easy.
But then, being anything but a sports expert, I was not able to get the bowling question and the basketball question.
I finally did figure out PINHEAD/HEAD PIN.
Could somebody please tell me the basketball answer?
[SPOILER ALERT]
At first it seemed too easy.
But then, being anything but a sports expert, I was not able to get the bowling question and the basketball question.
I finally did figure out PINHEAD/HEAD PIN.
Could somebody please tell me the basketball answer?
Breakfast and Fast Break
1
OK, thanks!